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Compare Benin (2002) - Nauru (2003)

Compare Benin (2002) z Nauru (2003)

 Benin (2002)Nauru (2003)
 BeninNauru
Administrative divisions 12 provinces; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou 14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren
Age structure 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.)
0-14 years: 38.9% (male 2,517; female 2,368)


15-64 years: 59.3% (male 3,681; female 3,779)


65 years and over: 1.8% (male 116; female 109) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001) coconuts
Airports 5 (2001) 1 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 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 (2002)
-
Area total: 112,620 sq km


land: 110,620 sq km


water: 2,000 sq km
total: 21 sq km


land: 21 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Pennsylvania about 0.1 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. Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th century by a German-British consortium; the island was occupied by Australian forces in World War I. Nauru achieved independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999. Nauru is the world's smallest independent republic.
Birth rate 43.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 26.09 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $377.4 million


expenditures: $561.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
revenues: $23.4 million


expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 95/96)
Capital Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government no official capital; government offices in Yaren District
Climate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north tropical; monsoonal; rainy season (November to February)
Coastline 121 km 30 km
Constitution December 1990 29 January 1968
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 Nauru


conventional short form: Nauru


former: Pleasant Island
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States Australian dollar (AUD)
Death rate 14.52 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 7.08 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $1.18 billion (2000) $33.3 million
Diplomatic representation from the US 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
the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru
Diplomatic representation in the US 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
Nauru does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a UN office at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, New York 10017; telephone: (212) 937-0074


consulate(s): Hagatna (Guam)
Disputes - international 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 none
Economic aid - recipient $342.6 million (2000) $2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 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 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. Revenues of this tiny island have come from exports of phosphates, but reserves are expected to be exhausted within a few years. Phosphate production has declined since 1989, as demand has fallen in traditional markets and as the marginal cost of extracting the remaining phosphate increases, making it less internationally competitive. While phosphates have given Nauruans one of the highest per capita incomes in the Third World, few other resources exist with most necessities being imported, including fresh water from Australia. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income have been invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. The government has been borrowing heavily from the trusts to finance fiscal deficits. To cut costs the government has called for a freeze on wages, a reduction of over-staffed public service departments, privatization of numerous government agencies, and closure of some overseas consulates. In recent years Nauru has encouraged the registration of offshore banks and corporations. Tens of billions of dollars have been channeled through their accounts. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's GDP varying widely.
Electricity - consumption 523.2 million kWh (2000) 27.9 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 300 million kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 240 million kWh (2000) 30 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 17%


hydro: 83%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


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


highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m
Environment - current issues inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources
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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection


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 Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%
Exchange rates 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 Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.2641 (2002) 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998)
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 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"
chief of state: President Rene HARRIS (since 8 August 2003) note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Rene HARRIS (since 8 August 2003) note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of Parliament


elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term; election last held 29 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2006)


election results: Ludwig SCOTTY elected president 29 May 2003; Ludwig SCOTTY 10 parliamentary votes, Kinza CLODUMAR 7


note: Ludwig SCOTTY was removed from the presidency in a no-confidence vote 8 August 2003; Rene HARRIS became president
Exports $35.3 million f.o.b. (2000) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa phosphates
Exports - partners Brazil, France, Indonesia, Thailand, Morocco, Portugal, Cote d'Ivoire (2001) India 46.1%, South Korea 18.3%, Australia 10.6%, New Zealand 7.8%, Netherlands 5.6% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 July - 30 June
Flag description two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru
GDP purchasing power parity - $6.8 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $60 million (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 36%


industry: 14%


services: 50% (2001 est.)
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,040 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.4% (2001 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 9 30 N, 2 15 E 0 32 S, 166 55 E
Geography - note sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator
Highways total: 6,787 km


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


unpaved: 5,430 km (1997 est.)
total: 30 km


paved: 24 km


unpaved: 6 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; vulnerable to money laundering due to a poorly regulated financial infrastructure broad-based money-laundering center
Imports $437.6 million c.i.f. (2000) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery
Imports - partners France, US, China, Cote d'Ivoire, Netherlands, Japan (2001) Australia 59.3%, US 10.1%, Ireland 7.6%, Malaysia 6% (2002)
Independence 1 August 1960 (from France) 31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship)
Industrial production growth rate 8.3% (2001 est.) NA%
Industries textiles, food processing, chemical production, construction materials (2001) phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products
Infant mortality rate 88.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 10.33 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 13 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 7.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3% (2001 est.) -3.6% (1993)
International organization participation 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 ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 4 (2002) 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 120 sq km (1998 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice Supreme Court
Labor force NA -
Labor force - by occupation - employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation
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: 15.28%


permanent crops: 1.36%


other: 83.36% (1998 est.)
arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (1998 est.)
Languages French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes
Legal system based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction acts of the Nauru Parliament and British 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 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
unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)


elections: last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held not later than May 2006)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - Nauru First Party 3, independents 15
Life expectancy at birth total population: 49.69 years


male: 48.81 years


female: 50.61 years (2002 est.)
total population: 61.95 years


male: 58.41 years


female: 65.66 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 37.5%


male: 52.2%


female: 23.6% (2000)
definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands
Map references Africa Oceania
Maritime claims territorial sea: 200 NM contiguous zone: 24 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine none (2002 est.) none (2002 est.)
Military - note - Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia
Military branches Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie no regular military forces; Nauru 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: 1,509,760


females age 15-49: 1,536,036


note: both sexes are liable for military service (2002 est.)
males age 15-49: 3,190 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 771,373


females age 15-49: 778,730 (2002 est.)
males age 15-49: 1,762 (2003 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 National Day, 1 August (1960) Independence Day, 31 January (1968)
Nationality noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
noun: Nauruan(s)


adjective: Nauruan
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March periodic droughts
Natural resources small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber phosphates, fish
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Political parties and leaders 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
loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal) [leader NA]; Naoero Amo (Nauru First) Party [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 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.)
12,570 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 37% (2001 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.91% (2002 est.) 1.9% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Cotonou, Porto-Novo Nauru
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000) AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios 660,000 (2000) -
Railways total: 578 km


narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2000 est.)
total: 5 km


note: gauge unknown; used to haul phosphates from the center of the island to processing facilities on the southwest coast (2001)
Religions indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third 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: 0.73 male(s)/female


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female


total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 20 years of age; universal and compulsory
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: adequate local and international radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities


domestic: NA


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 51,000 (2000) 2,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular 55,500 (2000) 450 (1994)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2001) 1 (1997)
Terrain mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center
Total fertility rate 6.14 children born/woman (2002 est.) 3.4 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 0%
Waterways streams navigable along small sections, important only locally none
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