Axion 3D Atlas/ATLAS.iso/stats/26.txt

Text File | 1998-01-23 | 11KB | 315 lines

{bitmap= 26,50,"flags\Benin.bmp"}
{bigtext=150,120,"Benin"}



{1}Geography{4}
{4}To see a map of Benin, click {z,"-1.916717,6.091241,6.884957,12.857478",here}{4}!

{2}Location:{4} Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo

{2}Area:{4}
{3}total area:{4} 112,620 sq km
{3}land area:{4} 110,620 sq km
{3}comparative area:{4} slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

{2}Land boundaries:{4}
{3}total:{4} 1,989 km
{3}border countries:{4} Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km

{2}Coastline:{4} 121 km

{2}Maritime claims:{4}
{3}territorial sea:{4} 200 nm

{2}International disputes:{4} none

{2}Climate:{4} tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

{2}Terrain:{4} mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
{3}lowest point:{4} Atlantic Ocean 0 m
{3}highest point:{4} Mount Tanekas 641 m

{2}Natural resources:{4} small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

{2}Land use:{4}
{3}arable land:{4} 12%
{3}permanent crops:{4} 4%
{3}meadows and pastures:{4} 4%
{3}forest and woodland:{4} 35%
{3}other:{4} 45%

{2}Irrigated land:{4} 60 sq km (1989 est.)

{2}Environment:{4}
{3}current issues:{4} recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; inadequate
supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification

{2}natural hazards:{4} hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter

{2}international agreements:{4} party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified -
Desertification, Law of the Sea

{2}Geographic note:{4} no natural harbors


{1}People{4}

{2}Population:{4} 5,709,529 (July 1996 est.)

{2}Age structure:{4}
{3}0-14 years:{4} 48% (male 1,376,531; female 1,367,394)
{3}15-64 years:{4} 50% (male 1,349,386; female 1,480,251)
{3}65 years and over:{4} 2% (male 60,030; female 75,937) (July 1996 est.)

{2}Population growth rate:{4} 3.32% (1996 est.)

{2}Birth rate:{4} 46.76 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Death rate:{4} 13.53 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Net migration rate:{4} 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Sex ratio:{4}
{3}at birth:{4} 1.03 male(s)/female
{3}under 15 years:{4} 1.01 male(s)/female
{3}15-64 years:{4} 0.91 male(s)/female
{3}65 years and over:{4} 0.79 male(s)/female
{3}all ages:{4} 0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

{2}Infant mortality rate:{4} 105.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

{2}Life expectancy at birth:{4}
{3}total population:{4} 52.69 years
{3}male:{4} 50.74 years
{3}female:{4} 54.7 years (1996 est.)

{2}Total fertility rate:{4} 6.64 children born/woman (1996 est.)

{2}Nationality:{4}
{3}noun:{4} Beninese (singular and plural)
{3}adjective:{4} Beninese

{2}Ethnic divisions:{4} African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba),
Europeans 5,500

{2}Religions:{4} indigenous beliefs 70%, Muslim 15%, Christian 15%

{2}Languages:{4} French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal
languages (at least six major ones in north)

{2}Literacy:{4} age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
{3}total population:{4} 37%
{3}male:{4} 48.7%
{3}female:{4} 25.8%


{1}Government{4}

{2}Name of country:{4}
{3}conventional long form:{4} Republic of Benin
{3}conventional short form:{4} Benin
{3}local long form:{4} Republique du Benin
{3}local short form:{4} Benin
{3}former:{4} Dahomey

{2}Type of government:{4} republic under multiparty democratic rule dropped Marxism-Leninism
December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system
completed 4 April 1991

{2}Capital:{4} Porto-Novo

{2}Administrative divisions:{4} 6 provinces; Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Mono, Oueme, Zou

{2}Independence:{4} 1 August 1960 (from France)

{2}National holiday:{4} National Day, 1 August (1990)

{2}Constitution:{4} 2 December 1990

{2}Legal system:{4} based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

{2}Suffrage:{4} 18 years of age; universal

{2}Executive branch:{4}
chief of state and head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996) was
elected for a five-year term by popular vote; election last held 18 March 1996 (next to be held
March 2001); results - Mathieu KEREKOU 52.49%, Nicephore SOGLO 47.51%
{3}cabinet:{4} Executive Council, appointed by the president

{2}Legislative branch:{4} unicameral
National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale): elections last held 28 March 1995 (next to be held
NA); 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

{2}Judicial branch:{4} Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

{2}Political parties and leaders:{4} 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

{2}International organization participation:{4} 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

{2}Diplomatic representation in US:{4}
{3}chief of mission:{4} Ambassador Lucien Edgar TONOUKOUIN
{3}chancery:{4} 2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
{3}telephone:{4} [1] [phone], 6657, 6658
{3}FAX:{4} [1] [phone]

{2}US diplomatic representation:{4}
{3}chief of mission:{4} Ambassador John M. YATES
{3}embassy:{4} Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou
{3}mailing address:{4} B. P. 2012, Cotonou
{3}telephone:{4} [229] 30-06-50, 30-05-13, 30-17-92
{3}FAX:{4} [229] 30-14-39, 30-19-74

{2}Flag:{4} two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist
side


{1}Economy{4}

{2}Economic overview:{4} 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.

{2}GDP:{4} purchasing power parity - $7.6 billion (1995 est.)

{2}GDP real growth rate:{4} 6% (1995 est.)

{2}GDP per capita:{4} $1,380 (1995 est.)

{2}GDP composition by sector:{4}
{3}agriculture:{4} 36.8%
{3}industry:{4} 12.6%
{3}services:{4} 50.6% (1993)

{2}Inflation rate (consumer prices):{4} 55% (1994 est.)

{2}Labor force:{4} 1.9 million (1987)
{3}by occupation:{4} agriculture 60%, transport, commerce, and public services 38%, industry less than
2%

{2}Unemployment rate:{4} NA%

{2}Budget:{4}
{3}revenues:{4} $272 million (1993 est.)
{3}expenditures:{4} $375 million, including capital expenditures of $84 million (1993 est.)

{2}Industries:{4} textiles, cigarettes; beverages, food; construction materials, petroleum

{2}Industrial production growth rate:{4} NA%

{2}Electricity:{4}
{3}capacity:{4} 30,000 kW
{3}production:{4} 10 million kWh
{3}consumption per capita:{4} 25 kWh (1993)

{2}Agriculture:{4} corn, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, rice, cotton, palm oil, peanuts;
poultry, livestock

{2}Illicit drugs:{4} transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian trafficking organizations
and most commonly destined for Western Europe and the US

{2}Exports:{4} $310 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
{3}commodities:{4} cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa
{3}partners:{4} France, Morocco 37%, Portugal 14%, Spain, Italy, UK, US, Libya

{2}Imports:{4} $439 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.)
{3}commodities:{4} foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, petroleum products, intermediate goods, capital
goods, light consumer goods
{3}partners:{4} France 24%, Thailand 12%, Netherlands 7%, US 5%, China, Hong Kong

{2}External debt:{4} $1.5 billion (1993 est.)

{2}Economic aid:{4}
{3}recipient:{4} ODA, $NA

{2}Currency:{4} 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

{2}Exchange rates:{4} CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20
(1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991)
{3}note:{4} 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

{2}Fiscal year:{4} calendar year


{1}Transportation{4}

{2}Railways:{4}
{3}total:{4} 578 km (single track) (1995 est.)
narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge

{2}Highways:{4}
{3}total:{4} 6,070 km
{3}paved:{4} 1,214 km
{3}unpaved:{4} 4,856 km (1992 est.)

{2}Waterways:{4} navigable along small sections, important only locally

{2}Ports:{4} Cotonou, Porto-Novo

{2}Merchant marine:{4} none

{2}Airports:{4}
{3}total:{4} 5
{3}with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m:{4} 2
{3}with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m:{4} 1
{3}with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m:{4} 2 (1995 est.)


{1}Communications{4}

{2}Telephones:{4} 16,200 (1986 est.)

{2}Telephone system:{4}
{3}domestic:{4} fair system of open wire and microwave radio relay
{3}international:{4} satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); submarine cable

{2}Radio broadcast stations:{4} AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 0

{2}Radios:{4} NA

{2}Television broadcast stations:{4} 2

{2}Televisions:{4} 20,000 (1993 est.)


{1}Defense{4}

{2}Branches:{4} Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie

{2}Manpower availability:{4}
{3}males age 15-49:{4} 1,212,440
females age 15-49: 1,290,773
{3}males fit for military service:{4} 620,923
females fit for military service: 653,094
{3}males reach military age (18) annually:{4} 62,526
females reach military age (18) annually: 60,968 (1996 est.)
{3}note:{4} both sexes are liable for military service

{2}Defense expenditures:{4} exchange rate conversion - $33 million, 3.2% of GDP (1994)