Benin

Internet country code

.bj

Internet hosts

798 (2007)

Internet users

700,000 (2006)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)

Telephone system

general assessment: inadequate; fixed-line network is almost saturated with fixed-line teledensity stuck at a meager 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of roughly 10 per 100 persons domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections; four mobile-cellular providers international: country code - 229; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth station - 7 (Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

76,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

750,000 (2005)

Television broadcast stations

1 (2001)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $786 million expenditures: $1.024 billion (2006 est.)

Currency (code)

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

Current account balance

$-259 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$1.6 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient

$349.1 million (2005)

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. Specific projects to improve the business climate by reforms to the land tenure system, the commercial justice system, and the financial sector were included in Benin's $307 million Millennium Challenge Account grant signed in February 2006. The 2001 privatization policy continues in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of government reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation, with Benin benefiting from a G8 debt reduction announced in July 2005, 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, which has resulted in increased smuggling and criminality in the border region.

Electricity - consumption

587 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports

595 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - production

105 million kWh (2005)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002)

Exports

$605 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood

Exports - partners

China 20.9%, Indonesia 7.7%, India 7%, Netherlands 6.2%, Niger 5.7%, Togo 4.6%, Nigeria 4.3% (2006)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.622 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$8.989 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 32.8% industry: 13.7% services: 53.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% (2003)

Imports

$839 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products

Imports - partners

China 46.6%, France 7.5%, Thailand 6% (2006)

Industrial production growth rate

8.3% (2001 est.)

Industries

textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

19.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Labor force

3.211 million (1996)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

1.086 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves

8.21 million bbl (1 January 2006)

Population below poverty line

33% (2001 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$912 million (2006 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, Whaling 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 (2003)

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: 23.53% permanent crops: 2.37% other: 74.1% (2005)

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

name: Porto-Novo (official capital) geographic coordinates: 6 29 N, 2 37 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Cotonou (seat of government)

Constitution

adopted by referendum 2 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 Gayleatha B. BROWN embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou telephone: [229] 21-30-06-50 FAX: [229] 21-30-06-70

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 Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); runoff election held 19 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2011) election results: Thomas YAYI Boni elected president; percent of vote - Thomas YAYI Boni 74.5%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI 25.5%

Flag description

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

Government type

republic

Independence

1 August 1960 (from France)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, 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 31 March 2007 (next to be held by March 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FCBE 35, ADD 20, PRD 10, other and independents 18

National holiday

National Day, 1 August (1960)

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Dynamic Democracy or ADD [Nicephore SOGLO]; Alliance of Progress Forces or AFP; African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Force Cowrie for an Emerging Benin or FCBE; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD; Key Force or FC; Movement for Development and Solidarity or MDS; Movement for Development by the Culture-Salute Party-Congress of People for Progress Alliance or Alliance MDC-PS-CPP; New Alliance or NA; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP; 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. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006 and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and independent.

Manpower available for military service

males age 21-49: 1,295,230 females age 21-49: 1,301,936 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 21-49: 749,774 females age 21-49: 751,329 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49: 76,661 females: 75,068 (2005 est.)

Military branches

Benin Armed Forces: Ground Forces Command, Benin Navy, Benin People's Air Force (Force Aerienne Populaire de Benin, FAPB) (2007)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.7% (2006)

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 (2006)

Age structure

0-14 years: 43.9% (male 1,788,248/female 1,754,940) 15-64 years: 53.7% (male 2,138,649/female 2,203,291) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 77,844/female 115,342) (2007 est.)

Birth rate

38.1 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate

11.94 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Ethnic groups

Fon and related 39.2%, Adja and related 15.2%, Yoruba and related 12.3%, Bariba and related 9.2%, Peulh and related 7%, Ottamari and related 6.1%, Yoa-Lokpa and related 4%, Dendi and related 2.5%, other 1.6% (includes Europeans), unspecified 2.9% (2002 census)

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: 77.85 deaths/1,000 live births male: 82.32 deaths/1,000 live births female: 73.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 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: 53.44 years male: 52.28 years female: 54.63 years (2007 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 34.7% male: 47.9% female: 23.3% (2002 census)

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 (2007)

Median age

total: 17.7 years male: 17.3 years female: 18.1 years (2007 est.)

Nationality

noun: Beninese (singular and plural) adjective: Beninese

Net migration rate

0.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Population

8,078,314 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 2007 est.)

Population growth rate

2.674% (2007 est.)

Religions

Christian 42.8% (Catholic 27.1%, Celestial 5%, Methodist 3.2%, other Protestant 2.2%, other 5.3%), Muslim 24.4%, Vodoun 17.3%, other 15.5% (2002 census)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.019 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.971 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.675 male(s)/female total population: 0.983 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.08 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Disputes - international

two villages remain in dispute along the border with Burkina Faso; Benin accused Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated; in 2005, Nigeria ceded thirteen villages to Benin, but border relations remain strained by rival gang clashes; Benin and Togo announced plans in 2006 to construct a joint hydroelectric dam on the Mona River at the southern end of the border

Illicit drugs

transshipment point used by Nigerian traffickers for narcotics destined for Western Europe; vulnerable to money laundering due to poorly enforced financial regulations

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 26,632 (Togo) (2006)

Airports

5 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)

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 (2007)

Ports and terminals

Cotonou

Railways

total: 758 km narrow gauge: 758 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)

Roadways

total: 16,000 km paved: 1,400 km unpaved: 14,600 km (2005)

Waterways

150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2005)