Benin Information
by Bureau of African Affairs
PROFILE
OFFICIAL NAME:
Republic of Benin
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.
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. 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. HISTORY
Benin
was the seat of one of the great medieval African kingdoms called
Dahomey. Europeans began arriving in the area in the 18th century, as
the kingdom of Dahomey was expanding its territory. The Portuguese, the
French, and the Dutch established trading posts along the coast
(Porto-Novo, Ouidah, Cotonou), and traded weapons for slaves. Slave
trade ended in 1848. Then, the French signed treaties with Kings of
Abomey (Guézo, Toffa, Glčlč) to establish French protectorates in the
main cities and ports. However, King Behanzin fought the French
influence which cost him deportation to Martinique. As of 1900, the
territory became a French colony ruled by a French Governor. Expansion
continued to the North (kingdoms of Parakou, Nikki, Kandi), up to the
border with former Upper Volta. On December 4, 1958, it became the
République du Dahomey, self-governing within the French community, and
on August 1, 1960, the Republic of Benin gained full independence from
France. Post-Independence Politics
Between
1960 and 1972, a succession of military coups brought about many
changes of government. The last of these brought to power Major Mathieu
Kérékou as the head of a regime professing strict Marxist-Leninist
principles. The Revolutionary Party of the People of Benin (PRPB)
remained in complete power until the beginning of the 1990s. Kérékou,
encouraged by France and other democratic powers, convened a national
conference that introduced a new democratic constitution and held
presidential and legislative elections. Kérékou's principal opponent at
the presidential poll, and the ultimate victor, was Prime Minister
Nicéphore Soglo. Supporters of Soglo also secured a majority in the
National Assembly. Benin was thus the first
African country to effect successfully the transition from dictatorship
to a pluralistic political system. In the second round of National
Assembly elections held in March 1995, Soglo's political vehicle, the
Parti de la Renaissance du Benin, was the largest single party but
lacked an overall majority. The success of a party formed by supporters
of ex-president Kérékou, who had officially retired from active
politics, encouraged him to stand successfully at both the 1996 and
2001 presidential elections. During the 2001 elections,
however, alleged irregularities and dubious practices led to a boycott
of the run-off poll by the main opposition candidates. The four
top-ranking contenders following the first round presidential elections
were Mathieu Kerekou (incumbent) 45.4%, Nicephore Soglo (former
president) 27.1%, Adrien Houngbedji (National Assembly Speaker) 12.6%,
and Bruno Amoussou (Minister of State) 8.6%. The second round
balloting, originally scheduled for March 18, 2001, was postponed for
days because both Soglo and Houngbedji withdrew, alleging electoral
fraud. This left Kerekou to run against his own Minister of State,
Amoussou, in what was termed a "friendly match." In December 2002, Benin
held its first municipal elections since before the institution of
Marxism-Leninism. The process was smooth with the significant exception
of the 12th district council for Cotonou, the contest that would
ultimately determine who would be selected for the mayoralty of the
capital city. That vote was marred by irregularities, and the electoral
commission was forced to repeat that single election. Nicephore Soglo's
Renaisance du Benin (RB) party won the new vote, paving the way for the
former president to be elected Mayor of Cotonou by the new city council
in February 2002. National Assembly elections
took place in March 2003 and were generally considered to be free and
fair. Although there were some irregularities, these were not
significant and did not greatly disrupt the proceedings or the results.
These elections resulted in a loss of seats by RB--the primary
opposition party. The other opposition parties, the Party for
Democratic Renewal (PRD) led by the former Prime Minister Adrien
Houngbedji and the Alliance Etoile (AE) have joined the government
coalition. RB currently holds 15 of the National Assembly's 83 seats. Principal Government Officials
President--Mathieu Kérékou
Ministers
Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Fisheries--Fatiou Akplogan
Communications, and Promotion of New Technologies--Frederic Dohou
Culture, Artisanry, and Tourism--Antoine Dayori
Environment, Housing, and Urban Affairs--Jules Codjo Assogba
Family, Social Protection and Solidarity--Lea Ahougbenou Hounkpe
Foreign Affairs and African Integration--Rogatien Biaou
Finance and Economy--Cosme Sehlin
Higher Education, and Scientific Research--Osseni Kemoko Bagnan
Industry, Commerce, and Employment Promotion--Massiyatou Latoundji-Lauriano
Institutional Relations, Civil Society, and Beninese Nationals Living Abroad--Valentin Aditi Houde
Interior, Security and Decentralization--General Seidou Mama Sika
Keeper of the Seal / Justice, Legislative Affairs, and Human Rights--Dorothée Sossa
Mining, Energy, and Water--Kamarou Fassassi
Primary and Secondary Education--Rafiatou Karimou
Public Health--Dorothee Akoko Kinde Gazard
Public Service, Labor, and Administrative Reform--Boubacar Arouna
Public Works and Transportation--Christiane Omichessan Tabele
State Minister of National Defense--Pierre Osho
State Minister of Planning and Development--Zul Kifl Salami
Technical Education and Professional Training--Alain Francois Adihou
Youth, Sports, and Leisure--Jean Baptiste Edaye
Ambassador to the United States--Sčgbé Cyrille Oguin
Permanent Representative to the United Nations--Joel W. Adéchi
Benin maintains an embassy in the United
States at 2124 Kalorama Road, Washington, DC 20008, tel. 202-232-6656.
The Permanent Representative of the Republic of Benin to the United
Nations is located at 4 East 73rd Street, New York, NY 10021 tel.
212-249-6014, fax 212-734-4735.
ECONOMY
Benin's
economy is chiefly based on agriculture. Cotton accounts for 40% of GDP
and roughly 80% of official export receipts. There also is production
of textiles, palm products, and cocoa. Corn, beans, rice, peanuts,
cashews, pineapples, cassava, yams, and other various tubers are grown
for local subsistence. Benin began producing a modest quantity of
offshore oil in October 1982. Production ceased in recent years but
exploration of new sites is ongoing. A modest fishing fleet provides
fish and shrimp for local subsistence and export to Europe. A number of
formerly government-owned commercial activities are now privatized, and
the government, consistent with its commitments to the IMF and World
Bank, has plans to continue on this path. Smaller businesses are
privately owned by Beninese citizens, but some firms are foreign owned,
primarily French and Lebanese. The private commercial and agricultural
sectors remain the principal contributors to growth. Economic Development
Since
the transition to a democratic government in 1990, Benin has undergone
a remarkable economic recovery. A large injection of external
investment from both private and public sources has alleviated the
economic difficulties of the early 1990s caused by global recession and
persistently low commodity prices (although the latter continues to
affect the economy). The manufacturing sector is confined to some light
industry, which is mainly involved in processing primary products and
the production of consumer goods. Benin is dependent on imported
electricity, mostly from Ghana, which currently accounts for a
significant proportion of the country's imports. Benin has several
initiatives to attract foreign capital to build electricity generation
facilities in Benin in order to break this dependency. The service
sector has grown quickly, stimulated by economic liberalization and
fiscal reform. Membership of the CFA Franc Zone offers reasonable
currency stability. Benin sells its products mainly to France and, in
smaller quantities, to the Netherlands, Korea, Japan, and India. France
is Benin's leading source for imports. Benin also is a member of the
West African economic community ECOWAS. In March 2003, the World
Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed to support a
comprehensive debt reduction package for Benin under the enhanced
Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. Debt relief under
HIPC amounts to approximately $460 million. Benin received $27.1
million in 2002 and received $32.9 million in 2003. HIPC will reduce
Benin's debt-to-export ratio, freeing up considerable resources for
education, health, and other anti-poverty programs. Despite its growth, the
economy of Benin still remains underdeveloped and dependent on
subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade.
Inflation has subsided over the past several years. Growth in real
output averaged a sound 5% from 1996 to 2003, but a rapid population
rise offset much of this growth on a per capita basis. Economic growth
in 2004 is expected to be flat. Commercial and transport activities,
which make up a large part of GDP, are vulnerable to developments in
Nigeria, including fuel shortages. Recent heightened enforcement of
Nigerian customs regulations, an unfavorable exchange rate with the
Naira and difficulties at Cotonou’s port have contributed to the
economic downturn. FOREIGN RELATIONS
Abroad,
Benin has strengthened ties with France, the former colonial power, as
well as the United States and the main international lending
institutions. Benin also has adopted a mediating role in the political
crises in Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, and Togo and provided a contribution
to the UN force in Haiti. In early 2003, Benin provided a peacekeeping
contingent to the ECOWAS' stabilization force in Cote d'Ivoire. Benin's
democratic standing, stability, and positive role in international
peacekeeping have helped Benin's international stature continue to
grow. Benin enjoys stable relations with Nigeria, the main regional
power. U.S.-BENINESE RELATIONS
The
United States and Benin have had an excellent history of relations in
the years since Benin embraced democracy. The U.S. Government continues
to assist Benin with the improvement of living standards that are key
to the ultimate success of Benin's experiment with democratic
government and economic liberalization, and are consistent with U.S.
values and national interest in reducing poverty and promoting growth.
The bulk of the U.S. effort in support of consolidating democracy in
Benin is focused on long-term human resource development through U.S.
Agency for International Development (USAID) programs. Efforts to pursue this
national interest are spearheaded by USAID, which has effective
programs focused on primary education, family health (including family
planning), women's and children's health, and combating sexually
transmitted diseases, especially the spread of HIV. USAID's Democracy
and Governance program also emphasizes encouraging greater civil
society involvement in national decisionmaking; strengthening
mechanisms to promote transparency and accountability; improving the
environment for decentralized private and local initiatives; and
enhancing the electoral system and the national legislature. A panoply
of military-to-military cooperation programs reinforces democratizing
efforts. U.S.-Benin military cooperation is now being expanding, both
bilaterally and within a broader regional framework.
The U.S. advances the ethos of law
enforcement by working with Beninese authorities to crack down on
crimes, help eradicate corruption, promote good governance, the rule of
law, and greater official accountability.
The U.S. Public Affairs Office in
Cotonou leads the U.S.-Benin cultural, professional, and educational
exchanges, with a focus on helping educate the Government of Benin and
the public on the trade opportunities and advantages of the Africa
Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The PA Office also helps in
expanding efforts to build a more responsible media.
The U.S. Peace Corps
program in Benin provides ongoing opportunities for increased
understanding between Beninese and Americans. The approximately 120
volunteers promote sustainable development through activities in
health, education, the environment, and small enterprise development.
The U.S. Peace Corps program in Benin is one of the most successful in
Africa, in part because of Beninese receptivity and collaboration.
Currently, trade between Benin and the
United States is small, but interest in American products is growing.
The United States is interested in promoting increased trade with Benin
in order to contribute to U.S. trade with Benin's neighbors,
particularly Nigeria, Niger, and Burkina Faso, which receive large
amounts of their own imports through the port of Cotonou. Such trade
also is facilitated by Benin's membership in the Economic Community of
West Africa States (ECOWAS) and in the CFA franc monetary zone. The
U.S. Government also works to stimulate American investment in key
sectors such as energy, telecommunications, and transportation. Benin
is eligible for the African Growth and Opportunities Act but has not
yet qualified for the Act's apparel provision, which would allow Benin
to export apparel with few restrictions to the U.S. market. Principal U.S. Officials
Ambassador--Wayne E. Neill
Deputy Chief of Mission--Charles Luoma-Overstreet
Director, USAID Mission--Thomas Rudolph
Peace Corps Director--Marilee McClintock
Acting Public Affairs Officer--Bob Fadegnon
Political/Economic Officer--Shelly Dittmar (effective March 21)
Consular Officer--Lisa Ficek (Daniel Hall arrives March 21)
Management Officer--Ruth D. Wagoner
The U.S. Embassy
is located on rue Caporal Bernard Anani, 01 BP 2012, Cotonou, Benin,
tel. 229-30-06-50, fax 229-30-14-39. For American citizen services and
visa questions, the Embassy consular section fax number is
229-30-66-82. For more information on Benin, please visit official
website www.benintourism.com.
TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION
The
U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program provides
Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings, and Public Announcements.
Consular Information Sheets exist for all countries and include
information on entry requirements, currency regulations, health
conditions, areas of instability, crime and security, political
disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. posts in the country. Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. Public Announcements
are issued as a means to disseminate information quickly about
terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas
that pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Free
copies of this information are available by calling the Bureau of
Consular Affairs at 202-647-5225 or via the fax-on-demand system:
202-647-3000. Consular Information Sheets and Travel Warnings also are
available on the Consular Affairs Internet home page: http://travel.state.gov.
Consular Affairs Tips for Travelers publication series, which contain
information on obtaining passports and planning a safe trip abroad, are
on the Internet and hard copies can be purchased from the
Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office,
telephone: 202-512-1800; fax 202-512-2250.
Emergency information concerning
Americans traveling abroad may be obtained from the Office of Overseas
Citizens Services at (202) 647-5225. For after-hours emergencies,
Sundays and holidays, call 202-647-4000.
The National Passport Information Center
(NPIC) is the U.S. Department of State's single, centralized public
contact center for U.S. passport information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT
(1-877-487-2778). Customer service representatives and operators for
TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern
Time, excluding federal holidays.
Travelers can check the latest health
information with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in
Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP (877-394-8747) and a web
site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm
give the most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or
requirements, and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions
and countries. A booklet entitled Health Information for International
Travel (HHS publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S.
Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800.
Information on travel conditions, visa
requirements, currency and customs regulations, legal holidays, and
other items of interest to travelers also may be obtained before your
departure from a country's embassy and/or consulates in the U.S. (for
this country, see "Principal Government Officials" listing in this
publication).
U.S. citizens who are long-term visitors or traveling in dangerous areas are encouraged to register their travel via the State Department’s travel registration web site at https://travelregistration.state.gov
or at the Consular section of the U.S. embassy upon arrival in a
country by filling out a short form and sending in a copy of their
passports. This may help family members contact you in case of an
emergency.
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