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Population: 6,305,567 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 48% (male 1,510,703; female 1,501,437)
15-64 years: 50% (male 1,511,114; female 1,637,155)
65 years and over: 2% (male 62,459; female 82,699) (1999
est.)
Population growth rate: 3.3% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 45.37 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 12.4 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999
est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 97.76 deaths/1,000 live births
(1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 54.08 years
male: 51.98 years
female: 56.24 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.4 children born/woman (1999 est.)
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 70%, Muslim 15%, Christian
15%
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%
male: 48.7%
female: 25.8% (1995 est.)
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Benin
conventional short form: Benin
local long form: Republique du Benin
local short form: Benin
former: Dahomey
Data code: BN
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: 6 provinces; Atakora, Atlantique,
Borgou, Mono, Oueme, Zou
note: six additional provinces have been reported but not
confirmed; they are Alibori, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral,
and Plateau; moreover, the term "province" may have been changed
to "department"
Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: National Day, 1 August (1990)
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 elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; election last held 18 March 1996 (next to be held NA March
2001)
election results: Mathieu KEREKOU elected president; percent
of vote—Mathieu KEREKOU 52.49%, Nicephore SOGLO 47.51%
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 28 March 1995 (next to be held 28 March
1999)
election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats
by party—PRB 20, PRD 19, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 7, NCC 3, RDL-VIVOTEN
3, PCB 2, AC 1, RDP 1, other 17
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle,
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme, High Court of Justice
Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Civic Renewal
or ARC [leader NA]; Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Adekpedjou
Sylvain AKINDES]; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD
and the National Union for Solidarity and Progress or UNSP [Bruno
AMOUSSOU]; 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 Sacca KINA];
Liberal Democrats' Rally for National Reconstruction-Vivoten or
RDL-Vivoten [Severin ADJOVI]; Parti Ensemble [Albert TEVOEDJRE]
note: as of December 1998, more than 110 political parties
were officially recognized; among them are Benin Renaissance Party
or PRB, Our Common Cause or NCC, Cameleon Alliance or AC, Rally
for Democracy and Pan-Africanism or RDP
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, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, MINURCA, MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lucien Edgar TONOUKOUIN
chancery: 2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656
FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert C. FELDER
embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou
mailing address: B. P. 2012, Cotonou
telephone: [229] 30-06-50, 30-05-13, 30-17-92
FAX: [229] 30-14-39, 30-19-74
Flag description: 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 has averaged a sound 4% in
1990-95 and 5% in 1996-98. Rapid population growth has offset much
of this growth in output. Inflation has subsided over the past three
years. Commercial and transport activities, which make up a large
part of GDP, are vulnerable to developments in Nigeria, particularly
fuel shortages. 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.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$7.6 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 4.4% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$1,300
(1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector:
agriculture: 34%
industry: 14%
services: 52% (1997)
Population below poverty line: 33% (1995 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.6% (1998 est.)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $299 million
expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures
of $14 million (1995 est.)
Industries: textiles, cigarettes; beverages, food; construction
materials, petroleum
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity—production: 6 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)
Electricity—consumption: 251 million kWh (1996)
Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity—imports: 245 million kWh (1996)
Agriculture—products: corn, sorghum, cassava (tapioca),
yams, beans, rice, cotton, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, livestock
Exports: $250 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports—commodities: cotton, crude oil, palm products,
cocoa
Exports—partners: Brazil 18%, Portugal 11%, Morocco
10%, Libya 6%, France (1997)
Imports: $314 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports—commodities: foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco,
petroleum products, intermediate goods, capital goods, light consumer
goods
Imports—partners: France 21%, UK 9%, Thailand 9%,
Hong Kong 8%, China (1997)
Debt—external: $1.6 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid—recipient: $281.2 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF)
= 100 centimes
Exchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1—566.36
(January 1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15
(1995), 555.20 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Telephones: 38,354 (6,286 cellular telephone subscribers)
(1998 est.)
Telephone system:
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 (1998
est.)
Radios: 400,000 (1998 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (one privately owned)
(1997)
Televisions: 30,000 (1998 est.)
Railways:
total: 578 km (single track)
narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)
Highways:
total: 6,787 km
paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,430 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: navigable along small sections, important only
locally
Ports and harbors: Cotonou, Porto-Novo
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 5 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways:
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Military branches: Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy,
Air Force), National Gendarmerie
Military manpower—military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower—availability:
males age 15-49: 1,363,878
females age 15-49: 1,425,987 (1999 est.)
note: both sexes are liable for military service
Military manpower—fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 697,715
females age 15-49: 722,323 (1999 est.)
Military manpower—reaching military age annually:
males: 67,622
females: 67,238 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures—dollar figure: $27 million
(1996)
Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 1.2% (1996)
Disputes—international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics associated
with Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined
for Western Europe and the US
Source: 1999 CIA World Factbook
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