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Compare Bahamas, The (2007) - Benin (2002)

Compare Bahamas, The (2007) z Benin (2002)

 Bahamas, The (2007)Benin (2002)
 Bahamas, TheBenin
Administrative divisions 21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay 12 provinces; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou
Age structure 0-14 years: 27% (male 41,268/female 41,186)


15-64 years: 66.5% (male 99,961/female 103,230)


65 years and over: 6.5% (male 8,176/female 11,834) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 47.2% (male 1,616,138; female 1,585,463)


15-64 years: 50.5% (male 1,665,439; female 1,764,966)


65 years and over: 2.3% (male 65,877; female 89,742) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products citrus, vegetables; poultry cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001)
Airports 62 (2007) 5 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 24


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 12


914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2007)
total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 38


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 22 (2007)
total: 4


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)
Area total: 13,940 sq km


land: 10,070 sq km


water: 3,870 sq km
total: 112,620 sq km


land: 110,620 sq km


water: 2,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Connecticut slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Background Lucayan Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher COLUMBUS first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US and Europe, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US. Dahomey gained its independence from France in 1960; the name was changed to Benin in 1975. From 1974 to 1989 the country was a socialist state; free elections were reestablished in 1991.
Birth rate 17.3 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 43.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.03 billion


expenditures: $1.03 billion (FY04/05)
revenues: $377.4 million


expenditures: $561.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
Capital name: Nassau


geographic coordinates: 25 05 N, 77 21 W


time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November
Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government
Climate tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Coastline 3,542 km 121 km
Constitution 10 July 1973 December 1990
Country name conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas


conventional short form: The Bahamas
conventional long form: Republic of Benin


conventional short form: Benin


local long form: Republique du Benin


local short form: Benin


former: Dahomey
Currency - Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Death rate 9.13 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 14.52 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $342.6 million (2004 est.) $1.18 billion (2000)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Ned L. SIEGEL


embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau


mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; US Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC 20521-3370


telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 356-3229 (after hours)


FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222
chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela E. BRIDGEWATER


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: vacant


chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660


FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668


consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
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 disagrees with the US on the alignment of a potential maritime boundary; continues to monitor and interdict drug dealers and Haitian refugees in Bahamian waters Benin and Niger have refered to the ICJ the dispute over l'Ete and 14 smaller disputed islands in the Niger River, which has never been delimited; with Nigeria, several villages are in dispute along the Okpara River and only 35 km of the 436 km boundary are demarcated; the Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint remains undemarcated; Benin accuses Togo of moving boundary markers and stationing troops in its territory; two villages are in dispute with Burkina Faso
Economic aid - recipient $4.78 million (2004) $342.6 million (2000)
Economy - overview The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism together with tourism-driven construction and manufacturing accounts for approximately 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the slowdown in the US economy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held back growth in these sectors in 2001-03. The current government has presided over a period of economic recovery and an upturn in large-scale private sector investments in tourism. Financial services constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy, accounting for about 15% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when the government enacted new regulations on the financial sector, many international businesses have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US, the source of more than 80% of the visitors. The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output averaged a stable 5% in the past five years, but rapid population rise 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. The 2001 privatization policy should continue in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of initial government reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation.
Electricity - consumption 1.762 billion kWh (2005) 523.2 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 300 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 1.894 billion kWh (2005) 240 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 17%


hydro: 83%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m
Environment - current issues coral reef decay; solid waste disposal inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


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


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3% African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500
Exchange rates Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2006), 1 (2005), 1 (2004), 1 (2003), 1 (2002) Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Arthur D. HANNA (since 1 February 2006)


head of government: Prime Minister Hubert A. INGRAHAM (since 4 May 2007)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
chief of state: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; runoff election held 22 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2006)


election results: Mathieu KEREKOU reelected president; percent of vote - Mathieu KEREKOU 84.1%, Bruno AMOUSSOU 15.9%


note: the four top-ranking contenders following the first-round presidential elections were: Mathieu KEREKOU (incumbent) 45.4%, Nicephore SOGOLO (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 18 March 2001, was postponed four days because both SOGOLO 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"
Exports transshipments of 41,290 bbl/day (2004) $35.3 million f.o.b. (2000)
Exports - commodities mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals, fruit and vegetables cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa
Exports - partners Spain 23.8%, US 21.1%, Poland 14.4%, Germany 7.3%, UK 6.1%, Guatemala 5.2% (2006) Brazil, France, Indonesia, Thailand, Morocco, Portugal, Cote d'Ivoire (2001)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side
GDP - purchasing power parity - $6.8 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3%


industry: 7%


services: 90% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 36%


industry: 14%


services: 50% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $1,040 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4% (2006 est.) 5.4% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 24 15 N, 76 00 W 9 30 N, 2 15 E
Geography - note strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands
Heliports 1 (2007) -
Highways - total: 6,787 km


paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways)


unpaved: 5,430 km (1997 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: 27% (2000)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center 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 NA bbl/day $437.6 million c.i.f. (2000)
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products
Imports - partners US 24.5%, Brazil 15.6%, Japan 13%, South Korea 7.8%, Spain 7.1% (2006) France, US, China, Cote d'Ivoire, Netherlands, Japan (2001)
Independence 10 July 1973 (from UK) 1 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 8.3% (2001 est.)
Industries tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe textiles, food processing, chemical production, construction materials (2001)
Infant mortality rate total: 24.17 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 29.58 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 18.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
88.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.2% (2004) 3% (2001 est.)
International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 4 (2002)
Irrigated land 10 sq km (2003) 120 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Privy Council (London); Courts of Appeal; Supreme (lower) Court; magistrates courts Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice
Labor force 176,300 (2004) NA
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (2005 est.) -
Land boundaries 0 km total: 1,989 km


border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
Land use arable land: 0.58%


permanent crops: 0.29%


other: 99.13% (2005)
arable land: 15.28%


permanent crops: 1.36%


other: 83.36% (1998 est.)
Languages English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants) French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)
Legal system based on English common law based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16 seats; members appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader to serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (41 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms); the government may dissolve the Parliament and call elections at any time


elections: last held 2 May 2007 (next to be called by May 2012)


election results: percent of vote by party - FNM 49.86%, PLP 47.02%; seats by party - FNM 23, PLP 18
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 1999 (next to be held 30 March 2003)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RB 27, PRD 11, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 9, MADEP 6, Alliance E'toile 4, IPD 4, other 12
Life expectancy at birth total population: 65.66 years


male: 62.37 years


female: 69.02 years (2007 est.)
total population: 49.69 years


male: 48.81 years


female: 50.61 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 95.6%


male: 94.7%


female: 96.5% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 37.5%


male: 52.2%


female: 23.6% (2000)
Location Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 200 NM
Merchant marine total: 1,213 ships (1000 GRT or over) 40,403,455 GRT/54,276,183 DWT


by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 225, cargo 240, chemical tanker 84, combination ore/oil 13, container 72, liquefied gas 49, livestock carrier 2, passenger 117, passenger/cargo 34, petroleum tanker 196, refrigerated cargo 118, roll on/roll off 18, specialized tanker 4, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 39


foreign-owned: 1,134 (Angola 6, Australia 3, Belgium 15, Bermuda 12, Brazil 1, Canada 13, China 9, Croatia 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 20, Denmark 66, Finland 8, France 43, Germany 40, Greece 214, Hong Kong 3, Iceland 1, Indonesia 3, Ireland 2, Italy 1, Japan 62, Jordan 2, Kenya 1, Malaysia 11, Monaco 11, Montenegro 2, Netherlands 24, Nigeria 2, Norway 232, Philippines 1, Poland 15, Russia 5, Saudi Arabia 15, Singapore 9, Slovenia 1, South Africa 1, Spain 11, Sweden 5, Switzerland 2, Taiwan 1, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Turkey 5, UAE 20, UK 68, US 162, Uruguay 1, Venezuela 1)


registered in other countries: 3 (Barbados 1, Panama 2) (2007)
none (2002 est.)
Military branches Royal Bahamian Defense Force: Land Force, Navy, Air Wing (2007) Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $27 million (FY96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.5% (2006) 1.2% (FY96)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 1,509,760


females age 15-49: 1,536,036


note: both sexes are liable for military service (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 771,373


females age 15-49: 778,730 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 71,278


females: 70,088 (2002 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 10 July (1973) National Day, 1 August (1960)
Nationality noun: Bahamian(s)


adjective: Bahamian
noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
Natural hazards hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March
Natural resources salt, aragonite, timber, arable land small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Net migration rate -2.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Political parties and leaders Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert INGRAHAM]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE] African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Front for Renewal and Development or FARD-ALAFIA [Saka SALEY]; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD [Bertin BORNA]; Movement for Citizens' Commitment and Awakening or MERCI [Severin ADJOVI]; Renaissance Party du Benin or RB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]


note: approximately 20 additional minor parties; the Coalition of Democratic Forces, [Gatien HOUNGBEDJI], an alliance of parties and organizations supporting President KEREKOU
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 305,655


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 2007 est.)
6,787,625


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 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 9.3% (2004) 37% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate 0.602% (2007 est.) 2.91% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors - Cotonou, Porto-Novo
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2006) AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)
Radios - 660,000 (2000)
Railways - total: 578 km


narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2000 est.)
Religions Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%, Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census) indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.002 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.968 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.691 male(s)/female


total population: 0.956 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: modern facilities


domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed; the Bahamas Domestic Submarine Network links 14 of the islands and is designed to satisfy increasing demand for voice and broadband internet services


international: country code - 1-242; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic submarine cable that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth station - 2 (2007)
general assessment: NA


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


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); submarine cable
Telephones - main lines in use 133,100 (2005) 51,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 227,800 (2005) 55,500 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 2 (2006) 1 (2001)
Terrain long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Total fertility rate 2.15 children born/woman (2007 est.) 6.14 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 10.2% (2005 est.) NA%
Waterways - streams navigable along small sections, important only locally
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