About
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.
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Source: The World Factbook
Population: 7,460,025
estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution
of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2005 est.)
Capital: Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government
Languages: French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)
Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%
Government: republic under multiparty democratic
rule; dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989
Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low
mountains
Geography: sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands
Ethnic groups: African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500
Economy: The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade.
Growth in real output has averaged around 5% in the past six years, but rapid population growth has offset much of this
increase. Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to raise growth still further, 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. Many of these proposals are included in
Benin's application to receive Millennium Challenge Account funding - for which it was a finalist in 2004-05. The 2001
privatization policy continues in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of government reluctance.
The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation, with Benin benefiting from a G8 debt reduction
announced in July 2005, while pressing for more rapid structural reforms. Benin continues to be hurt by Nigerian trade
protection that bans imports of a growing list of products from Benin and elsewhere, which has resulted in increased smuggling
and criminality in the border region.
GDP per capita: purchasing power parity -
$1,200 (2005 est.)
GDP real growth: 4.2% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA
Internet country code: .bj
Dial code: +229
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Local currency is the CFA Franc BEAC
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