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Compare Benin (2001) - Trinidad and Tobago (2004)

Compare Benin (2001) z Trinidad and Tobago (2004)

 Benin (2001)Trinidad and Tobago (2004)
 BeninTrinidad and Tobago
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" 9 regional corporations, 2 city corporations, 3 borough corporations, and 1 ward

regional corporations: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin, Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco

city corporations: Port of Spain, San Fernando;

borough corporations: Arima, Point Fortin, Chaguanas

ward: Tobago
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: 21.4% (male 120,153; female 114,205)


15-64 years: 70.6% (male 403,202; female 370,498)


65 years and over: 8.1% (male 39,762; female 48,765) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, rice, cotton, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, livestock cocoa, sugarcane, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry
Airports 5 (2000 est.) 6 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1 (2000 est.)
total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
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: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Area total:
112,620 sq km

land:
110,620 sq km

water:
2,000 sq km
total: 5,128 sq km


land: 5,128 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Pennsylvania slightly smaller than Delaware
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. The islands came under British control in the 19th century; independence was granted in 1962. The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing.
Birth rate 44.23 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 12.75 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues:
$299 million

expenditures:
$445 million, including capital expenditures of $14 million (1995 est.)
revenues: $2.663 billion


expenditures: $2.51 billion, including capital expenditures of $117.3 million (2003)
Capital Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government Port-of-Spain
Climate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north tropical; rainy season (June to December)
Coastline 121 km 362 km
Constitution December 1990 1 August 1976
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: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago


conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)
Death rate 14.51 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 9.02 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $1.6 billion (1998 est.) $2.608 billion (2003 est.)
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
chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN


embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain


mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain


telephone: [1] (868) 622-6372 through 6376, 622-6176


FAX: [1] (868) 628-5462
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 Marina Annette VALERE


chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036


telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490


FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130


consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
Disputes - international none Barbados will assert its claim before UNCLOS that the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into its waters; Guyana has also expressed its intention to challenge this boundary as it may extend into its waters as well
Economic aid - recipient $274.6 million (1997) $24 million (1999 est.)
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. Trinidad and Tobago, the leading Caribbean producer of oil and gas, has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for international businesses. Tourism is a growing sector, although not proportionately as important as in many other Caribbean islands. The economy benefits from low inflation and a growing trade surplus. Prospects for growth in 2004 are good as prices for oil, petrochemicals, and liquified natural gas are expected to remain high, and foreign direct investment continues to grow to support expanded capacity in the energy sector. The government is coping with a rise in violent crime.
Electricity - consumption 510.2 million kWh (1999) 4.943 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 300 million kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 226 million kWh (1999) 5.315 billion kWh (2001)
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: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m
Environment - current issues inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, 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 East Indian (a local term - primarily immigrants from northern India) 40.3%, black 39.5%, mixed 18.4%, white 0.6%, Chinese and other 1.2%
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 Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar - 6.2929 (2003), 6.2487 (2002), 6.2332 (2001), 6.2998 (2000), 6.2989 (1999)
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 George Maxwell RICHARDS (since 17 March 2003)


head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24 December 2001)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament


elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a five-year term; election last held 14 February 2003 (next to be held in 2008); the president usually appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives


election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS elected president; percent of electoral college vote - 43%
Exports $396 million (f.o.b., 1999) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers
Exports - partners Brazil 14%, Libya 5%, Indonesia 4%, Italy 4% (1999) US 63.5%, Jamaica 5.6%, France 3.2% (2003)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 October - 30 September
Flag description two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side to the lower fly side
GDP purchasing power parity - $6.6 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $10.52 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
37.9%

industry:
13.5%

services:
48.6% (1999)
agriculture: 2.6%


industry: 49%


services: 48.4% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,030 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $9,500 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2000 est.) 3.7% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 9 30 N, 2 15 E 11 00 N, 61 00 W
Geography - note no natural harbors Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt
Highways total:
6,787 km

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

unpaved:
5,430 km (1997 est.)
total: 8,320 km


paved: 4,252 km


unpaved: 4,068 km (1999 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 transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; producer of cannabis
Imports $566 million (c.i.f., 1999) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, tobacco, petroleum products, capital goods machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live animals
Imports - partners France 38%, China 16%, UK 9%, Cote d'Ivoire 5% (1999) US 31.7%, Venezuela 13.6%, Brazil 7.3%, Germany 6.6%, UK 5.1%, Japan 4.3% (2003)
Independence 1 August 1960 (from France) 31 August 1962 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 6.9% (2000 est.) 5.7% (2003 est.)
Industries textiles, cigarettes; beverages, food; construction materials, petroleum petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage, cotton textiles
Infant mortality rate 89.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 24.64 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 26.58 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 22.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3% (2000 est.) 3.8% (2003 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, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land 100 sq km (1993 est.) 30 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission); High Court of Justice; Court of Appeals; the highest court of appeal is the Privy Council in London
Labor force NA 590,000 (2003)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture 9.5%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 14%, construction and utilities 12.4%, services 64.1% (1997 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: 14.62%


permanent crops: 9.16%


other: 76.22% (2001)
Languages French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese
Legal system based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31 seats; 16 members appointed by the ruling party, 9 by the President, 6 by the opposition party for a maximum term of five years) and the House of Representatives (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 October 2002 (next to be held by October 2007)


election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM 55.5%, UNC 44.5%; seats by party - PNM 20, UNC 16


note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 12 members serving four-year terms
Life expectancy at birth total population:
49.94 years

male:
49.02 years

female:
50.88 years (2001 est.)
total population: 69.28 years


male: 66.86 years


female: 71.82 years (2004 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: 98.6%


male: 99.1%


female: 98% (2003 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea:
200 NM
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine none (2000 est.) total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,178 GRT/3,633 DWT


by type: cargo 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, short-sea/passenger 1


foreign-owned: United States 1


registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)
Military branches Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force: Ground Force, Coast Guard, and Air Wing
Military expenditures - dollar figure $27 million (FY96) $66.7 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.2% (FY96) 0.6% (2003)
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.)
males age 15-49: 326,447 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
743,980

females age 15-49:
755,149 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 232,234 (2004 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, 31 August (1962)
Nationality noun:
Beninese (singular and plural)

adjective:
Beninese
noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)


adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms
Natural resources small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber petroleum, natural gas, asphalt
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -10.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines - condensate 253 km; gas 1,117 km; oil 478 km (2004)
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]
National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [Lennox SANKERSINGH]; People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; Team Unity or TU [Ramesh MAHARAJ]; United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]; Democratic Action Committee or DAC [Hochoy CHARLES], note - only active in Tobago
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Jamaat-al Muslimeen [Yasin BAKR]
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.)
1,096,585 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 37.2% (1999 est.) 21% (1992 est.)
Population growth rate 2.97% (2001 est.) -0.71% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Cotonou, Porto-Novo Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain, Scarborough, Tembladora
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998) AM 4, FM 18, shortwave 0 (2004)
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 29.4%, Hindu 23.8%, Anglican 10.9%, Muslim 5.8%, Presbyterian 3.4%, other 26.7%
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: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female


total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 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: excellent international service; good local service


domestic: NA


international: country code - 1-868; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana
Telephones - main lines in use 36,000 (1997) 325,100 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 4,295 (1997) 361,900 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 2 (one privately-owned) (1997) 4 (2004)
Terrain mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains mostly plains with some hills and low mountains
Total fertility rate 6.23 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.77 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 10.4% (2003)
Waterways streams navigable along small sections, important only locally -
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