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Compare Benin (2001) - New Caledonia (2006)

Compare Benin (2001) z New Caledonia (2006)

 Benin (2001)New Caledonia (2006)
 BeninNew Caledonia
Administrative divisions 6 provinces; Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Mono, Oueme, Zou; note - six additional provinces have been reported but not confirmed; they are Alibori, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, and Plateau; moreover, the term "province" may have been changed to "department" none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud
Age structure 0-14 years:
47.32% (male 1,574,124; female 1,544,741)

15-64 years:
50.38% (male 1,607,900; female 1,712,360)

65 years and over:
2.3% (male 64,756; female 86,901) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 28.4% (male 31,818/female 30,503)


15-64 years: 64.9% (male 71,565/female 70,815)


65 years and over: 6.6% (male 6,773/female 7,772) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, rice, cotton, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, livestock vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish
Airports 5 (2000 est.) 25 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways total:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1 (2000 est.)
total: 11


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 8


under 914 m: 2 (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 (2000 est.)
total: 14


914 to 1,523 m: 8


under 914 m: 6 (2006)
Area total:
112,620 sq km

land:
110,620 sq km

water:
2,000 sq km
total: 19,060 sq km


land: 18,575 sq km


water: 485 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Pennsylvania slightly smaller than New Jersey
Background 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. Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s ended in the 1998 Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will transfer an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct as many as three referenda between 2013 and 2018, to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.
Birth rate 44.23 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 18.11 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues:
$299 million

expenditures:
$445 million, including capital expenditures of $14 million (1995 est.)
revenues: $856.3 million


expenditures: $836.5 million (1996 est.)
Capital Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government name: Noumea


geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E


time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid
Coastline 121 km 2,254 km
Constitution December 1990 4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Country name conventional long form:
Republic of Benin

conventional short form:
Benin

local long form:
Republique du Benin

local short form:
Benin

former:
Dahomey
conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies


conventional short form: New Caledonia


local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances


local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States -
Death rate 14.51 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 5.69 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $1.6 billion (1998 est.) $79 million (1998 est.)
Dependency status - territorial collectivity of France since 1998
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Pamela E. BRIDGEWATER

embassy:
Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou

mailing address:
B. P. 2012, Cotonou

telephone:
[229] 30-06-50, 30-05-13, 30-17-92

FAX:
[229] 30-14-39, 30-19-74
none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Lucien Edgar TONOUKOUIN

chancery:
2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 232-6656

FAX:
[1] (202) 265-1996
none (overseas territory of France)
Disputes - international none Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu
Economic aid - recipient $274.6 million (1997) $525 million annual subsidy from France (2004)
Economy - overview The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output averaged a sound 5% in 1996-99, but a rapid population rise offset much of this growth. Inflation has subsided over the past several years. Commercial and transport activities, which make up a large part of GDP, are vulnerable to developments in Nigeria, particularly fuel shortages. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation in recent years. While high fuel prices constrained growth in 2000, increased cotton production - enabled by a major restructuring program - and an expansion of the Cotonou port, may lead to increased growth in 2001. New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more than one-fourth of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for the next several years.
Electricity - consumption 510.2 million kWh (1999) 1.47 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 300 million kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 226 million kWh (1999) 1.581 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
24.78%

hydro:
75.22%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Mont Sokbaro 658 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m
Environment - current issues inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires
Environment - international 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 African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500 Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%
Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); note - from 1 January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001)
Executive branch 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, 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"
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner Michel MATHIEU (since 15 July 2005)


head of government: President of the Government Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU (since 10 June 2004)


cabinet: Consultative Committee consists of eight members chosen from leading figures on the island to advise the High Commissioner


elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress for a five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held 29 June 2004 when Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU was elected on the third vote with 8 votes for and 3 abstentions
Exports $396 million (f.o.b., 1999) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa ferronickels, nickel ore, fish
Exports - partners Brazil 14%, Libya 5%, Indonesia 4%, Italy 4% (1999) Japan 21.4%, France 16%, Taiwan 11.4%, South Korea 10.1%, Spain 9%, China 7.2%, South Africa 5.2%, Belgium 4.5% (2005)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side the flag of France is used
GDP purchasing power parity - $6.6 billion (2000 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
37.9%

industry:
13.5%

services:
48.6% (1999)
agriculture: 15%


industry: 8.8%


services: 76.2% (1997 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,030 (2000 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2000 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 9 30 N, 2 15 E 21 30 S, 165 30 E
Geography - note no natural harbors consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls
Heliports - 6 (2006)
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%:
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 -
Imports $566 million (c.i.f., 1999) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, tobacco, petroleum products, capital goods machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners France 38%, China 16%, UK 9%, Cote d'Ivoire 5% (1999) France 39%, Singapore 17.4%, Australia 13%, NZ 5.3% (2005)
Independence 1 August 1960 (from France) none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is scheduled for 2014
Industrial production growth rate 6.9% (2000 est.) -0.6% (1996)
Industries textiles, cigarettes; beverages, food; construction materials, petroleum nickel mining and smelting
Infant mortality rate 89.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 7.57 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 8.27 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 6.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3% (2000 est.) -0.6% (2000 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNTAET, UPU, WADB, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO ICFTU, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WFTU, WMO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land 100 sq km (1993 est.) 100 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court
Labor force NA 78,990 (including 11,300 unemployed) (2004)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture: 20%


industry: 20%


services: 60% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries total:
1,989 km

border countries:
Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
0 km
Land use arable land:
13%

permanent crops:
4%

permanent pastures:
4%

forests and woodland:
31%

other:
48% (1993 est.)
arable land: 0.32%


permanent crops: 0.22%


other: 99.46% (2005)
Languages French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
Legal system based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law
Legislative branch 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 NA March 2003)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RB 27, PRD 11, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 9, MADEP 6, E'toile 4, Alliance IPD 4, Car-DUNYA 3, MERCI 2, other 7
unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats; members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UC 7, FN 4, others 3


note: New Caledonia currently holds 1 seat in the French Senate; by 2010, New Caledonia will gain a second seat in the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not later than September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next to be held by June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2
Life expectancy at birth total population:
49.94 years

male:
49.02 years

female:
50.88 years (2001 est.)
total population: 74.27 years


male: 71.29 years


female: 77.39 years (2006 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
37.5%

male:
52.2%

female:
23.6% (2000)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 91%


male: 92%


female: 90% (1976 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Map references Africa Oceania
Maritime claims territorial sea:
200 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine none (2000 est.) total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,566 GRT/2,543 DWT


by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2006)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of France
Military branches Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $27 million (FY96) NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.2% (FY96) NA
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
1,455,433

females age 15-49:
1,489,947

note:
both sexes are liable for military service (2001 est.)
-
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
743,980

females age 15-49:
755,149 (2001 est.)
-
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
70,088

females:
73,618 (2001 est.)
-
National holiday National Day, 1 August (1960) Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Nationality noun:
Beninese (singular and plural)

adjective:
Beninese
noun: New Caledonian(s)


adjective: New Caledonian
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter cyclones, most frequent from November to March
Natural resources small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2006 est.)
Political parties and leaders African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Sylvain Adekpedjou AKINDES]; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD and the National Union for Solidarity and Progress or UNSP [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Cameleon Alliance or AC [leader NA]; Car-DUNYA [Saka SALEY]; Communist Party of Benin or PCB [Pascal FANTONDJI, first secretary]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Front for Renewal and Development or FARD-ALAFIA [Jerome Sakia KINA]; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD [Bertin BORNA]; Liberal Democrats' Rally for National Reconstruction-Vivoten or RDL-Vivoten [Severin ADJOVI]; Movement for Citizens' Commitment and Awakening or MERCI [Severin ADJOVI]; New Generation for the Republic or NGR [Paul DOSSOU]; Our Common Cause or NCC [Francois Odjo TANKPINON]; Party Democratique du Benin or PDB [Col. Soule DANKORO]; Rally for Democracy and Pan-Africanism or RDP [Dominique HOYMINOU, Dr. Giles Auguste MINONTIN]; Renaissance Party du Benin or RB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union for National Democracy and Solidarity or UDS [Adamou N'Diaye MAMA]

note:
the Coalition of Democratic Forces is an alliance of parties and organizations supporting President KEREKOU [Gatien HOUNGBEDJI]
Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Caledonian Union or UC; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [leader NA] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (anti independent) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 6,590,782

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 2001 est.)
219,246 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line 37.2% (1999 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.97% (2001 est.) 1.24% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors Cotonou, Porto-Novo -
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998) AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios 620,000 (1997) -
Railways total:
578 km (single track)

narrow gauge:
578 km 1.000-m gauge (2000)
-
Religions indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
Sex ratio 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:
0.75 male(s)/female

total population:
0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female


total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system 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
general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 36,000 (1997) 55,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 4,295 (1997) 134,300 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 2 (one privately-owned) (1997) 6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains coastal plains with interior mountains
Total fertility rate 6.23 children born/woman (2001 est.) 2.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 17.1% (2004)
Waterways streams navigable along small sections, important only locally -
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