Ethnic divisions: African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important
being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba); Europeans 5,500
Religion: indigenous beliefs 70%, Muslim 15%, Christian 15%
Language: French (official); Fon and Yoruba most common
vernaculars in south; at least six major tribal languages in north
Literacy: 23% (male 32%, female 16%) age 15 and over can
read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force: 1,900,000 (1987); agriculture 60%, transport,
commerce, and public services 38%, industry less than 2%; 49% of
population of working age (1985)
Organized labor: about 75% of wage earners
GOVERNMENT
Long-form name: Republic of Benin
Type: dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms
adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4
April 1991
Capital: Porto-Novo (official), Cotonou (de facto)
Administrative divisions: 6 provinces; Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou,
Mono, Oueme, Zou
Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France; formerly Dahomey)
Constitution: 2 December 1990
Legal system: based on French civil law and customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: National Day, 1 August (1990)
Executive branch: president, cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee
Nationale)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Nicephore
SOGLO (since 4 April 1991)
Political parties and leaders: the People's Revolutionary Party
of Benin (PRPB) headed by President Mathieu KEREKOU, chairman of
the Central Committee, was dissolved 30 April 1990;
Alliance of the Democratic Union for the Forces of Progress (UDFP),
Timothee ADANLIN;
Movement for Democracy and Social Progress (MDPS), Jean-Roger AHOYO; and
the Union for Liberty and Development (ULD), Marcellin DEGBE;
Alliance of the National Party for Democracy and Development (PNDD) and
the Democratic Renewal Party (PRD), Pascal Chabi KAO;
Alliance of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the National Union
for Solidarity and Progress (UNSP), Bruno AMOUSSOU;
Our Common Cause (NCC), Albert TEVEODJRE;
National Rally for Democracy (RND), Joseph KEKE;
Alliance of the National Movement for Democracy and Development (MNDD);
Movement for Solidarity, Union, and Progress (MSUP);
and Union for Democracy and National Reconstruction (UDRN), Bertin BORNA;
Union for Democracy and National Solidarity (UDS), Mama Amadou N'DIAYE;
Assembly of Liberal Democrats for National Reconstruction (RDL),
Severin ADJOVI;
Alliance of the Alliance for Social Democracy (ASD) and Bloc for
Social Democracy (BSD), Robert DOSSOU;
Alliance of the Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ADP) and
Democratic Union for Social Renewal (UDRS), Bio Gado Seko N'GOYE;
National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP), Robert TAGNON;
numerous other small parties
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections:
President--last held 10 and 24 March 1991 (next to be held
March 1996);
results--Nicephore SOGLO 68%, Mathieu KEREKOU 32%;
National Assembly--last held 10 and 24 March 1991 (next to be held
March 1996);
results--NA percent of the vote;
seats--(64 total) UDFP-MDPS-ULD 12, PNDD/PRD 9, PSD/UNSP 8, NCC 7,
RND 7, MNDD/MSUP/UDRN 6, UDS 5, RDL 4, ASD/BSD 3, ADP/UDRS 2, UNDP 1
Communists: Communist Party of Dahomey (PCD) remains active
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Candide AHOUANSOU; Charge
d'Affaires Corneille MEHISSOU; Chancery at 2737 Cathedral Avenue NW,
Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 232-6656;
US--Ambassador Harriet ISOM; Embassy at Rue Caporal Anani Bernard,
Cotonou (mailing address is B. P. 2012, Cotonou); telephone 229
30-06-50
Flag: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a
vertical green band on the hoist side
ECONOMY
Overview: Benin is one of the least developed countries in the
world because of limited natural resources and a poorly developed
infrastructure. Agriculture accounts for almost 40% of GDP, employs
about 60% of the labor force, and generates a major share of foreign
exchange earnings. The industrial sector contributes only about 15% to
GDP and employs 2% of the work force. Persistently low prices in recent
years have limited hard currency earnings from Benin's major exports of
agricultural products and crude oil.
GDP: $2.0 billion, per capita $400; real growth rate 2.6% (1990)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.0% (1990)
Unemployment: NA%
Budget: revenues $194 million; expenditures $390 million, including
capital expenditures of $104 million (1990 est.)
partners--France 34%, Netherlands 10%, Japan 7%, Italy 6%, US 4%
External debt: $1.0 billion (December 1990 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate - 0.7% (1988); accounts for
30% of GDP
Electricity: 28,000 kW capacity; 24 million kWh produced,
5 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: textiles,cigarettes, construction materials,
beverages, food production, petroleum
Agriculture: small farms produce 90% of agricultural output;
production is dominated by food crops--corn, sorghum, cassava, beans,
and rice; cash crops include cotton, palm oil, and peanuts; poultry
and livestock output has not kept up with consumption
Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $46
million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-88), $1.1 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $19 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $101 million
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc
(plural--francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
COMMUNICATIONS
Railroads: 578 km, all 1.000-meter gauge, single track
Highways: 5,050 km total; 920 km paved, 2,600 laterite, 1,530 km
improved earth
Inland waterways: navigable along small sections, important
only locally
Ports: Cotonou
Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft
Airports: 6 total, 4 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 2,439 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: fair system of open wire, submarine cable, and
radio relay; 16,200 telephones; stations--2 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic
Ocean INTELSAT satellite earth station
DEFENSE FORCES
Branches: People's Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force),
National Gendarmerie, People's Militia, Presidential Guard
Manpower availability: eligible 15-49, 2,089,646; of the 991,278
males 15-49, 507,482 are fit for military service; of the 1,098,368
females 15-49, 554,454 are fit for military service; about 57,106 males
and 55,297 females reach military age (18) annually; both sexes are
liable for military service
Defense expenditures: $38 million, 2.3% of GDP (1988)
