*Benin, Geography

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Nigeria and Togo
Map references:
  Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  112,620 km2
 land area:
  110,620 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries:
  total 1,989 km, Burkina 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
Coastline:
  121 km
Maritime claims:
 territorial sea:
  200 nm
International disputes:
  none
Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Terrain:
  mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Natural resources:
  small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Land use:
 arable land:
  12%
 permanent crops:
  4%
 meadows and pastures:
  4%
 forest and woodland:
  35%
 other:
  45%
Irrigated land:
  60 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter; deforestation;
  desertification
Note:
  recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; no
  natural harbors

*Benin, People

Population:
  5,166,735 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  3.33% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  48.09 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  14.8 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  112.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  51.31 years
 male:
  49.51 years
 female:
  53.16 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  6.86 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  Beninese (singular and plural)
 adjective:
  Beninese
Ethnic divisions:
  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:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
 total population:
  23%
 male:
  32%
 female:
  16%
Labor force:
  1.9 million (1987)
 by occupation:
  agriculture 60%, transport, commerce, and public services 38%, industry less
  than 2%
 note:
  49% of population of working age (1985)

*Benin, Government

Names:
 conventional long form:   Republic of Benin
 conventional short form:
  Benin
 local long form:
  Republique Populaire du Benin
 local short form:
  Benin
 former:
  Dahomey
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)
Constitution:
  2 December 1990
Legal system:
  based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction
National holiday:
  National Day, 1 August (1990)
Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance of the Democratic Union for the Forces of Progress (UDFP), Timothee
  ADANLIN; Movement for Democracy and Social Progress (MDPS), Jean-Roger
  AHOYO; 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 TEVOEDJRE; National Rally for
  Democracy (RND), Joseph KEKE; Alliance of the National Movement for
  Democracy and Development (MNDD), leader NA; Movement for Solidarity, Union,
  and Progress (MSUP), Adebo ADENIYI; Union for Democracy and National
  Reconstruction (UDRN), Azaria FAKOREDE; 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), Robert DOSSOU; Bloc for Social Democracy (BSD),
  Michel MAGNIDE; Alliance of the Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ADP),
  Akindes ADEKPEDJOU; Democratic Union for Social Renewal (UDRS), Bio Gado
  Seko N'GOYE; National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP), Robert
  TAGNON; Party for Progress and Democracy, Theophile NATA; numerous other
  small parties
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 National Assembly:
  last held 10 and 24 March 1991; results - percent of vote by party NA; 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

*Benin, Government

 President:
  last held 10 and 24 March 1991; results - Nicephore SOGLO 68%, Mathieu
  KEREKOU 32%
Executive branch:
  president, cabinet
Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
 Chief of State and Head of Government:
  President Nicephore SOGLO (since 4 April 1991)
Member of:
  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, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Candide AHOUANSOU
 chancery:
  2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
 telephone:
  (202) 232-6656
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Ruth A. DAVIS
 embassy:
  Rue Caporal Anani Bernard, Cotonou
 mailing address:
  B. P. 2012, Cotonou
 telephone:
  [229] 30-06-50, 30-05-13, 30-17-92
 FAX:
  [229] 30-14-39 and 30-19-74
Flag:
  two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green
  band on the hoist side

*Benin, Economy

Overview:
  Benin is one of the least developed countries in the world because of
  limited natural resources and a poorly developed infrastructure. Agriculture
  accounts for about 35% 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. Low
  prices in recent years have kept down hard currency earnings from Benin's
  major exports of agricultural products and crude oil.
National product:   GDP - exchange rate conversion - $2 billion (1991)
National product real growth rate:
  3% (1991)
National product per capita:
  $410 (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.4% (1990)
Unemployment rate:
  NA%
Budget:
  revenues $194 million; expenditures $390 million, including capital
  expenditures of $104 million (1990 est.)
Exports:
  $263.3 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
 commodities:
  crude oil, cotton, palm products, cocoa
 partners:
  FRG 36%, France 16%, Spain 14%, Italy 8%, UK 4%
Imports:
  $428 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%
External debt:
  $1 billion (December 1990 est.)
Industrial production:
  growth rate -0.7% (1988); accounts for 15% of GDP
Electricity:
  30,000 kW capacity; 25 million kWh produced, 5 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
  textiles, cigarettes, construction materials, beverages, food production,
  petroleum
Agriculture:
  accounts for 35% of GDP; small farms produce 90% of agricultural output;
  production is dominated by food crops - corn, sorghum, cassava, beans, rice;
  cash crops include cotton, palm oil, peanuts; poultry and livestock output
  has not kept up with consumption
Economic aid:
  US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $46 million; Western (non-US)
  countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1,300 million; OPEC
  bilateral aid (1979-89), $19 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $101
  million
Currency:
  1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 274.06 (January
  1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85
  (1988)

*Benin, Economy

Fiscal year:   calendar year

*Benin, Communications

Railroads:
  578 km, all 1.000-meter gauge, single track
Highways:
  5,050 km total; 920 km paved, 2,600 laterite, 1,530 km improved earth
Inland waterways:
  navigable along small sections, important only locally
Ports:
  Cotonou
Airports:
 total:
  7
 usable:
  5
 with permanent-surface runways:
  1
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  0
 with runways 2,439-3,659 m:
  1
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  2
Telecommunications:
  fair system of open wire, submarine cable, and radio relay microwave;
  broadcast stations - 2 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth
  station

*Benin, Defense Forces

Branches:
  Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 1,075,053; females age 15-49 1,170,693; males fit for
  military service 550,645; females fit for military service 591,506; males
  reach military age (18) annually 56,872; females reach military age (18)
  annually 55,141 (1993 est.); both sexes are liable for military service
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $29 million, 1.7% of GDP (1988 est.)