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Compare Benin (2001) - Saint Kitts and Nevis (2002)

Compare Benin (2001) z Saint Kitts and Nevis (2002)

 Benin (2001)Saint Kitts and Nevis (2002)
 BeninSaint Kitts and Nevis
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" 14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island, Trinity Palmetto Point
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: 29.4% (male 5,827; female 5,571)


15-64 years: 61.9% (male 11,980; female 12,005)


65 years and over: 8.7% (male 1,383; female 1,970) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, rice, cotton, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, livestock sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish
Airports 5 (2000 est.) 2 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total:
1

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


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
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.)
-
Area total:
112,620 sq km

land:
110,620 sq km

water:
2,000 sq km
total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km)


land: 261 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Pennsylvania 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
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. First settled by the British in 1623, the islands became an associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds majority needed.
Birth rate 44.23 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 18.61 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues:
$299 million

expenditures:
$445 million, including capital expenditures of $14 million (1995 est.)
revenues: $85.7 million


expenditures: $95.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government Basseterre
Climate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north tropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Coastline 121 km 135 km
Constitution December 1990 19 September 1983
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: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis


conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis


former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Death rate 14.51 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 9.04 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $1.6 billion (1998 est.) $140 million (2000) (2000)
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
the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; the US Ambassador in Barbados is accredited to Saint Kitts and Nevis
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
chief of mission: Ambassador Osbert LIBURD


chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016


telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636


FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740


consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $274.6 million (1997) $5.5 million (1995) (1995)
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. Sugar was the traditional mainstay of the St. Kitts economy until the 1970s. Although the crop still dominates the agricultural sector, activities such as tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking have assumed larger roles in the economy. As tourism revenues are now the chief source of the islands' foreign exchange, a decline in stopover tourist arrivals following the September 11 terrorist attacks has eroded government finances. The government revised estimates of 2001 growth down to 1% and faces dim recovery prospects in 2002, given the depressed state of the tourism industry, low sugar prices, and a growing budget deficit.
Electricity - consumption 510.2 million kWh (1999) 88.35 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 300 million kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 226 million kWh (1999) 95 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
24.78%

hydro:
75.22%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


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

highest point:
Mont Sokbaro 658 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m
Environment - current issues inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification NA
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
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling


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 predominantly black some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese
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 East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)
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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN (since 1 January 1996)


head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation with the prime minister


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
Exports $396 million (f.o.b., 1999) $51.7 million (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco
Exports - partners Brazil 14%, Libya 5%, Indonesia 4%, Italy 4% (1999) US 68.5%, UK 22.3%, Caricom countries 5.5% (1995 est.)
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 divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red
GDP purchasing power parity - $6.6 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $339 million (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
37.9%

industry:
13.5%

services:
48.6% (1999)
agriculture: 4%


industry: 26%


services: 71% (2001) (2001)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,030 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $8,700 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2000 est.) 1% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 9 30 N, 2 15 E 17 20 N, 62 45 W
Geography - note no natural harbors with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a three-km-wide channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of its almost circular namesake island and its ball shape complements that of its sister island
Highways total:
6,787 km

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

unpaved:
5,430 km (1997 est.)
total: 320 km


paved: 136 km


unpaved: 184 km (2000)
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 transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; some money-laundering activity
Imports $566 million (c.i.f., 1999) $141.3 million (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, tobacco, petroleum products, capital goods machinery, manufactures, food, fuels
Imports - partners France 38%, China 16%, UK 9%, Cote d'Ivoire 5% (1999) US 42.4%, Caricom countries 17.2%, UK 11.3% (1995 est.)
Independence 1 August 1960 (from France) 19 September 1983 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 6.9% (2000 est.) NA%
Industries textiles, cigarettes; beverages, food; construction materials, petroleum sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear, beverages
Infant mortality rate 89.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 15.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3% (2000 est.) 1.7% (2001 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 ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 16 (2000)
Irrigated land 100 sq km (1993 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts and Nevis)
Labor force NA 18,172 (June 1995)
Labor force - by occupation - NA
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: 16.67%


permanent crops: 2.78%


other: 80.55% (1998 est.)
Languages French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) English
Legal system based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on English common 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 National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11 popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 6 March 2000 (next to be held by July 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SKNLP 8, CCM 2, NRP 1
Life expectancy at birth total population:
49.94 years

male:
49.02 years

female:
50.88 years (2001 est.)
total population: 71.29 years


male: 68.49 years


female: 74.26 years (2002 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 has ever attended school


total population: 97%


male: 97%


female: 98% (1980 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea:
200 NM
contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin


territorial sea: 12 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Merchant marine none (2000 est.) none (2002 est.)
Military branches Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (including Coast Guard), Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force (including Special Service Unit)
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) Independence Day, 19 September (1983)
Nationality noun:
Beninese (singular and plural)

adjective:
Beninese
noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s)


adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter hurricanes (July to October)
Natural resources small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber arable land
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -9.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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]
Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance AMORY]; Nevis Reformation Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People's Action Movement or PAM [Lindsey GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP [Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS]
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.)
38,736 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 37.2% (1999 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.97% (2001 est.) 0.01% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Cotonou, Porto-Novo Basseterre, Charlestown
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998) AM 3, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios 620,000 (1997) 28,000 (1997)
Railways total:
578 km (single track)

narrow gauge:
578 km 1.000-m gauge (2000)
total: 58 km


narrow gauge: 58 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane plantations (2002)
Religions indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic
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: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 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: good interisland and international connections


domestic: interisland links to Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) are handled by VHF/UHF/SHF radiotelephone


international: international calls are carried by radiotelephone to Antigua and Barbuda and switched there to submarine cable or to Intelsat; or carried to Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) by radiotelephone and switched to Intelsat
Telephones - main lines in use 36,000 (1997) 17,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 4,295 (1997) 205 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 2 (one privately-owned) (1997) 1 (plus three repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains volcanic with mountainous interiors
Total fertility rate 6.23 children born/woman (2001 est.) 2.39 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 4.5% (1997) (1997)
Waterways streams navigable along small sections, important only locally none
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