Benin

Africa 

 

Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

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

Area

Land Boundaries

Total 1,989 km, Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km

Coastline

121 km

Maritime Claims

International Disputes

None

Climate

Tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain

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

Natural Resources

Land Use

Irrigated Land

60 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment

Note: No natural harbors

PEOPLE

Population

5,709,529 (July 1996 est.)
5,522,677 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

48% (male 1,376,531; female 1,367,394) (July 1996 est.)
48% (male 1,333,673; female 1,324,553) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

50% (male 1,349,386; female 1,480,251) (July 1996 est.)
49% (male 1,299,180; female 1,431,630) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

2% (male 60,030; female 75,937) (July 1996 est.)
3% (male 59,522; female 74,119) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

3.32% (1996 est.)
3.33% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

46.76 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
47.25 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

13.53 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
13.93 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

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.)

Infant Mortality Rate

105.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
107.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total Fertility Rate

6.64 children born/woman (1996 est.)
6.72 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic Divisions

Religions

Languages

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

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)

Labor Force

1.9 million (1987)

By occupation:

GOVERNMENT

Names

Digraph

BN

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

Administrative Divisions

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

Independence

1 August 1960 (from France)

National Holiday

National Day, 1 August (1990)

Constitution

2 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

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

Elections last held 28 March 1995; 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

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

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

Member of

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

National Anthem

Flag

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

ECONOMY

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.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $7.6 billion (1995 est.), $6.7 billion (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

6% (1995 est.)
4% (1994 est.)

National Product Per Capita

$1,380 (1995 est.)
$1,260 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

55% (1994 est.)
35% (1994 est.)

Unemployment Rate

NA

Budget

Exports

$310 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
$332 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

Commodities:

Partners:

Imports

$439 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.)
$571 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

Commodities:

Partners:

External Debt

$1.5 billion (1993 est.)
$1 billion (December 1990 est.)

Industrial Production

Growth rate -0.7% (1988); accounts for 10% of GDP

Electricity

Industries

Agriculture

Accounts for 35% of GDP; small farms produce 90% of agricultural output; production is dominated by food crops - corn, sorghum, cassava, yams, beans, rice; cash crops include cotton, palm oil, peanuts; poultry and livestock output has not kept up with consumption

Illicit Drugs

Transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western Europe and the U.S.

Economic Aid

Currency

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange Rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990)

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

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

Highways

Inland Waterways

Navigable along small sections, important only locally

Ports

Cotonou, Porto-Novo

Merchant Marine

None

Airports

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

16,200 telephones (1986 est.); fair system of open wire and microwave radio relay

Radio

Television

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

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

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 (1996 est.); females reach military age (18) annually 60,968 (1996 est.)

Note: Both sexes are liable for miltary service

Defense Expenditures

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

History
World Atlas

Last updated: 24 november 1997