Geography
Area: 116,622 sq. km. (43,483 sq. mi.).
Cities: Capital--Porto-Novo (pop. 295,000). Political and
economic capital--Cotonou (pop. 2 million).
Terrain: Mostly flat plains of 200 meters average elevation, but the
Atacora Mountains extend along the northwest border, with the highest
point being Mont Sokbaro 658 meters.
Climate: Tropical, average temperatures between 24o and 31oC.
Humid in south; semiarid in north.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Beninese (singular and
plural).
Population (2004 est.): 7.25 million.
Annual growth rate (2001 est.): 2.89%.
Ethnic groups: African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon,
Adja, Yoruba, and Bariba),
Europeans 5,500.
Christian singles note-Religions: Indigenous beliefs (animist) 50%,
Christian 30%, Muslim 20%.
Languages: French (official), Fon and Yoruba in the south; Nagot,
Bariba and Dendi in the north.
Education (2001 est.): Literacy--Total population 38.6%; men
52.2%, women 24.6%.
Health (2001 est.): Infant mortality rate--94.00/1,000. Life
expectancy--52.8 yrs.
Work force: The labor market is characterized by an increased reliance
on informal employment, family helpers, and the use of apprentices.
Training and job opportunities are not well matched.
Government
Type: Republic under multiparty democratic rule.
Independence: August 1, 1960.
Constitution: December 10, 1990.
Branches: Executive--President, elected by popular vote for
5-year term, appoints the Cabinet. Legislative--Unicameral,
83-seat National Assembly directly elected by popular vote for 4-year
terms. Judicial--Constitutional Court: seven members nominated
by National Assembly and then appointed by the President; Supreme
Court: 13 members, six elected by National Assembly, the
Constitutional Court (except for its President) ex officio, and the
President of the Supreme Court ex officio. Constitutional Court: seven
members nominated by President of the Republic (three) and by National
Assembly (4). Supreme Court: president nominated by the President of
the Republic after advice of the President of the National Assembly.
High Court of Justice: All members of Constitutional Court (except its
president), six deputies, and President of the National Assembly.
Subdivisions: Twelve departments: Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou,
Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, and Zou.
Political parties (partial listing of major parties): La Renaissance
du Bénin (RB), Party of Democratic Renewal (PRD), Social-Democrat
Party (PSD), African Movement for Development and Progress (MADEP),
Party of Democratic Renewal-Rainbow (PRD-Arc-en-ciel), Alliance Etoile,
Action Front for Democratic Renewal (FARD-ALAFIA), African Congress
for Renewal (CAR-DUNYA), Impulse for Progress and Democracy (IPD),
Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ADP), National Union for
Democracy and Progress (UNDP), New Generation for the Republic (NGR),
Our Common Cause (NCC), Ensemble, National Rally for Democracy (RND),
Rally for Progress and Renewal (RPR), Movement for the People
Alternative (MAP), National Rally for Unity and Democracy (RUND),
Congress of African Democrat (CAD), Movement for Citizens' Commitment
and Awakening (MERCI), Democratic Union for Economic and Social
Development (UDES), Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), Communist
Party of Benin (PCB).
Economy
GDP (2003 est.): $7.7 billion.
Real GDP growth rate (2003): 5.5%.
Per capita GDP: $1,100.
Inflation rate: 1.5% (2003).
Natural resources: Small offshore oil deposits, unexploited deposits
of high quality marble limestone, and timber.
Agricultural: Products--corn, sorghum, cassava, tapioca,
yams, beans, rice, cotton, palm oil, cocoa, peanuts, poultry, and
livestock. Arable land--13%. Permanent crops 4%, permanent
pastures 4%, forests and woodland 31%.
Business and industry: Textiles, cigarettes, food and beverages,
construction materials, petroleum.
Trade: Exports--$485 million: cotton, crude oil, palm products,
cocoa. Imports--$726 million: foodstuffs, tobacco, petroleum
products, energy, and capital goods. Major trade partners--Nigeria,
France, China, Italy, Brazil, Libya, Indonesia, U.K., Ivory Coast.
GEOGRAPHY
Benin, a narrow, north-south strip of land in West Africa, lies
between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer. Benin's latitude ranges
from 6o3oN to 12o30N and its
longitude from 10E to 3o40E. Benin is bounded by Togo to
the west, Burkina Faso and Niger to the north, Nigeria to the east,
and the Bight of Benin to the south. With an area of 112,622 square
kilometers, roughly the size of Pennsylvania, Benin extends from the
Niger River in the north to the Atlantic Ocean in the south, a
distance of 700 kilometers. (about 500 mi.). Although the coastline
measures 121 kilometers. (about 80 mi.), the country measures about
325 kilometers. (about 215 mi.) at its widest point. It is one of the
smaller countries in West Africa: eight times smaller than Nigeria,
its neighbor to the east. It is, however, twice as large as Togo, its
neighbor to the west. A relief map of Benin shows that it has little
variation in elevation (average elevation 200 meters).
The country can be divided into four main areas from the south to
the north. The low-lying, sandy, coastal plain (highest elevation 10
meters) is, at most, 10 kilometers wide. It is marshy and dotted with
lakes and lagoons communicating with the ocean. The plateaus of
southern Benin (altitude comprised between 20 meters and 200 meters)
are split by valleys running north to south along the Couffo, Zou, and
Oueme Rivers. An area of flat lands dotted with rocky hills whose
altitude seldom reaches 400 meters extends around Nikki and Save.
Finally, a range of mountains extends along the northwest border and
into Togo; this is the Atacora, with the highest point, Mont Sokbaro,
at 658 meters. Two types of landscape predominate in the south. Benin
has fields of lying fallow, mangroves, and remnants of large sacred
forests. In the rest of the country, the savanna is covered with
thorny scrubs and dotted with huge baobab trees. Some forests line the
banks of rivers. In the north and the northwest of Benin the Reserve
du W du Niger and Pendjari National Park attract tourists eager to see
elephants, lions, antelopes, hippos, and monkeys.
Benin's climate is hot and humid. Annual rainfall in the coastal
area averages 36 cm. (14 in.), not particularly high for coastal West
Africa. Benin has two rainy and two dry seasons. The principal rainy
season is from April to late July, with a shorter less intense rainy
period from late September to November. The main dry season is from
December to April, with a short cooler dry season from late July to
early September. Temperatures and humidity are high along the tropical
coast. In Cotonou, the average maximum temperature is 31oC
(89oF); the minimum is 24oC (75oF).
Variations in temperature increase when moving north through a
savanna and plateau toward the Sahel. A dry wind from the Sahara
called the Harmattan blows from December to March. Grass dries up, the
vegetation turns reddish brown, and a veil of fine dust hangs over the
country, causing the skies to be overcast. It also is the season when
farmers burn brush in the fields.
PEOPLE
The majority of Benin's 7.25 million people live in the south. The
population is young, with a life expectancy of 50 years. About 42
African ethnic groups live in this country; these various groups
settled in Benin at different times and also migrated within the
country. Ethnic groups include the Yoruba in the southeast (migrated
from Nigeria in the 12th century); the Dendi in the north-central area
(they came from Mali in the 16th century); the Bariba and the Fulbe (Peul)
in the northeast; the Betammaribe and the Somba in the Atacora Range;
the Fon in the area around Abomey in the South Central and the Mina,
Xueda, and Aja (who came from Togo) on the coast.
Recent migrations have brought other African nationals to Benin
that include Nigerians, Togolese, and Malians. The foreign community
also includes many Lebanese and Indians involved in trade and
commerce. The personnel of the many European embassies and foreign aid
missions and of nongovernmental organizations and various missionary
groups account for a large number of the 5,500 European population.
Christian singles note-Several religions are practiced in Benin. Animism
is widespread (50%), and its practices vary from one ethnic group to
the other. Arab merchants introduced Islam in the north and among the
Yoruba. European missionaries brought Christianity to the south and
central areas of Benin. Moslems account for 20% of the population and
Christians for 30%. Many nominal Moslems and Christians continue to
practice animistic traditions. It is believed that voodoo originated
in Benin and was introduced to Brazil and the Caribbean Islands by
slaves taken from this particular area of the Slave Coast.
