| Benin |
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| Geography | |
| Location: | Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo. |
| Area: | total: 112,620
sq km land: 110,620 sq km water: 2,000 sq km |
| Natural Resources: | Small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber |
| Population and Health | |
| Population: | 7,862,944 (July 2006 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years:
44.1% (male 1,751,709/female 1,719,138) 15-64 years: 53.5% (male 2,067,248/female 2,138,957) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 75,694/female 110,198) (2006 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.73% (2006 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 38.85 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Death rate: | 12.22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 79.56
deaths/1,000 live births male: 84.09 deaths/1,000 live births female: 74.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population:
53.04 years male: 51.9 years female: 54.22 years (2006 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 5.2 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 1.9% (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 68,000 (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 5,800 (2003 est.) |
| Literacy: | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 33.6% male: 46.4% female: 22.6% (2002 est.) |
| Economy | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | $8.931 billion (2006 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | $4.622 billion (2006 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 4% (2006 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | $1,100 (2006 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture:
32.8% industry: 13.7% services: 53.5% (2006 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | 3.211 million (1996) |
| Population below poverty line: | 33% (2001 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 3% (2006 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | 19.1% of GDP (2006 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, cashews; livestock |
| Industries: | textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 8.3% (2001 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood |
| Currency (code): | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States |
| Fiscal year: | Calendar year |
| Others | |
| Nationality: | noun: Beninese
(singular and plural) adjective: Beninese |
| Religions: |
indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% |
| Languages: |
French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) |
| Country name: | conventional
long form: Republic of Benin conventional short form: Benin former: Dahomey |
| Government type: | Republic |
| Capital: | name: Porto-Novo
(official capital) geographic coordinates: 6 29 N, 2 37 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions: | 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou |
| Independence: | 1 August 1960 (from France) |
| National holidays: | National Day, 1 August |
| Legal system: | based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Source : CIA The World Factbook |
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