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. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006 and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and independent. YAYI has begun a high profile fight against corruption and has strongly promoted accelerating Benin's economic growth.

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo

9 30 N, 2 15 E

Africa

slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

121 km

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

120 sq km (2003)

25.8 cu km (2001)

hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March

inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification

sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands

9,056,010

2.944% (2010 est.)

38.67 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

9.23 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

5.4 children born/woman (2010 est.)

1.2% (2007 est.)

64,000 (2007 est.)

3,300 (2007 est.)

Fon and related 39.2%, Adja and related 15.2%, Yoruba and related 12.3%, Bariba and related 9.2%, Peulh and related 7%, Ottamari and related 6.1%, Yoa-Lokpa and related 4%, Dendi and related 2.5%, other 1.6% (includes Europeans), unspecified 2.9% (2002 census)

Christian 42.8% (Catholic 27.1%, Celestial 5%, Methodist 3.2%, other Protestant 2.2%, other 5.3%), Muslim 24.4%, Vodoun 17.3%, other 15.5% (2002 census)

French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

4.4% of GDP (2004)

republic

12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou

1 August 1960 (from France)

National Day, 1 August (1960)

adopted by referendum 2 December 1990

based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)

Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice

African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Alliance for Dynamic Democracy or ADD; Alliance of Progress Forces or AFP; Benin Renaissance or RB [Rosine SOGLO]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Force Cowrie for an Emerging Benin or FCBE; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD [Theophile NATA]; Key Force or FC [Lazare SÈHOUÉTO]; Movement for the People's Alternative or MAP [Olivier CAPO-CHICHI]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Dominique HOUNGNINOU]; Social Democrat Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Union for Democracy and National Solidarity or UDS [Sacca LAFIA]; Union for the Relief or UPR [Issa SALIFOU]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side; green symbolizes hope and revival, yellow wealth, and red courage

The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output has averaged around 4% in the past three years, but rapid population growth has offset much of this increase. Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to raise growth, 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. Specific projects to improve the business climate by reforms to the land tenure system, the commercial justice system, and the financial sector were included in Benin's $307 million Millennium Challenge Account grant signed in February 2006. The 2001 privatization policy continues in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture though the government annulled the privatization of Benin's state cotton company in November 2007 after the discovery of irregularities in the bidding process. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation, with Benin benefiting from a G-8 debt reduction announced in July 2005, while pressing for more rapid structural reforms. An insufficient electrical supply continues to adversely affect Benin's economic growth though the government recently has taken steps to increase domestic power production.

$13.25 billion (2009 est.)

$12.93 billion (2008 est.)

$12.31 billion (2007 est.)

$6.476 billion (2009 est.)

2.5% (2009 est.)

5% (2008 est.)

4.6% (2007 est.)

$1,500 (2009 est.)

$1,500 (2008 est.)

$1,500 (2007 est.)

3.662 million (2007 est.)

NA% est.)

37.4% (2007 est.)

36.5 (2003)

18.2% of GDP (2009 est.)

4% (2009 est.)

7.9% (2008 est.)

4.75% (31 December 2008)

4.25% (31 December 2007)

NA%

$NA (31 December 2008)

$1.324 billion (31 December 2007)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$627.2 million (31 December 2007)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$520.6 million (31 December 2007)

$NA

cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, cashews; livestock

textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement

2.8% (2009 est.)

124 million kWh (2007 est.)

597 million kWh (2007 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

588 million kWh (2007 est.)

0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

21,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

8,770 bbl/day (2007 est.)

28,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

8 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

1.133 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

-$514 million (2009 est.)

-$735 million (2008 est.)

$1.024 billion (2009 est.)

$1.127 billion (2008 est.)

cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood

China 15.2%, India 13.6%, Japan 8.3%, Niger 4.8%, US 4.5%, Nigeria 4.2% (2008)

$1.543 billion (2009 est.)

$1.843 billion (2008 est.)

foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products

China 36.1%, US 13.3%, Thailand 6.6%, France 6.5%, Malaysia 6.2% (2008)

$1.061 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$1.261 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$1.2 billion (2007)

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 481.35 (2009), 447.81 (2008), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005)

159,000 (2008)

3.625 million (2008)

AM 1, FM 34, shortwave 1 (2007)

6 (2007)

.bj

1,155 (2009)

160,000 (2008)

5 (2009)

150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2007)

Cotonou

Benin Armed Forces (FAB): Army (l'Arme de Terre), Benin Navy (Forces Navales Beninois, FNB), Benin People's Air Force (Force Aerienne Populaire de Benin, FAPB) (2008)

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 (2006)

1% of GDP (2009)

in September 2007, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) intervened to attempt to resolve the dispute over two villages along the Benin-Burkina Faso border that remain from 2005 ICJ decision; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated; in 2005, Nigeria ceded thirteen villages to Benin, but border relations remain strained by rival cross-border gang clashes; talks continue between Benin and Togo on funding the Adjrala hydroelectric dam on the Mona River

transshipment point used by traffickers for cocaine destined for Western Europe; vulnerable to money laundering due to poorly enforced financial regulations (2008)