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Compare Andorra (2003) - Benin (2006)

Compare Andorra (2003) z Benin (2006)

 Andorra (2003)Benin (2006)
 AndorraBenin
Administrative divisions 7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Escaldes-Engordany, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou
Age structure 0-14 years: 15.1% (male 5,473; female 4,974)


15-64 years: 71.7% (male 26,063; female 23,542)


65 years and over: 13.2% (male 4,543; female 4,555) (2003 est.)
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.)
Agriculture - products small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts; livestock
Airports none (2002) 5 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways - total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 4


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)
Area total: 468 sq km


land: 468 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 112,620 sq km


land: 110,620 sq km


water: 2,000 sq km
Area - comparative 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Background For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique co-principality, ruled by the French chief of state and the Spanish bishop of Urgel. In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the titular heads of state retained, but the government transformed into a parliamentary democracy. Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous Andorra achieved considerable prosperity since World War II through its tourist industry. Many immigrants (legal and illegal) are attracted to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes. 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.
Birth rate 9.65 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 38.85 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $385 million


expenditures: $342 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
revenues: $766.8 million


expenditures: $1.017 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Capital Andorra la Vella 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)


note: Cotonou (seat of government)
Climate temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 121 km
Constitution Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; approved by referendum 14 March 1993; came into force 4 May 1993 December 1990
Country name conventional long form: Principality of Andorra


conventional short form: Andorra


local long form: Principat d'Andorra


local short form: Andorra
conventional long form: Republic of Benin


conventional short form: Benin


local long form: Republique du Benin


local short form: Benin


former: Dahomey
Currency euro (EUR) -
Death rate 5.74 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 12.22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $NA $1.6 billion (2000)
Diplomatic representation from the US the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US Ambassador to Spain is accredited to Andorra; US interests in Andorra are represented by the Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: (3493) 280-2227; FAX: (3493) 205-7705 chief of mission: Ambassador Wayne NEILL


embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou


mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou


telephone: [229] 30-06-50


FAX: [229] 30-06-70
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jelena V. PIA-COMELLA


chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017


telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064


FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630
chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN


chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656


FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996
Disputes - international none; border is undemarcated in sections but is not in dispute (a few French farmers still remain upset about the transfer of 35 hectares of land to Andorra) Benin and Burkina Faso military clash in 2006 over sections of riverine boundary involving disputed villages and squatters; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated; in 2005, Nigeria ceded thirteen villages to Benin as a consequence of a 2004 joint task force to resolve maritime and land boundary disputes, but clashes among rival gangs along the border persist; a joint boundary commission continues to resurvey the boundary with Togo to verify Benin's claim that Togo moved boundary stones
Economic aid - recipient none $342.6 million (2000)
Economy - overview Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 9 million tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and by its summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage has recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its "tax haven" status, also contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural production is limited - only 2% of the land is arable - and most food has to be imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep raising. Manufacturing output consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural products. 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.
Electricity - consumption NA kWh 538.2 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports NA kWh; note - most electricity supplied by Spain and France; Andorra generates a small amount of hydropower 474 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production NA kWh 69 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 0%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0%
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m


highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste disposal inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
Environment - international agreements party to: Hazardous Wastes


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other 6% (1998) African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999) Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001)
Executive branch chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002); Spanish Coprince Episcopal Monsignor Joan Enric VIVES SICILIA (since 12 May 2003), represented by Nemesi MARQUES OSTE (since NA)


head of government: Executive Council President Marc FORNE MOLNE (since 21 December 1994)


cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive Council president


elections: Executive Council president elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year term; election last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)


election results: Marc FORNE Molne elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote - NA%
chief of state: President YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); runoff election held 19 March 2006 (next to be held March 2011)


election results: YAYI Boni elected president; percent of vote - YAYI Boni 74.5%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI 25.5%
Exports $58 million f.o.b. (1998) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities tobacco products, furniture cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa
Exports - partners Spain 58%, France 34% (2000) China 31.3%, Indonesia 8.1%, India 7.4%, Niger 6%, Togo 4.8%, Thailand 4.8%, Nigeria 4.6% (2005)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the coat of arms features a quartered shield; similar to the flags of Chad and Romania, which do not have a national coat of arms in the center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side
GDP purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2000 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
agriculture: 31.6%


industry: 13.8%


services: 54.6% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2000 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 3.8% (2000 est.) 3.5% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 42 30 N, 1 30 E 9 30 N, 2 15 E
Geography - note landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands
Highways total: 269 km


paved: 198 km


unpaved: 71 km (1994)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs - transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western Europe and the US; vulnerable to money laundering due to a poorly regulated financial infrastructure
Imports $1.077 billion (1998) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities consumer goods, food, electricity foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products
Imports - partners Spain 48%, France 35%, US 2.3% (2000) France 21.8%, Ghana 7.1%, Cote d'Ivoire 7%, China 6.7%, UK 5.2%, Belgium 4.9%, Togo 4.5%, Thailand 4.2%, Nigeria 4% (2005)
Independence 1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of the French count of Foix and the Spanish bishop of Urgel) 1 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 8.3% (2001 est.)
Industries tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, banking textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement
Infant mortality rate total: 4.06 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
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.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4.3% (2000) 3.5% (2005 est.)
International organization participation CE, ECE, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OSCE, UN, UNESCO, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (observer) ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land NA sq km 120 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal de Corts; Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or Tribunal Superior de Justicia d'Andorra; Supreme Council of Justice or Consell Superior de la Justicia; Fiscal Ministry or Ministeri Fiscal; Constitutional Tribunal or Tribunal Constitucional Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice
Labor force 33,000 (2001 est.) 3.211 million
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 1%, industry 21%, services 78% (2000 est.) -
Land boundaries total: 120.3 km


border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km
total: 1,989 km


border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
Land use arable land: 2.22%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 97.78% (1998 est.)
arable land: 23.53%


permanent crops: 2.37%


other: 74.1% (2005)
Languages Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)
Legal system based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, 14 from a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of the 7 parishes; members serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 46.1%, PSD 30%, PD 23.8%, other 0.1%; seats by party - PLA 15, PSD 6, PD 5, independents 2
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 30 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Presidential Movement (UBF, MADEP, FC, Alliance MDC-PC-CPP, IPD, AFP, MDS, RDP) 52, opposition (PRB, PRD, E'toile, and 5 other small parties) 31
Life expectancy at birth total population: 83.49 years


male: 80.58 years


female: 86.58 years (2003 est.)
total population: 53.04 years


male: 51.9 years


female: 54.22 years (2006 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: 100%


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 33.6%


male: 46.4%


female: 22.6% (2002 est.)
Location Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo
Map references Europe Africa
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 200 nm
Military - note defense is the responsibility of France and Spain -
Military branches no regular military forces, but there is a police force Army, Navy, Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $100.9 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 2.3% (2005 est.)
National holiday Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278) National Day, 1 August (1960)
Nationality noun: Andorran(s)


adjective: Andorran
noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
Natural hazards avalanches hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March
Natural resources hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Net migration rate 6.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Political parties and leaders Democratic Party or PD (formerly part of National Democratic Group or AND) [Ladislau BARO SOLO]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA [Marc FORNE MOLNE] (used to be Liberal Union or UL); Liberal Union or UL [Francesc CERQUEDA]; National Democratic Group or AND [Ladislau BARO SOLO]; National Democratic Initiative or IDN [Vicenc MATEU ZAMORA]; New Democracy or ND [Jaume BARTOMEU CASSANY]; Social Democratic Party or PSD (formerly part of National Democratic Group of AND) [leader NA]; Union of the People of Ordino (Unio Parroquial d'Ordino) or UPO [Simo DURO COMA]


note: there are two other small parties
Alliance of Progress Forces or AFP; African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD; Key Force or FC; Movement for Development and Solidarity or MDS; Movement for Development by the Culture-Salute Party-Congress of People for Progress Alliance or Alliance MDC-PS-CPP; New Alliance or NA; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP; Renaissance Party du Benin or RB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union of Tomorrow's Benin or UBF [Bruno AMOUSSOU]


note: approximately 20 additional minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 69,150 (July 2003 est.) 7,862,944


note: 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 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 33% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate 1.06% (2003 est.) 2.73% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors none -
Radio broadcast stations AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)
Railways 0 km total: 578 km


narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Religions Roman Catholic (predominant) indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female


total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
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.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges


international: landline circuits to France and Spain
general assessment: NA


domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections


international: country code - 229; satellite earth station - 7 (Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Telephones - main lines in use 32,946 (December 1998) 76,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 14,117 (December 1998) 386,700 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 0 (1997) 1 (2001)
Terrain rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Total fertility rate 1.27 children born/woman (2003 est.) 5.2 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 0% NA%
Waterways none 150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2005)
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