Benin

Branches

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

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $33 million, 3.2% of GDP (1994)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49: 1,212,440 females age 15-49: 1,290,773 males fit for military service: 620,923 females fit for military service: 653,094 males reach military age (18) annually: 62,526 females reach military age (18) annually: 60,968 (1996 est.) note: both sexes are liable for military service

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic: fair system of open wire and microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); submarine cable

Telephones

16,200 (1986 est.)

Television broadcast stations

2

Televisions

20,000 (1993 est.) Defense

Agriculture

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

Budget

revenues: $272 million (1993 est.) expenditures: $375 million, including capital expenditures of $84 million (1993 est.)

Currency

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic overview

The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output, which had averaged a sound 4% in 1990-94, rose to 6% in 1995. Rapid population growth, now 3.3% per year, offset much of this growth in output. Inflation jumped to 55% in 1994 (compared to 3% in 1993) following the 50% currency devaluation in January 1994, but subsided gradually in 1995. Commercial and transport activities, which make up 37% of GDP, are extremely vulnerable to developments in Nigeria as evidenced by decreased reexport trade in 1994 due to a severe contraction in Nigerian demand. Support by the Paris Club and official bilateral creditors has 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 World Bank supported structural adjustment program since 1991.

Electricity

capacity: 30,000 kW production: 10 million kWh consumption per capita: 25 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991) note: beginning 12 January 1994 the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Exports

$310 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa partners: France, Morocco 37%, Portugal 14%, Spain, Italy, UK, US, Libya

External debt

$1.5 billion (1993 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $7.6 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: 36.8% industry: 12.6% services: 50.6% (1993)

GDP per capita

$1,380 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

6% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

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

Imports

$439 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, petroleum products, intermediate goods, capital goods, light consumer goods partners: France 24%, Thailand 12%, Netherlands 7%, US 5%, China, Hong Kong

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

55% (1994 est.)

Labor force

1.9 million (1987) by occupation: agriculture 60%, transport, commerce, and public services 38%, industry less than 2%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total area: 112,620 sq km land area: 110,620 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Climate

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Coastline

121 km

Environment

current issues: recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

9 30 N, 2 15 E

Geographic note

no natural harbors

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

60 sq km (1989 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: 12% permanent crops: 4% meadows and pastures: 4% forest and woodland: 35% other: 45%

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 200 nm

Natural resources

small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Terrain

mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Tanekas 641 m

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Porto-Novo

Constitution

2 December 1990

Data code

BN

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Lucien Edgar TONOUKOUIN chancery: 2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656, 6657, 6658

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996) was elected for a five-year term by popular vote; election last held 18 March 1996 (next to be held March 2001); results - Mathieu KEREKOU 52.49%, Nicephore SOGLO 47.51% cabinet: Executive Council, appointed by the president

FAX

[1] (202) 265-1996

FAX

[229] 30-14-39, 30-19-74

Flag

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

Independence

1 August 1960 (from France)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form: Republic of Benin conventional short form: Benin local long form: Republique du Benin local short form: Benin former: Dahomey

National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

elections last held 28 March 1995 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (83 total) Renaissance Party and allies 20, PRD 19, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 7, NCC 3, RDL-VIVOTEN 3, Communist Party 2, Alliance Chameleon 1, RDP 1, ADP 1, other 16

National holiday

National Day, 1 August (1990)

Political parties and leaders

as of February 1996, more than 80 political parties were officially recognized; the following are represented in the National Assembly: Alliance of the National Party for Democracy and Development (PNDD) and the Democratic Renewal Party (PRD), Pascal Chabi KAO; Action for Renewal and Development (FARD-ALAFIA), Mathieu KEREKOU; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the National Union for Solidarity and Progress (UNSP), Bruno AMOUSSOU; Alliance Chameleon; Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ADP), Adekpedjon AKINDES; Alliance for Social Democracy (ASD), Robert DOSSOU; Assembly of Liberal Democrats for National Reconstruction (RDL), Severin ADJOVI; Communist Party of Benin, Pascal FATONDJI, First Secretary; Our Common Cause (NCC), Albert TEVOEDJRE; Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP); The Renaissance Party, Nicephore SOGLO

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

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

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador John M. YATES embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou mailing address: B. P. 2012, Cotonou telephone: [229] 30-06-50, 30-05-13, 30-17-92

Age structure

0-14 years: 48% (male 1,376,531; female 1,367,394) 15-64 years: 50% (male 1,349,386; female 1,480,251) 65 years and over: 2% (male 60,030; female 75,937) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

46.76 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

13.53 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

105.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 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: 52.69 years male: 50.74 years female: 54.7 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 37% male: 48.7% female: 25.8%

Nationality

noun: Beninese (singular and plural) adjective: Beninese

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

5,709,529 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

3.32% (1996 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female all ages: 0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.64 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 5 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 2 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 2 (1995 est.)

Highways

total: 6,070 km paved: 1,214 km unpaved: 4,856 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine

none

Ports

Cotonou, Porto-Novo

Railways

total: 578 km (single track) (1995 est.) narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge

Waterways

navigable along small sections, important only locally