Republic of Benin

National name: Republique du Benin

President: Yayi Boni (2006)

Land area: 42,710 sq mi (110,619 sq km); total area: 43,483 sq mi (112,620 sq km)

Population (2006 est.): 7,862,944 (growth rate: 2.7%); birth rate: 38.9/1000; infant mortality rate: 79.6/1000; life expectancy: 53.0; density per sq mi: 184

Capital (2003 est.): Porto-Novo (official), 231,600; Largest city and seat of government: Cotonou 734,600

Other large cities: Parakou 205,300; Djougou, 184,200

Monetary unit: CFA Franc

Languages: French (official), Fon, Yoruba, tribal languages

Ethnicity/race: African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500

Religions: indigenous 50%, Christian 30%, Islam 20%

Literacy rate: 41% (2000)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $8.669 billion; per capita $1,100. Real growth rate: 3.9%. Inflation: 3.2%. Unemployment: n.a. Arable land: 25.53%. Agriculture: cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts; livestock. Labor force: n.a. Industries: textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement. Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber. Exports: $826.9 million f.o.b. (2005 est.): cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa. Imports: $1.043 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products. Major trading partners: China, India, Ghana, Niger, Indonesia, Nigeria, France, Thailand, Côte d'Ivoire (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 66,500 (2003); mobile cellular: 236,200 (2003). Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000). Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001). Internet hosts: 879 (2004). Internet users: 70,000 (2003).

Transportation: Railways: total: 578 km (2004). Highways: total: 6,787 km; paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways); unpaved: 5,430 km (1999 est.). Waterways: 150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2004). Ports and harbors: Cotonou. Airports: 5 (2004 est.).

International disputes: 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 the states expect a ruling in 2005 from the ICJ over the disputed Niger and Mekrou River islands; a joint task force was established in 2004 that resolved disputes over and redrew the maritime and the 870-km land boundary with Nigeria, including the sovereignty over seven villages along the Okpara River; 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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