Careers, Opportunities in Ministry
| Introduction | Benin |
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Background:
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 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. |
| Geography |
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Location:
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Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total:
112,620 sq km water: 2,000 sq km land: 110,620 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Pennsylvania |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 1,989
km border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km |
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Coastline:
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121 km |
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Climate:
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tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north |
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Terrain:
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mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m |
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Natural resources:
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small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber |
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Land use:
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arable land:
15.28% permanent crops: 1.36% other: 83.36% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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120 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March |
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Environment - current issues:
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inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification |
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Geography - note:
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sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands |
| People |
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Population:
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7,250,033 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 2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
46.8% (male 1,711,075; female 1,679,439) 15-64 years: 51% (male 1,802,990; female 1,890,915) 65 years and over: 2.3% (male 68,890; female 96,724) (2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 16.5
years male: 16 years female: 16.9 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.89% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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42.57 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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13.69 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 85.88
deaths/1,000 live births female: 80.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 90.89 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 50.81 years male: 50.25 years female: 51.39 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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3.6% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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120,000 (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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8,100 (2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Beninese (singular and plural) adjective: Beninese |
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Ethnic groups:
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African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500 |
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Religions:
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indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% |
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Languages:
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French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 40.9% male: 56.2% female: 26.5% (2000) |
| Government |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Republic of Benin conventional short form: Benin local short form: Benin former: Dahomey local long form: Republique du Benin |
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Government type:
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republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991 |
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Capital:
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Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government |
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Administrative divisions:
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12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou |
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Independence:
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1 August 1960 (from France) |
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National holiday:
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National Day, 1 August (1960) |
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Constitution:
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December 1990 |
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Legal system:
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based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Executive branch:
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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% |
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Legislative branch:
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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) |
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Judicial branch:
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Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice |
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Political parties and leaders:
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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 |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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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 |
| Economy |
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $7.742 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.5% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
38% industry: 15% services: 47% (2002 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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37% (2001 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.3% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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NA (1996) |
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Unemployment rate:
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NA% (October 2000) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$377.4 million expenditures: $561.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001) |
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Industries:
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textiles, food processing, chemical production, construction materials (2001) |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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8.3% (2001 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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274.3 million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
14.2% hydro: 85.8% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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631.1 million kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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700 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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11,500 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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608.8 million cu m (1 January 2002) |
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Agriculture - products:
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cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001) |
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Exports:
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$485 million f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa |
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Exports - partners:
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India 27.3%, Italy 12.1%, Indonesia 8.1%, China 7.6%, Thailand 7.1%, UK 5.1%, Niger 4.5% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$726 million f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products |
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Imports - partners:
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China 30%, France 15.3%, UK 4.7%, Italy 4.1% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$1.6 billion (2000) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$342.6 million (2000) |
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Currency:
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Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States |
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Currency code:
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XOF |
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Exchange rates:
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Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999) |
| Communications |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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62,700 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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218,800 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: NA domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections international: country code - 229; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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1 (2001) |
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Internet country code:
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.bj |
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Internet hosts:
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574 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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50,000 (2002) |
| Transportation |
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Railways:
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total: 578
km narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2003) |
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Highways:
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total: 6,787
km paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,430 km (1999 est.) |
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Waterways:
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streams navigable along small sections, important only locally |
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Ports and harbors:
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Cotonou, Porto-Novo |
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Merchant marine:
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none |
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Airports:
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5 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2003 est.) |
| Military |
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Military branches:
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Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force |
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Military manpower - military age:
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18 years of age (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age 15-49:
1,638,010 note: both sexes are liable for military service (2004 est.) females age 15-49: 1,647,850 |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age 15-49:
835,561 females age 15-49: 835,633 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males:
77,552 females: 81,841 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$98.3 million (2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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2.7% (2003) |
| Transnational Issues |
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Disputes - international:
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two villages remain in dispute along the border with Burkina Faso; accuses Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated, and ICJ ad hoc judges have been selected to rule on disputed Niger and Mekrou River islands; several villages along the Okpara River are in dispute with Nigeria; a joint boundary commission continues to resurvey the boundary with Togo to verify Benin's claim that Togo moved boundary stones |
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Illicit drugs:
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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 11 May, 2004