Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

9 30 N, 2 15 E

Area:

total: 112,622 sq km

country comparison to the world: 101

land: 110,622 sq km

water: 2,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:

total: 1,989 km

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

Coastline:

121 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain:

mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m

Natural resources:

small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Land use:

arable land: 23.53%

permanent crops: 2.37%

other: 74.1% (2005)

Irrigated land:

120 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

25.8 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.13 cu km/yr (32%/23%/45%)

per capita: 15 cu m/yr (2001)

Natural hazards:

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

Environment - current issues:

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

Environment - international agreements:

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

Geography - note:

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

Population:

8,791,832

country comparison to the world: 90

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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 45.2% (male 2,028,493/female 1,948,353)

15-64 years: 52.1% (male 2,275,662/female 2,308,945)

65 years and over: 2.6% (male 94,569/female 135,810) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.2 years

male: 16.8 years

female: 17.7 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.977% (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 13

Birth rate:

39.22 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 17

Death rate:

9.45 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 72

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 74

Urbanization:

urban population: 41% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 64.64 deaths/1,000 live births

country comparison to the world: 34

male: 68.07 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 61.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 59 years

country comparison to the world: 187

male: 57.83 years

female: 60.23 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.49 children born/woman (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 17

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.2% (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 50

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

64,000 (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 58

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

3,300 (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 53

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever

respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis

animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Beninese (singular and plural)

adjective: Beninese

Ethnic groups:

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)

Religions:

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)

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: 34.7%

male: 47.9%

female: 23.3% (2002 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 7 years

male: 9 years

female: 6 years (2001)

Education expenditures:

4.4% of GDP (2004)

country comparison to the world: 91

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Benin

conventional short form: Benin

local long form: Republique du Benin

local short form: Benin

former: Dahomey

Government type:

republic

Capital:

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)

Administrative divisions:

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

Independence:

1 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:

National Day, 1 August (1960)

Constitution:

adopted by referendum 2 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 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%

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 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

Judicial branch:

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

Political parties and leaders:

Alliance for Dynamic Democracy or ADD; Alliance of Progress Forces or AFP; African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Benin Renaissance or RB [Rosine SOGLO]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Force Cowrie for an Emerging Benin or FCBE; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD [Theophile NATA]; Key Force or FC [Lazare SȈOUɔO]; Movement for the People's Alternative or MAP [Olivier CAPO-CHICHI]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Dominique HOUNGNINOU]; Social Democrat Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Union for the Relief or UPR [Issa SALIFOU]; Union for Democracy and National Solidarity or UDS [Sacca LAFIA]

note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:

other: economic groups; environmentalists; political groups; teachers' unions and other educational groups

International organization participation:

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, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

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

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James A. KNIGHT

embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou

mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou

telephone: [229] 21-30-06-50

FAX: [229] 21-30-03-84

Flag description:

two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) 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 around 4% in the past three years, but rapid population growth has offset much of this increase. Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to raise growth, 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 though the government annulled the privatization of Benin's state cotton company in November 2007 after the discovery of irregularities in the bidding process. 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. An insufficient electrical supply continues to adversely affect Benin's economic growth though the government recently has taken steps to increase domestic power production.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$13.44 billion (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 137

$13.02 billion (2008 est.)

$12.42 billion (2007 est.)

note: data are in 2009 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$6.401 billion (2009 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.2% (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 53

4.8% (2008 est.)

4.5% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,500 (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 195

$1,500 (2008 est.)

$1,500 (2007 est.)

note: data are in 2009 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 33.2%

industry: 14.5%

services: 52.3% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

3.662 million (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 92

Unemployment rate:

NA% est.)

Population below poverty line:

37.4% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.1%

highest 10%: 29% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

36.5 (2003)

country comparison to the world: 82

Investment (gross fixed):

18.2% of GDP (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 116

Budget:

revenues: $1.244 billion

expenditures: $1.634 billion (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4% (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 122

7.9% (2008 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

4.75% (31 December 2008)

country comparison to the world: 123

4.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

NA% (31 December 2008)

NA% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.324 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$627.2 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

$NA (31 December 2008)

$520.6 million (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$NA

Agriculture - products:

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

Industries:

textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement

Industrial production growth rate:

2.8% (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 42

Electricity - production:

124 million kWh (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 185

Electricity - consumption:

597 million kWh (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 157

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports:

588 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

country comparison to the world: 206

Oil - consumption:

21,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

country comparison to the world: 122

Oil - exports:

8,770 bbl/day (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 97

Oil - imports:

28,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 102

Oil - proved reserves:

8 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 91

Exports - commodities:

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

Exports - partners:

China 15.2%, India 13.6%, Japan 8.3%, Niger 4.8%, US 4.5%, Nigeria 4.2% (2008)

Imports:

$1.543 billion (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 160

$1.843 billion (2008 est.)

Imports - commodities:

foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products

Imports - partners:

China 36.1%, US 13.3%, Thailand 6.6%, France 6.5%, Malaysia 6.2% (2008)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$1.061 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 105

$1.261 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Debt - external:

$1.2 billion (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 143

Exchange rates:

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 481.35 (2009), 447.81 (2008), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005)

note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Telephones - main lines in use:

159,000 (2008)

country comparison to the world: 131

Telephones - mobile cellular:

3.435 million (2008)

country comparison to the world: 100

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate; fixed-line network characterized by aging, deteriorating equipment with fixed-line teledensity only about 2 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone subscribership has been increasing rapidly

domestic: system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections; multiple 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 stations - 7 (Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 34, shortwave 1 (2007)

Television broadcast stations:

6 (2007)

Internet country code:

.bj

Internet hosts:

1,155 (2009)

country comparison to the world: 157

Internet users:

160,000 (2008)

country comparison to the world: 141

Airports:

5 (2009)

country comparison to the world: 177

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Railways:

total: 578 km

country comparison to the world: 113

narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 16,000 km

country comparison to the world: 121

paved: 1,400 km

unpaved: 14,600 km (2006)

Waterways:

150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2007)

country comparison to the world: 102

Ports and terminals:

Cotonou

Military branches:

Benin Armed Forces (FAB): Army (l'Arme de Terre), Benin Navy (Forces Navales Beninois, FNB), Benin People's Air Force (Force Aerienne Populaire de Benin, FAPB) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

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)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,908,457

females age 16-49: 1,882,421 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,279,053

females age 16-49: 1,292,438 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 101,549

female: 97,856 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures:

1.7% of GDP (2006)

country comparison to the world: 96