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Länder
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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.
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Location:
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Western Africa, bordering
the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo |
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Geographic coordinates:
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9 30 N, 2 15 E |
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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
land: 110,620 sq km
water: 2,000 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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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea:
200 nm
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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:
23.53%
permanent crops: 2.37%
other: 74.1% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
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120 sq km (2003) |
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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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Environment - international agreements:
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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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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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 |
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Population:
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7,862,944
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 2006 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 44.1%
(male 1,751,709/female 1,719,138)
15-64 years: 53.5% (male 2,067,248/female 2,138,957)
65 years and over: 2.4% (male 75,694/female 110,198) (2006 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 17.6 years
male: 17.2 years
female: 18 years (2006 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.73% (2006 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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38.85 births/1,000
population (2006 est.) |
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Death rate:
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12.22 deaths/1,000
population (2006 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0.67 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2006 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: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 79.56
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 84.09 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 74.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population:
53.04 years
male: 51.9 years
female: 54.22 years (2006 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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5.2 children born/woman
(2006 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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1.9% (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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68,000 (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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5,800 (2003 est.) |
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Major infectious diseases:
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degree of risk:
very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria, yellow fever, and others are high
risks in some locations
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2005) |
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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: 33.6%
male: 46.4%
female: 22.6% (2002 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long
form: Republic of Benin
conventional short form: Benin
local long form: Republique du Benin
local short form: Benin
former: Dahomey |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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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) |
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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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Suffrage:
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18 years of age;
universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state:
President Yayi BONI (since 6 April 2006); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Yayi BONI (since 6 April 2006);
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 (eligible for a second term); runoff election held 19 March 2006
(next to be held March 2011)
election results: Yayi BONI elected president; percent of vote -
Yayi BONI 74.5%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI 25.5% |
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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)
elections: last held 30 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party
- Presidential Movement (UBF, MADEP, FC, Alliance MDC-PC-CPP, IPD, AFP,
MDS, RDP) 52, opposition (PRB, PRD, E'toile, and 5 other small parties)
31 |
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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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Alliance of Progress
Forces or AFP; African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP
[Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI];
Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD; Key Force or FC; Movement for
Development and Solidarity or MDS; Movement for Development by the
Culture-Salute Party-Congress of People for Progress Alliance or
Alliance MDC-PS-CPP; New Alliance or NA; Rally for Democracy and
Progress or RDP; Renaissance Party du Benin or RB [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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International organization participation:
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ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU,
ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional),
WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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 |
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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 |
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Flag description:
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two equal horizontal
bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the
hoist side
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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
around 5% in the past six years, but rapid population growth 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. Many of
these proposals are included in Benin's application to receive
Millennium Challenge Account funding - for which it was a finalist in
2004-05. The 2001 privatization policy continues in telecommunications,
water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of government reluctance.
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. Benin
continues to be hurt by Nigerian trade protection that bans imports of a
growing list of products from Benin and elsewhere, which has resulted in
increased smuggling and criminality in the border region. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$8.553 billion (2005
est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$4.34 billion (2005 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3.5% (2005 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$1,100 (2005 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 31.6%
industry: 13.8%
services: 54.6% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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NA |
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Unemployment rate:
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NA% |
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Population below poverty line:
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33% (2001 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.5% (2005 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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19.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues: $766.8
million
expenditures: $1.017 billion; including capital expenditures of
$NA (2005 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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cotton, corn, cassava
(tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts; livestock |
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Industries:
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textiles, food
processing, construction materials, cement |
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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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69 million kWh (2003)
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 14.2%
hydro: 85.8%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
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Electricity - consumption:
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538.2 million kWh (2003)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - imports:
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474 million kWh (2003)
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Oil - production:
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400 bbl/day (2003) |
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Oil - consumption:
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12,000 bbl/day (2003
est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA bbl/day |
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Oil - imports:
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NA bbl/day |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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4.105 million bbl (1
January 2002)
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Natural gas - production:
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0 cu m (2003 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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0 cu m (2003 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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1.218 billion cu m (1
January 2002)
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Current account balance:
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-$400 million (2005 est.)
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Exports:
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$826.9 million f.o.b.
(2005 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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China 31.3%, Indonesia
8.1%, India 7.4%, Niger 6%, Togo 4.8%, Thailand 4.8%, Nigeria 4.6%
(2005) |
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Imports:
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$1.043 billion f.o.b.
(2005 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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France 21.8%, Ghana 7.1%,
Cote d'Ivoire 7%, China 6.7%, UK 5.2%, Belgium 4.9%, Togo 4.5%, Thailand
4.2%, Nigeria 4% (2005) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$676 million (2005 est.)
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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 (code):
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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 - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004),
581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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76,300 (2005) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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75,100 (2005) |
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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 - 7
(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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Radios:
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660,000 (2000) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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1 (2001) |
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Televisions:
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66,000 (2000) |
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Internet country code:
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.bj |
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Internet hosts:
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814 (2005) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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4 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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100,000 (2005) |
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Airports:
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5 (2006) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
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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 (2006)
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Railways:
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total: 578 km
narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) |
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Roadways:
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total: 16,000 km
paved: 1,400 km
unpaved: 14,600 km (2005) |
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Waterways:
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150 km (on River Niger
along northern border) (2005) |
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Ports and terminals:
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Cotonou |
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Military branches:
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Army, Navy, Air Force
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Military service age and obligation:
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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 (2004) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males age 21-49:
1,295,230
females age 21-49: 1,301,936 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males age 21-49:
749,774
females age 21-49: 751,329 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males age 18-49:
76,661
females: 75,068 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$100.9 million (2005
est.) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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2.3% (2005 est.)
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Transnational Issues |
Benin |
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Disputes - international:
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Benin and Burkina Faso
military clash in 2006 over sections of riverine boundary involving
disputed villages and squatters; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including
tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated; in 2005, Nigeria ceded
thirteen villages to Benin as a consequence of a 2004 joint task force
to resolve maritime and land boundary disputes, but clashes among rival
gangs along the border persist; 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 |
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Information |
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Här hittar du information om alla världens länder. Listan fylls på efter hand
som jag har tid. Tyvärr så är informationen på engelska. |
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-SM3VVZ |
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