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 attempted to stem 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 (2008)

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

9,325,032 (July 2011 est.)

2.911% (2011 est.)

38.11 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

9 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

COTONOU (seat of government) 815,000; PORTO-NOVO (capital) 276,000 (2009)

5.31 children born/woman (2011 est.)

1.2% (2009 est.)

60,000 (2009 est.)

2,700 (2009 est.)

urban: 84% of population

rural: 69% of population

total: 75% of population

urban: 16% of population

rural: 31% of population

total: 25% of population (2008)

urban: 24% of population

rural: 4% of population

total: 12% of population

urban: 76% of population

rural: 96% of population

total: 88% of population (2008)

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)

3.5% of GDP (2007)

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

civil law system modeled largely on the French system and some customary law

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt 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 (7 members; 4 appointed by the National Assembly, 3 appointed by the President; appointed for a 5-year term for one term); Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (President of the Supreme Court appointed by the President for a 5-year term); High Court of Justice (composed of members of the Constitutional Court and 6 members appointed by the National Assembly)

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]

ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, 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 had averaged about 4% before the global recession, but fell to 2.7% in 2009 and 3% in 2010. 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. As result of these reforms, Benin has become the most competitive country in the West African Economic and Monetary Union, according to the World Economic Forum. 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.

$13.99 billion (2010 est.)

$13.66 billion (2009 est.)

$13.3 billion (2008 est.)

$6.649 billion (2010 est.)

2.5% (2010 est.)

2.7% (2009 est.)

5% (2008 est.)

$1,500 (2010 est.)

$1,600 (2009 est.)

$1,600 (2008 est.)

3.662 million (2007 est.)

NA%

37.4% (2007 est.)

36.5 (2003)

18.5% of GDP (2010 est.)

1.6% (2010 est.)

2.2% (2009 est.)

4.25% (31 December 2009)

4.75% (31 December 2008)

NA%

NA%

$1.551 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.619 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$2.424 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$2.517 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$1.222 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.269 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$NA

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

textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement

3% (2010 est.)

124 million kWh (2007 est.)

597 million kWh (2007 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

588 million kWh (2007 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

23,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

8,770 bbl/day (2007 est.)

28,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

8 million bbl (1 January 2010 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 2010 est.)

$-582 million (2010 est.)

$-644 million (2009 est.)

$1.125 billion (2010 est.)

$994 million (2009 est.)

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

India 19.72%, China 13.18%, Niger 6.94%, Nigeria 6.56%, Indonesia 5.73%, Togo 5.63%, Namibia 4.17% (2009)

$1.812 billion (2010 est.)

$1.703 billion (2009 est.)

foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products

China 35.62%, US 7.51%, France 7.38%, Thailand 6.71%, Malaysia 6.13%, Netherlands 4.83%, Belgium 4.02% (2009)

$1.254 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.23 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$2.894 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$986.2 million (31 December 2008 est.)

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

495.28 (2010)

472.19 (2009)

447.81 (2008)

493.51 (2007)

522.59 (2006)

127,100 (2009)

5.033 million (2009)

state-run Office de Radiodiffusion et de Television du Benin (ORTB) operates a TV station with multiple channels giving it a wide broadcast reach; several privately-owned TV stations broadcast from Cotonou; satellite TV subscription service is available; state-owned radio, under ORTB control, includes a national station supplemented by a number of regional stations; substantial number of privately-owned radio broadcast stations; transmissions of a few international broadcasters are available on FM in Cotonou (2007)

.bj

1,286 (2010)

200,100 (2009)

5 (2010)

150 km (seasonal navigation on River Niger along northern border) (2010)

Cotonou

Benin Armed Forces (Forces Armees Beninoises, FAB): Army (l'Arme de Terre), Benin Navy (Forces Navales Beninois, FNB), Benin Air Force (Force Aerienne du Benin, FAB) (2011)

21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; in practice, volunteers eligible at age 18; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18 months (2006)

1% of GDP (2009)

talks continue between Benin and Togo on funding the Adjrala hydroelectric dam on the Mona River; Benin retains a border dispute with Burkina Faso around the town of Koualou; location of Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint is unresolved

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