Part 18
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: 40.9% male: 56.2% female: 26.5% (2000)
Government Benin
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Benin conventional short form: Benin local short form: Benin former: Dahomey local long form: Republique du Benin
Government 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 is the official capital; Cotonou is the 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: 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 Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; runoff election held 22 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2006) note: the four top-ranking contenders following the first-round presidential elections were: Mathieu KEREKOU (incumbent) 45.4%, Nicephore SOGOLO (former president) 27.1%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI (National Assembly Speaker) 12.6%, and Bruno AMOUSSOU (Minister of State) 8.6%; the second-round balloting, originally scheduled for 18 March 2001, was postponed four days because both SOGOLO and HOUNGBEDJI withdrew alleging electoral fraud; this left KEREKOU to run against his own Minister of State, AMOUSSOU, in what was termed a "friendly match" election results: Mathieu KEREKOU reelected president; percent of vote - Mathieu KEREKOU 84.1%, Bruno AMOUSSOU 15.9%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Presidential Movement 52, opposition (PRB, PRD, E'toile, and 5 other small parties) 31 elections: last held 30 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice
Political parties and leaders: African Congress for Renewal or DUNYA [Saka SALEY]; African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Coalition of Democratic Forces [Gatien HOUNGBEDJI]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Front for Renewal and Development or FARD-ALAFIA [Jerome Sakia KINA]; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD [Bertin BORNA]; Key Force or FC [leader NA]; Presidential Movement (UBF, MADEP, FC, IDP, and 4 other small parties); Renaissance Party du Benin or PRB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union of Tomorrow's Benin or UBF [Bruno AMOUSSOU] note: approximately 20 additional minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656 chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Wayne NEILL embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou telephone: [229] 30-06-50 FAX: [229] 30-06-70
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side
Economy Benin
Economy - overview: The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output has averaged a stable 5% in the past six years, but rapid population rise 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. The 2001 privatization policy should continue in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of initial government reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation, while pressing for speeded-up structural reforms.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.38 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38% industry: 15% services: 47% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line: 37% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% (2002 est.)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $377.4 million expenditures: $561.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
Industries: textiles, food processing, chemical production, construction materials (2001)
Industrial production growth rate: 8.3% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 274.3 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 14.2% hydro: 85.8% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 631.1 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports: 376 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production: 700 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 11,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA (2001)
Oil - imports: NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves: 4.105 million bbl (37257)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 608.8 million cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products: cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001)
Exports: $207 million f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities: cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa
Exports - partners: India 25%, Italy 11.1%, Indonesia 7.4%, China 7.2%, Thailand 6.7%, Brazil 6.1%, UK 4.4%, Niger 4% (2002)
Imports: $479 million c.i.f. (2002)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products
Imports - partners: China 30.7%, France 15.7%, UK 4.8%, Italy 4.2% (2002)
Debt - external: $1.6 billion (2000)
Economic aid - recipient: $342.6 million (2000)
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Currency code: XOF
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Benin
Telephones - main lines in use: 51,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 55,500 (2000)
Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)
Radios: 660,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations: 1;; (2001)
Televisions: 66,000 (2000)
Internet country code: .bj
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2002)
Internet users: 25,000 (2002)
Transportation Benin
Railways: total: 578 km narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)
Highways: total: 6,787 km paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,430 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: streams navigable along small sections, important only locally
Ports and harbors: Cotonou, Porto-Novo
Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)
Airports: 5 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
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 (2002)
Military Benin
Military branches: Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability: note: both sexes are liable for military service females age 15-49: 1,536,036 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 1,597,562
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 805,603 females age 15-49: 809,961 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 75,021 females: 78,998 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $80.8 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.7% (FY02)
Transnational Issues Benin
Disputes - international: two villages are in dispute along the border with Burkina Faso; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated, but states accept 2001 arbitration over disputed Niger River islands; several villages along the Okpara River are in dispute with Nigeria; in 2001, Benin claimed Togo moved the boundary stones - joint commission presently resurveying the boundary
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western Europe and the US; vulnerable to money laundering due to a poorly regulated financial infrastructure
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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@Bermuda
Introduction Bermuda
Background: Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be important to the island's economy, although international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. A referendum on independence was soundly defeated in 1995.
Geography Bermuda
Location: North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of North Carolina (US)
Geographic coordinates: 32 20 N, 64 45 W
Map references: North America
Area: total: 53.3 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 53.3 sq km
Area - comparative: about one-third the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 103 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter
Terrain: low hills separated by fertile depressions
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Town Hill 76 m
Natural resources: limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism
Land use: arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% other: 94% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: hurricanes (June to November)
Environment - current issues: asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open space; sustainable development
Geography - note: consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995
People Bermuda
Population: 64,482 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.2% (male 6,195; female 6,205) 15-64 years: 69.3% (male 22,110; female 22,574) 65 years and over: 11.5% (male 3,215; female 4,183) (2003 est.)
Median age: total: 38.7 years male: 37.8 years female: 39.6 years (2002)
Population growth rate: 0.72% (2003 est.)
Birth rate: 12.13 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate: 7.46 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 9.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 10.77 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.41 years male: 75.38 years female: 79.49 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.9 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Bermudian(s) adjective: Bermudian
Ethnic groups: black 58%, white 36%, other 6%
Religions: non-Anglican Protestant 39%, Anglican 27%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 19%
Languages: English (official), Portuguese
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (1970 est.)
Government Bermuda