Benin

Internet country code

.bj

Internet hosts

879 (2004)

Internet users

70,000 (2003)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)

Telephone system

general assessment: NA domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections international: country code - 229; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Telephones - main lines in use

66,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

236,200 (2003)

Television broadcast stations

1 (2001)

Agriculture - products

cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001)

Budget

revenues: $869.4 million expenditures: $720.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Currency (code)

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Current account balance

$-159.9 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external

$1.6 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient

$342.6 million (2000)

Economy - overview

The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output has averaged around 5% in the past six years, but rapid population growth has offset much of this increase. Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to raise growth still further, Benin plans to attract more foreign investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the development of new food processing systems and agricultural products, and encourage new information and communication technology. The 2001 privatization policy should continue in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of initial government reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation, while pressing for more rapid structural reforms. Benin continues to be hurt by Nigerian trade protection that bans imports of a growing list of products from Benin and elsewhere. As a result, smuggling and criminality along the Benin-Nigeria border has been on the rise.

Electricity - consumption

565.2 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

300 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

285.2 million kWh (2002)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Exports

$720.9 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa

Exports - partners

China 28.7%, India 18.4%, Ghana 6.3%, Thailand 6%, Niger 5.8%, Indonesia 4.2%, Nigeria 4.2% (2004)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$8.338 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 36.3% industry: 14.3% services: 49.4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports

$934.5 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products

Imports - partners

China 32.2%, France 13%, Thailand 6.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.3% (2004)

Industrial production growth rate

8.3% (2001 est.)

Industries

textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.8% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

19.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Labor force

NA (1996)

Natural gas - proved reserves

608.8 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Oil - consumption

11,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA

Oil - imports

NA

Oil - production

700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

4.105 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Population below poverty line

33% (2001 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$839.3 million (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA

Area

total: 112,620 sq km land: 110,620 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

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m

Environment - current issues

inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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

sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands

Irrigated land

120 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 1,989 km border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km

Land use

arable land: 18.08% permanent crops: 2.4% other: 79.52% (2001)

Location

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 200 nm

Natural hazards

hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March

Natural resources

small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Terrain

mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Administrative divisions

12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou

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 local long form: Republique du Benin local short form: Benin former: Dahomey

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Wayne NEILL embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou telephone: [229] 30-06-50 FAX: [229] 30-06-70

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996

Executive branch

chief of state: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; runoff election held 22 March 2001 (next to be held March 2006) election results: Mathieu KEREKOU reelected president; percent of vote - Mathieu KEREKOU 84.1%, Bruno AMOUSSOU 15.9% note: the four top-ranking contenders following the first-round presidential elections were: Mathieu KEREKOU (incumbent) 45.4%, Nicephore SOGLO (former president) 27.1%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI (National Assembly Speaker) 12.6%, and Bruno AMOUSSOU (Minister of State) 8.6%; the second-round balloting, originally scheduled for 18 March 2001, was postponed four days because both SOGLO and HOUNGBEDJI withdrew alleging electoral fraud; this left KEREKOU to run against his own Minister of State, AMOUSSOU, in what was termed a "friendly match"

Flag description

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

Government type

republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989

Independence

1 August 1960 (from France)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

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) elections: last held 30 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Presidential Movement 52, opposition (PRB, PRD, E'toile, and 5 other small parties) 31

National holiday

National Day, 1 August (1960)

Political parties and leaders

African Congress for Renewal or DUNYA [Saka SALEY]; African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Coalition of Democratic Forces [Gatien HOUNGBEDJI]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Front for Renewal and Development or FARD-ALAFIA [Jerome Sakia KINA]; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD [Bertin BORNA]; Key Force or FC [leader NA]; Presidential Movement (UBF, MADEP, FC, IDP, and four small parties); Renaissance Party du Benin or PRB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union of Tomorrow's Benin or UBF [Bruno AMOUSSOU] note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960, as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged.

Manpower available for military service

males age 21-49: 1,207,071 females age 21-49: 1,216,180 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 21-49: 670,170 females age 21-49: 630,078 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males: 72,841 females: 71,428 (2005 est.)

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$96.5 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.4% (2004)

Military service age and obligation

21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; in practice, volunteers may be taken at the age of 18; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18 months (2004)

Age structure

0-14 years: 46.5% (male 1,752,243/female 1,719,458) 15-64 years: 51.2% (male 1,868,630/female 1,948,610) 65 years and over: 2.3% (male 70,367/female 100,717) (2005 est.)

Birth rate

41.99 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate

13.76 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

5,800 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

68,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 85 deaths/1,000 live births male: 90 deaths/1,000 live births female: 79.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 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

total population: 52.66 years male: 51.53 years female: 53.82 years (2005 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 33.6% male: 46.4% female: 22.6% (2002 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, yellow fever, and others are high risks in some locations respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Median age

total: 16.56 years male: 16.12 years female: 17.01 years (2005 est.)

Nationality

noun: Beninese (singular and plural) adjective: Beninese

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Population

7,460,025 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 2005 est.)

Population growth rate

2.82% (2005 est.)

Religions

indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.86 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Disputes - international

two villages remain in dispute along the border with Burkina Faso; accuses Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated, and the states expect a ruling in 2005 from the ICJ over the disputed Niger and Mekrou River islands; a joint task force was established in 2004 that resolved disputes over and redrew the maritime and the 870-km land boundary with Nigeria, including the sovereignty over seven villages along the Okpara River; a joint boundary commission continues to resurvey the boundary with Togo to verify Benin's claim that Togo moved boundary stones

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western Europe and the US; vulnerable to money laundering due to a poorly regulated financial infrastructure

Airports

5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: 6,787 km paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,430 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Cotonou

Railways

total: 578 km narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Waterways

150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2004)