1.
[syn: Benin, Republic of Benin, Dahomey]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
Benin
n 1: a country on western coast of Africa; formerly under French
control [syn: Benin, Republic of Benin, Dahomey]
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Benin
Introduction Benin
------------------
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.
Geography Benin
---------------
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North
Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and
Togo
Geographic coordinates: 9 30 N, 2 15 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 112,620 sq km
water: 2,000 sq km
land: 110,620 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries: total: 1,989 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 306
km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km,
Togo 644 km
Coastline: 121 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 NM
Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south;
semiarid in north
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain;
some hills and low mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m
Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits,
limestone, marble, timber
Land use: arable land: 15.28%
permanent crops: 1.36%
other: 83.37% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 120 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may
affect north from December to March
Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable
water; poaching threatens wildlife
populations; deforestation;
desertification
Environment - international party to: Biodiversity, Climate
agreements: 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
Geography - note: sandbanks create difficult access to
a coast with no natural harbors,
river mouths, or islands
People Benin
------------
Population: 6,787,625
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 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 47.2% (male 1,616,138;
female 1,585,463)
15-64 years: 50.5% (male 1,665,439;
female 1,764,966)
65 years and over: 2.3% (male
65,877; female 89,742) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.91% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 43.66 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 14.52 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/
female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 88.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 49.69 years
female: 50.61 years (2002 est.)
male: 48.81 years
Total fertility rate: 6.14 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 4.1% (2002)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 160,000 (2002)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 37,000 (2002)
Nationality: noun: Beninese (singular and plural)
adjective: Beninese
Ethnic groups: African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most
important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba,
Bariba), Europeans 5,500
Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian
30%, Muslim 20%
Languages: French (official), Fon and Yoruba
(most common vernaculars in south),
tribal languages (at least six major
ones in north)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 37.5%
male: 52.2%
female: 23.6% (2000)
Government Benin
----------------
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of
Benin
conventional short form: Benin
local short form: Benin
former: Dahomey
local long form: Republique du Benin
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
Capital: Porto-Novo is the official capital;
Cotonou is the seat of government
Administrative divisions: 12 provinces; Alibori, Atakora,
Atlantique, Borgou, Collines,
Couffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono,
Oueme, Plateau, Zou
Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: National Day, 1 August (1960)
Constitution: December 1990
Legal system: based on French civil law and
customary law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
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 NA March 2006)
note: the four top-ranking
contenders following the first-round
presidential elections were: Mathieu
KEREKOU (incumbent) 45.4%, Nicephore
SOGOLO (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
SOGOLO 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"
election results: Mathieu KEREKOU
reelected president; percent of vote
- Mathieu KEREKOU 84.1%, Bruno
AMOUSSOU 15.9%
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 - RB 27,
PRD 11, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 9, MADEP
6, E'toile 4, Alliance IPD 4, Car-
DUNYA 3, MERCI 2, other 7
elections: last held 30 March 1999
(next to be held NA March 2003)
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Cour
Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or
Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice
Political parties and leaders: African Movement for Democracy and
Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN];
Alliance for Democracy and Progress
or ADP [Sylvain Adekpedjou AKINDES];
Alliance of the Social Democratic
Party or PSD and the National Union
for Solidarity and Progress or UNSP
[Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Cameleon Alliance
or AC [leader NA]; Car-DUNYA [Saka
SALEY]; Communist Party of Benin or
PCB [Pascal FANTONDJI, first
secretary]; 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]; Liberal Democrats'
Rally for National Reconstruction-
Vivoten or RDL-Vivoten [Severin
ADJOVI]; Movement for Citizens'
Commitment and Awakening or MERCI
[Severin ADJOVI]; New Generation for
the Republic or NGR [Paul DOSSOU];
Our Common Cause or NCC [Francois
Odjo TANKPINON]; Party Democratique
du Benin or PDB [Col. Soule
DANKORO]; Rally for Democracy and
Pan-Africanism or RDP [Dominique
HOYMINOU, Dr. Giles Auguste
MINONTIN]; Renaissance Party du
Benin or RB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The
Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile)
[Sacca LAFIA]; Union for National
Democracy and Solidarity or UDS
[Adamou N'Diaye MAMA]
note: the Coalition of Democratic
Forces, [Gatien HOUNGBEDJI], an
alliance of parties and
organizations supporting President
KEREKOU
Political pressure groups and NA
leaders:
International organization ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS,
participation: Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU,
MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE,
UNMIK, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU,
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille
Segbe OGUIN
FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996
telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656
chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW,
Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela
US: E. BRIDGEWATER
embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani,
Cotonou
mailing address: B. P. 2012, Cotonou
telephone: [229] 30-06-50
FAX: [229] 30-06-70
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow
(top) and red with a vertical green
band on the hoist side
Economy Benin
-------------
Economy - overview: The economy of Benin remains
underdeveloped and dependent on
subsistence agriculture, cotton
production, and regional trade.
Growth in real output averaged a
stable 5% in the past five years,
but rapid population rise 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.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $6.8
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.4% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,040
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 36%
industry: 14%
services: 50% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 37% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2001 est.)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $377.4 million
expenditures: $561.8 million,
including capital expenditures of
$NA (2001)
Industries: textiles, food processing, chemical
production, construction materials
(2001)
Industrial production growth rate: 8.3% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 240 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 16.67%
hydro: 83.33%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 523.2 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 300 million kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca),
yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts,
livestock (2001)
Exports: $35.3 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities: cotton, crude oil, palm products,
cocoa
Exports - partners: Brazil, France, Indonesia, Thailand,
Morocco, Portugal, Cote d'Ivoire
(2001)
Imports: $437.6 million (c.i.f., 2000)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum
products
Imports - partners: France, US, China, Cote d'Ivoire,
Netherlands, Japan (2001)
Debt - external: $1.18 billion (2000)
Economic aid - recipient: $342.6 million (2000)
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine
franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the
West African States
Currency code: XOF
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine
francs (XOF) per US dollar - 742.79
(January 2002), 733.04 (2001),
711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95
(1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1
January 1999, the XOF is pegged to
the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF
per euro
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Benin
--------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 51,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 55,500 (2000)
Telephone system: general assessment: NA
domestic: fair system of open wire,
microwave radio relay, and cellular
connections
international: satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean); submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)
Radios: 660,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001)
Televisions: 66,000 (2000)
Internet country code: .bj
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2002)
Internet users: 50,000 (2002)
Transportation Benin
--------------------
Railways: total: 578 km
narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge
(2000 est.)
Highways: total: 6,787 km
paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 5,430 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: streams navigable along small
sections, important only locally
Ports and harbors: Cotonou, Porto-Novo
Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)
Airports: 5 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)
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 (2001)
Military Benin
--------------
Military branches: Armed Forces (including Army, Navy,
Air Force), National Gendarmerie
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,509,760
note: both sexes are liable for
military service (2002 est.)
females age 15-49: 1,536,036
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 771,373
service: females age 15-49: 778,730 (2002
est.)
Military manpower - reaching military males: 71,278
age annually: females: 70,088 (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar $27 million (FY96)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 1.2% (FY96)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Benin
--------------------------
Disputes - international: Benin and Niger have refered to the
ICJ the dispute over l'Ete and 14
smaller disputed islands in the
Niger River, which has never been
delimited; with Nigeria, several
villages are in dispute along the
Okpara River and only 35 km of the
436 km boundary are demarcated; the
Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint remains
undemarcated; Benin accuses Togo of
moving boundary markers and
stationing troops in its territory;
two villages are in dispute with
Burkina Faso
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics
associated with Nigerian trafficking
organizations and most commonly
destined for Western Europe and the
US