2000 Edition

Background

Dahomey gained its independence from France in 1960; the name was changed to Benin in 1975. From 1974 to 1989 the country was a socialist state; free elections were reestablished in 1991.

Area

land

110,620 sq km

total

112,620 sq km

water

2,000 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Climate

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Coastline

121 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mont Sokbaro 658 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

9 30 N, 2 15 E

Geography - note

no natural harbors

Irrigated land

100 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km

total

1,989 km

Land use

arable land

13%

forests and woodland

31%

other

48% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

4%

permanent pastures

4%

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea

200 nm

Natural hazards

hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter

Natural resources

small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Terrain

mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Age structure

0-14 years: 47% (male 1,531,636; female 1,503,552) 15-64 years: 50% (male 1,551,867; female 1,660,845) 65 years and over: 3% (male 63,717; female 84,302) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

44.81 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

14.51 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500

Infant mortality rate

90.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

Life expectancy at birth

female

51.16 years (2000 est.)

male

49.24 years

total population

50.18 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

25.8% (1995 est.)

male

48.7%

total population

37%

Nationality

adjective

Beninese

noun

Beninese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

6,395,919

note

estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

3.03% (2000 est.)

Religions

indigenous beliefs 70%, Muslim 15%, Christian 15%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.32 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Administrative divisions

6 provinces; Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Mono, Oueme, Zou

note

six additional provinces have been reported but not confirmed; they are Alibori, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, and Plateau; moreover, the term "province" may have been changed to "department"

Capital

Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government

Constitution

December 1990

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Benin

conventional short form

Benin

former

Dahomey

local long form

Republique du Benin

local short form

Benin

Data code

BN

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Robert C. FELDER

embassy

Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou

mailing address

B. P. 2012, Cotonou

telephone

30-06-50, 30-05-13, 30-17-92

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Lucien Edgar TONOUKOUIN

telephone

(202) 232-6656

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

Mathieu KEREKOU elected president; percent of vote - Mathieu KEREKOU 52.49%, Nicephore SOGLO 47.51%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 18 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2001)

head of government

President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

FAX

(202) 265-1996

30-14-39, 30-19-74

Flag description

two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side

Government type

republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991

Independence

1 August 1960 (from France)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle, Supreme Court or Cour Supreme, High Court of Justice

Legal system

based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRB 27, PRD 11, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 9, MADEPO 6, Alliance Etoile 4, Alliance IPD 4, CAR-DUNYA 3, MERCI 2, other 7

elections

last held 28 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003)

National holiday

National Day, 1 August (1990)

Political parties and leaders

African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP ; Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP ; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD and the National Union for Solidarity and Progress or UNSP ; Benin Renaissance Party or PRB ; Cameleon Alliance or AC ; Car-DUNYA ; Communist Party of Benin or PCB [Pascal FANTONDJI, first secretary]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD ; Front for Renewal and Development or FARD-ALAFIA; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD ; Liberal Democrats' Rally for National Reconstruction-Vivoten or RDL-Vivoten ; Movement for Citizens' Commitment and Awakening or MERCI ; New Generation for the Republic or NG ; Our Common Cause or NCC ; Rally for Democracy and Pan-Africanism or RDP ; The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) ; Union for National Democracy and Solidarity or UDS

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

corn, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, rice, cotton, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, livestock

Budget

expenditures

$445 million, including capital expenditures of $14 million (1995 est.)

revenues

$299 million

Currency

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Debt - external

$1.6 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$281.2 million (1995)

Economy - overview

The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output has averaged a sound 4% in 1990-95 and 5% in 1996-99. Rapid population growth has offset much of this growth in output. Inflation has subsided over the past three years. Commercial and transport activities, which make up a large part of GDP, are vulnerable to developments in Nigeria, particularly fuel shortages. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation in recent years. The government, still burdened with money-losing state enterprises and a bloated civil service, has been gradually implementing a structural adjustment program since 1991.

Electricity - consumption

276 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

270 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

6 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 647.25 (January 2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995)

note

from 1 January 1999, the CFAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro

Exports

$396 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities

cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa

Exports - partners

Brazil 32%, Libya, Indonesia, Spain (1998)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $8.1 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

34%

industry

14%

services

52% (1997)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,300 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$566 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, tobacco, petroleum products, capital goods

Imports - partners

France 22%, China 16%, UK, Netherlands (1998)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

textiles, cigarettes; beverages, food; construction materials, petroleum

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3% (1999 est.)

Labor force

NA

Population below poverty line

33% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios

620,000 (1997)

Telephone system

domestic

fair system of open wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections

international

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); submarine cable

Telephones - main lines in use

28,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1,050 (1995)

Television broadcast stations

2 (one privately-owned) (1997)

Televisions

60,000 (1997)

Airports

5 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways)

total

6,787 km

unpaved

5,430 km (1997 est.)

Merchant marine

none (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Cotonou, Porto-Novo

Railways

narrow gauge

578 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)

total

578 km (single track)

Waterways

navigable along small sections, important only locally

Military branches

Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$27 million (FY96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.2% (FY96)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,402,566 females age 15-49: 1,445,082

note

both sexes are liable for military service (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 717,289 females age 15-49: 732,196 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

females

67,961 (2000 est.)

males

69,065

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western Europe and the US

BERMUDA