The 1992 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Geography

      Total area:

       112,620 km2

       Land area:

       110,620 km2

       Comparative area:

       slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

       Land boundaries:

       1,989 km total; Burkina 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km

       Coastline:

       121 km

       Maritime claims:

       Territorial sea:

       200 nm

       Disputes:

       none

       Climate:

       tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

       Terrain:

       mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

       Natural resources:

       small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

       Land use:

       arable land 12%; permanent crops 4%; meadows and pastures 4%; forest and

       woodland 35%; other 45%, includes irrigated NEGL%

       Environment:

       hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter; deforestation;

       desertification

       Note:

       recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; no

       natural harbors

      :Benin People

      Population:

       4,997,599 (July 1992), growth rate 3.3% (1992)

       Birth rate:

       49 births/1,000 population (1992)

       Death rate:

       15 deaths/1,000 population (1992)

       Net migration rate:

       0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)

       Infant mortality rate:

       115 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

       Life expectancy at birth:

       49 years male, 53 years female (1992)

       Total fertility rate:

       6.9 children born/woman (1992)

       Nationality:

       noun - Beninese (singular and plural); adjective - Beninese

       Ethnic divisions:

       African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba,

       Bariba); Europeans 5,500

       Religions:

       indigenous beliefs 70%, Muslim 15%, Christian 15%

       Languages:

       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

      :Benin Government

      Long-form name:

       Republic of Benin

       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

       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:

       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 TEVOEDJRE; National

       Rally for Democracy (RND), Joseph KEKE; Alliance of the National Movement

       for Democracy and Development (MNDD), Bertin BORNA; Movement for Solidarity,

       Union, and Progress (MSUP), Adebo ADENIYI; and Union for Democracy and

       National Reconstruction (UDRN), Azaria FAKOREDE; 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), Robert DOSSOU, and Bloc for Social

       Democracy (BSD), Michel MAGNIDE; Alliance of the Alliance for Democracy and

       Progress (ADP), Akindes ADEKPEDJOU, 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:

       National Assembly:

       last held 10 and 24 March 1991; results - percent of vote by party NA; 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

       President:

       last held 10 and 24 March 1991; results - Nicephore SOGLO 68%, Mathieu

       KEREKOU 32%

       Communists:

       Communist Party of Dahomey (PCD) remains active

      :Benin Government

      Member of:

       ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD,