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Communications

Airports [time series]

6 total, 4 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

3 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

5,050 km total; 920 km paved, 2,600 laterite, 1,530 km improved earth

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

navigable along small sections, important only locally

Ports [time series]

Cotonou

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

578 km, all 1.000-meter gauge, single track

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

fair system of open wire, submarine cable, and radio relay; 16,200 telephones; stations--2 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT satellite earth station

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

People's Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie, People's Militia, Presidential Guard

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$38 million, 2.3% of GDP (1988)

Manpower availability [time series]

eligible 15-49, 2,089,646; of the 991,278 males 15-49, 507,482 are fit for military service; of the 1,098,368 females 15-49, 554,454 are fit for military service; about 57,106 males and 55,297 females reach military age (18) annually; both sexes are liable for military service

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues $194 million; expenditures $390 million, including capital expenditures of $104 million (1990 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural--francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $46 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $1.1 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $19 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $101 million

Electricity [time series]

28,000 kW capacity; 24 million kWh produced, 5 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--256.54 (January 1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)

Exports [time series]

$250 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.); commodities--crude oil, cotton, palm products, cocoa; partners--FRG 36%, France 16%, Spain 14%, Italy 8%, UK 4%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$1.0 billion (December 1990 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$2.0 billion, per capita $400; real growth rate 2.6% (1990)

Imports [time series]

$442 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.); commodities--foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, petroleum products, intermediate goods, capital goods, light consumer goods; partners--France 34%, Netherlands 10%, Japan 7%, Italy 6%, US 4%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate - 0.7% (1988); accounts for 30% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3.0% (1990)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Benin is one of the least developed countries in the world because of limited natural resources and a poorly developed infrastructure. Agriculture accounts for almost 40% of GDP, employs about 60% of the labor force, and generates a major share of foreign exchange earnings. The industrial sector contributes only about 15% to GDP and employs 2% of the work force. Persistently low prices in recent years have limited hard currency earnings from Benin's major exports of agricultural products and crude oil.

Unemployment rate (Unemployment) [time series]

NA%

Geography

Climate [time series]

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Coastline [time series]

121 km Territorial sea: 200 nm

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter; deforestation; desertification

Land boundaries [time series]

1,989 km total; Burkina 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km

Land use [time series]

arable land 12%; permanent crops 4%; meadows and pastures 4%; forest and woodland 35%; other 45%, includes irrigated NEGL%

Natural resources [time series]

small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Note [time series]

recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; no natural harbors

Terrain [time series]

mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Area (Total area) [time series]

112,620 km2; land area: 110,620 km2

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Porto-Novo (official), Cotonou (de facto)

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

Communist Party of Dahomey (PCD) remains active

Constitution [time series]

2 December 1990

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Candide AHOUANSOU; Charge d'Affaires Corneille MEHISSOU; Chancery at 2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 232-6656; US--Ambassador Harriet ISOM; Embassy at Rue Caporal Anani Bernard, Cotonou (mailing address is B. P. 2012, Cotonou); telephone [229] 30-06-50

Executive branch [time series]

president, cabinet

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

1 August 1960 (from France; formerly Dahomey)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) Chief of State and Head of Government--President Nicephore SOGLO (since 4 April 1991)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Republic of Benin

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

National holiday [time series]

National Day, 1 August (1990)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

the People's Revolutionary Party of Benin (PRPB) headed by President Mathieu KEREKOU, chairman of the Central Committee, was dissolved 30 April 1990; Alliance of the Democratic Union for the Forces of Progress (UDFP), Timothee ADANLIN; Movement for Democracy and Social Progress (MDPS), Jean-Roger AHOYO; and the Union for Liberty and Development (ULD), Marcellin DEGBE; Alliance of the National Party for Democracy and Development (PNDD) and the Democratic Renewal Party (PRD), Pascal Chabi KAO; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the National Union for Solidarity and Progress (UNSP), Bruno AMOUSSOU; Our Common Cause (NCC), Albert TEVEODJRE; National Rally for Democracy (RND), Joseph KEKE; Alliance of the National Movement for Democracy and Development (MNDD); Movement for Solidarity, Union, and Progress (MSUP); and Union for Democracy and National Reconstruction (UDRN), Bertin BORNA; Union for Democracy and National Solidarity (UDS), Mama Amadou N'DIAYE; Assembly of Liberal Democrats for National Reconstruction (RDL), Severin ADJOVI; Alliance of the Alliance for Social Democracy (ASD) and Bloc for Social Democracy (BSD), Robert DOSSOU; Alliance of the Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ADP) and Democratic Union for Social Renewal (UDRS), Bio Gado Seko N'GOYE; National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP), Robert TAGNON; numerous other small parties

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 18 President--last held 10 and 24 March 1991 (next to be held March 1996); results--Nicephore SOGLO 68%, Mathieu KEREKOU 32%; National Assembly--last held 10 and 24 March 1991 (next to be held March 1996); results--NA percent of the vote; seats--(64 total) UDFP-MDPS-ULD 12, PNDD/PRD 9, PSD/UNSP 8, NCC 7, RND 7, MNDD/MSUP/UDRN 6, UDS 5, RDL 4, ASD/BSD 3, ADP/UDRS 2, UNDP 1

Government type (Type) [time series]

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

People

Birth rate [time series]

49 births/1,000 population (1991)

Death rate [time series]

16 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

119 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Labor force [time series]

1,900,000 (1987); agriculture 60%, transport, commerce, and public services 38%, industry less than 2%; 49% of population of working age (1985)

Languages (Language) [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

49 years male, 52 years female (1991)

Literacy [time series]

23% (male 32%, female 16%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun--Beninese (sing., pl.); adjective--Beninese

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Organized labor [time series]

about 75% of wage earners

Population [time series]

4,831,823 (July 1991), growth rate 3.3% (1991)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

7.0 children born/woman (1991)