Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a West African kingdom that rose to prominence in about 1600 and over the next two and a half centuries became a regional power, largely based on its slave trade. Coastal areas of Dahomey began to be controlled by the French in the second half of the 19th century; the entire kingdom was conquered by 1894. French Dahomey achieved independence in 1960; it changed its name to the Republic of Benin in 1975.

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, who won a second five-year term in March 2011, 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

Mont Sokbaro 658 m

small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

arable land 22.9%; permanent crops 3.5%; permanent pasture 4.9%

230 sq km (2012)

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

10,741,458

Fon and related 38.4%, Adja and related 15.1%, Yoruba and related 12%, Bariba and related 9.6%, Fulani and related 8.6%, Ottamari and related 6.1%, Yoa-Lokpa and related 4.3%, Dendi and related 2.9%, other 0.9%, foreigner 1.9% (2013 est.)

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

Muslim 27.7%, Catholic 25.5%, Protestant 13.5% (Celestial 6.7%, Methodist 3.4%, other Protestant 3.4%), Vodoun 11.6%, other Christian 9.5%, other traditional religions 2.6%, other 2.6%, none 5.8% (2013 est.)

Benin has a youthful age structure – almost 65% of the population is under the age of 25 – which is bolstered by high fertility and population growth rates. Benin’s total fertility has been falling over time but remains high, declining from almost 7 children per women in 1990 to 4.8 in 2016. Benin’s low contraceptive use and high unmet need for contraception contribute to the sustained high fertility rate. Although the majority of Beninese women use skilled health care personnel for antenatal care and delivery, the high rate of maternal mortality indicates the need for more access to high quality obstetric care.

Poverty, unemployment, increased living costs, and dwindling resources increasingly drive the Beninese to migrate. An estimated 4.4 million, more than 40%, of Beninese live abroad. Virtually all Beninese emigrants move to West African countries, particularly Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire. Of the less than 1% of Beninese emigrants who settle in Europe, the vast majority live in France, Benin’s former colonial ruler.

With about 40% of the population living below the poverty line, many desperate parents resort to sending their children to work in wealthy households as domestic servants (a common practice known as vidomegon), mines, quarries, or agriculture domestically or in Nigeria and other neighboring countries, often under brutal conditions. Unlike in other West African countries, where rural people move to the coast, farmers from Benin’s densely populated southern and northwestern regions move to the historically sparsely populated central region to pursue agriculture. Immigrants from West African countries came to Benin in increasing numbers between 1992 and 2002 because of its political stability and porous borders.

2.75% (2016 est.)

35.5 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)

8 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)

PORTO-NOVO (capital) 268,000 (2014); COTONOU (seat of government) 682,000; Abomey-Calavi 757,000 (2015)

20.3

405 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

4.86 children born/woman (2016 est.)

12.9% (2011/12)

4.6% of GDP (2014)

0.06 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

0.5 beds/1,000 population (2010)

urban: 85.2% of population

rural: 72.1% of population

total: 77.9% of population

urban: 14.8% of population

rural: 27.9% of population

total: 22.1% of population (2015 est.)

urban: 35.6% of population

rural: 7.3% of population

total: 19.7% of population

urban: 64.4% of population

rural: 92.7% of population

total: 80.3% of population (2015 est.)

1.06% (2015 est.)

69,100 (2015 est.)

2,800 (2015 est.)

8.1% (2014)

18% (2014)

4.4% of GDP (2014)

presidential republic

12 departments; Alibori, Atacora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou

1 August 1960 (from France)

National Day, 1 August (1960)

previous 1946, 1958 (preindependence); latest adopted by referendum 2 December 1990, promulgated 11 December 1990 (2016)

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

Alliance for a Triumphant Benin or ABT [Abdoulaye BIO TCHANE]

African Movement for Development and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]

Benin Renaissance or RB [Lehady SOGLO]

Cowrie Force for an Emerging Benin or FCBE [Yayi BONI]

Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]

New Consciousness Rally or NC [Pascal KOUPAKI]

Patriotic Awakening or RP [Janvier YAHOUEDEOU]

Social Democrat Party or PSD [Emmanuel GOLOU]

Sun Alliance or AS [Sacca LAFIA]

Union Makes the Nation or UN [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI] (alliance superceded Alliance for Dynamic Democracy or ADD)

United Democratic Forces or FDU [Mathurin NAGO]

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

leopard; national colors: green, yellow, red

The free market economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Cotton is a key export commodity; high prices supported export earnings. Growth in real output has averaged 6.5% since 2014. Inflation has subsided and remained 1% over the past several years.

An insufficient electrical supply continues to hamper Benin's economic growth though the government recently has taken steps to increase domestic power production. Private foreign direct investment is small, and foreign aid accounts for the majority of investment in infrastructure projects.

Benin’s 2001 privatization policy continues in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture. Benin has appealed for international assistance to mitigate piracy against commercial shipping in its territory. Though security remains a problem, the Port of Cotonou has made progress towards implementing the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code in an effort to remain competitive. Projects included in Benin's $307 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact (2006-2011) were designed to increase investment and private sector activity by improving key institutional and physical infrastructure. The four projects focused on access to land, access to financial services, access to justice, and access to markets (including modernization of the port). The Port of Cotonou is the largest component of Benin’s economy with revenues projected to account for more than 40% of Benin’s national budget. Realizing its economic potential requires further efforts to infrastructure upgrades, stemming corruption, and expanding access to foreign markets in Nigeria and neighboring landlocked countries. In September 2015, Benin signed a MCC second Compact for $375 million that is designed to strengthen the national utility service provider, attract private sector investment, fund infrastructure investments in electricity generation and distribution, and develop off-grid electrification for poor and unserved households. 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, encourage new information and communication technology, and establish Independent Power Producers (IPP).

$22.95 billion (2015 est.)

$21.81 billion (2014 est.)

$20.47 billion (2013 est.)

$8.471 billion (2015 est.)

5.2% (2015 est.)

6.5% (2014 est.)

6.9% (2013 est.)

$2,100 (2015 est.)

$2,100 (2014 est.)

$2,000 (2013 est.)

15.3% of GDP (2015 est.)

15.7% of GDP (2014 est.)

21.1% of GDP (2013 est.)

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

textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement

6.8% (2015 est.)

3.662 million (2007 est.)

NA%

37.4% (2007 est.)

36.5 (2003)

17.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

-6.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

37.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

30.9% of GDP (2014 est.)

calendar year

0.3% (2015 est.)

-1.1% (2014 est.)

4.25% (31 December 2010)

4.25% (31 December 2009)

NA%

$2.172 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$2.336 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$4.165 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$3.61 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$1.631 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$1.792 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$NA

-$937 million (2015 est.)

-$896 million (2014 est.)

$1.841 billion (2015 est.)

$2.562 billion (2014 est.)

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

India 24.2%, Gabon 14.6%, China 7.2%, Niger 6%, Bangladesh 5%, Nigeria 4.9%, Vietnam 4.2% (2015)

$2.727 billion (2015 est.)

$3.273 billion (2014 est.)

foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products

China 42.1%, US 8.9%, India 5.7%, Malaysia 4.8%, Thailand 4.3%, France 4% (2015)

$731.6 million (31 December 2015 est.)

$726 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$2.115 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$1.984 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

591.45 (2015 est.)

494.42 (2014 est.)

494.42 (2013 est.)

510.53 (2012 est.)

471.87 (2011 est.)

200 million kWh (2014 est.)

1 billion kWh (2014 est.)

0 kWh (2013 est.)

1.1 billion kWh (2014 est.)

163,000 kW (2015 est.)

99.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0.6% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2013 est.)

0 bbl/day (2013 est.)

8 million bbl (1 January 2016 es)

0 bbl/day (2013 est.)

41,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)

4,914 bbl/day (2013 est.)

44,950 bbl/day (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

1.133 billion cu m (1 January 2016 es)

5 million Mt (2013 est.)

state-run Office de Radiodiffusion et de Television du Benin (ORTB) operates a TV station with multiple channels providing 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

TY (2016)

6 (2013)

150 km (seasonal navigation on River Niger along northern border) (2011)

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) (2013)

18-35 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; a higher education diploma is required; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18 months (2013)

1.03% of GDP (2012)

NA% (2011)

1.03% of GDP (2010)

talks continue between Benin and Togo on funding the Adjrala hydroelectric dam on the Mona River; Benin retains a border dispute with Burkina Faso near 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)