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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.bj

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

798 (2007)

Internet users [time series]

700,000 (2006)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: inadequate; fixed-line network is almost saturated with fixed-line teledensity stuck at a meager 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of roughly 10 per 100 persons domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections; four mobile-cellular providers international: country code - 229; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth station - 7 (Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

76,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

750,000 (2005)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (2001)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, cashews; livestock

Budget [time series]

revenues: $786 million expenditures: $1.024 billion (2006 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Current account balance [time series]

$-259 million (2006 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$1.6 billion (2000)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$349.1 million (2005)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output has averaged around 5% in the past six years, but rapid population growth has 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. Specific projects to improve the business climate by reforms to the land tenure system, the commercial justice system, and the financial sector were included in Benin's $307 million Millennium Challenge Account grant signed in February 2006. The 2001 privatization policy continues in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of government reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation, with Benin benefiting from a G8 debt reduction announced in July 2005, while pressing for more rapid structural reforms. Benin continues to be hurt by Nigerian trade protection that bans imports of a growing list of products from Benin and elsewhere, which has resulted in increased smuggling and criminality in the border region.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

587 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports [time series]

595 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - production [time series]

105 million kWh (2005)

Exchange rates [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002)

Exports [time series]

$605 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood

Exports - partners [time series]

China 20.9%, Indonesia 7.7%, India 7%, Netherlands 6.2%, Niger 5.7%, Togo 4.6%, Nigeria 4.3% (2006)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$4.622 billion (2006 est.)

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

$8.989 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 32.8% industry: 13.7% services: 53.5% (2006 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$1,100 (2006 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

4% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% (2003)

Imports [time series]

$839 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products

Imports - partners [time series]

China 46.6%, France 7.5%, Thailand 6% (2006)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

8.3% (2001 est.)

Industries [time series]

textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

19.6% of GDP (2006 est.)

Labor force [time series]

3.211 million (1996)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$NA

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

1.086 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption [time series]

14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports [time series]

NA bbl/day

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

8.21 million bbl (1 January 2006)

Population below poverty line [time series]

33% (2001 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$912 million (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 112,620 sq km land: 110,620 sq km water: 2,000 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Climate [time series]

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Coastline [time series]

121 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

9 30 N, 2 15 E

Geography - note [time series]

sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands

Irrigated land [time series]

120 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 1,989 km border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 23.53% permanent crops: 2.37% other: 74.1% (2005)

Location [time series]

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 200 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March

Natural resources [time series]

small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Terrain [time series]

mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou

Capital [time series]

name: Porto-Novo (official capital) geographic coordinates: 6 29 N, 2 37 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Cotonou (seat of government)

Constitution [time series]

adopted by referendum 2 December 1990

Country name [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Gayleatha B. BROWN embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou telephone: [229] 21-30-06-50 FAX: [229] 21-30-06-70

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); runoff election held 19 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2011) election results: Thomas YAYI Boni elected president; percent of vote - Thomas YAYI Boni 74.5%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI 25.5%

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

1 August 1960 (from France)

International organization participation [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch [time series]

Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice

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 or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 31 March 2007 (next to be held by March 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FCBE 35, ADD 20, PRD 10, other and independents 18

National holiday [time series]

National Day, 1 August (1960)

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

Alliance for Dynamic Democracy or ADD [Nicephore SOGLO]; Alliance of Progress Forces or AFP; African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Force Cowrie for an Emerging Benin or FCBE; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD; Key Force or FC; Movement for Development and Solidarity or MDS; Movement for Development by the Culture-Salute Party-Congress of People for Progress Alliance or Alliance MDC-PS-CPP; New Alliance or NA; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP; The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union of Tomorrow's Benin or UBF [Bruno AMOUSSOU] note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

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

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960, as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006 and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and independent.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 21-49: 1,295,230 females age 21-49: 1,301,936 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 21-49: 749,774 females age 21-49: 751,329 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually [time series]

males age 18-49: 76,661 females: 75,068 (2005 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Benin Armed Forces: Ground Forces Command, Benin Navy, Benin People's Air Force (Force Aerienne Populaire de Benin, FAPB) (2007)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

1.7% (2006)

Military service age and obligation [time series]

21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; in practice, volunteers may be taken at the age of 18; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18 months (2006)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 43.9% (male 1,788,248/female 1,754,940) 15-64 years: 53.7% (male 2,138,649/female 2,203,291) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 77,844/female 115,342) (2007 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

38.1 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate [time series]

11.94 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Fon and related 39.2%, Adja and related 15.2%, Yoruba and related 12.3%, Bariba and related 9.2%, Peulh and related 7%, Ottamari and related 6.1%, Yoa-Lokpa and related 4%, Dendi and related 2.5%, other 1.6% (includes Europeans), unspecified 2.9% (2002 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

1.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

5,800 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

68,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 77.85 deaths/1,000 live births male: 82.32 deaths/1,000 live births female: 73.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 53.44 years male: 52.28 years female: 54.63 years (2007 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 34.7% male: 47.9% female: 23.3% (2002 census)

Major infectious diseases [time series]

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, yellow fever, and others are high risks in some locations respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

Median age [time series]

total: 17.7 years male: 17.3 years female: 18.1 years (2007 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Beninese (singular and plural) adjective: Beninese

Net migration rate [time series]

0.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Population [time series]

8,078,314 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 2007 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.674% (2007 est.)

Religions [time series]

Christian 42.8% (Catholic 27.1%, Celestial 5%, Methodist 3.2%, other Protestant 2.2%, other 5.3%), Muslim 24.4%, Vodoun 17.3%, other 15.5% (2002 census)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.019 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.971 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.675 male(s)/female total population: 0.983 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.08 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

two villages remain in dispute along the border with Burkina Faso; Benin accused Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated; in 2005, Nigeria ceded thirteen villages to Benin, but border relations remain strained by rival gang clashes; Benin and Togo announced plans in 2006 to construct a joint hydroelectric dam on the Mona River at the southern end of the border

Illicit drugs [time series]

transshipment point used by Nigerian traffickers for narcotics destined for Western Europe; vulnerable to money laundering due to poorly enforced financial regulations

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

refugees (country of origin): 26,632 (Togo) (2006)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

5 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Cotonou

Railways [time series]

total: 758 km narrow gauge: 758 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)

Roadways [time series]

total: 16,000 km paved: 1,400 km unpaved: 14,600 km (2005)

Waterways [time series]

150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2005)