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Compare Benin (2002) - Saint Barthelemy (2008)

Compare Benin (2002) z Saint Barthelemy (2008)

 Benin (2002)Saint Barthelemy (2008)
 BeninSaint Barthelemy
Administrative divisions 12 provinces; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou -
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.)
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Agriculture - products cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001) -
Airports 5 (2001) 1
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


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


under 914 m: 1
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)
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Area total: 112,620 sq km


land: 110,620 sq km


water: 2,000 sq km
21 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Pennsylvania less than an eighth of 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. Discovered in 1493 by Christopher COLUMBUS who named it for his brother Bartolomeo, St. Barthelemy was first settled by the French in 1648. In 1784, the French sold the island to Sweden, who renamed the largest town Gustavia, after the Swedish King GUSTAV III, and made it a free port; the island prospered as a trade and supply center during the colonial wars of the 18th century. France repurchased the island in 1878 and placed it under the administration of Guadeloupe. St. Barthelemy retained its free port status along with various Swedish appelations such as Swedish street and town names, and the three-crown symbol on the coat of arms. In 2003, the populace of the island voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the island became a French overseas collectivity.
Birth rate 43.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) -
Budget revenues: $377.4 million


expenditures: $561.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
-
Capital Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government name: Gustavia


geographic coordinates: 17 53 N, 62 51 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)


daylight savings: +1 hour, starts 20 March and ends 17 October
Climate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid)
Coastline 121 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: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy


conventional short form: Saint Barthelemy


local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Barthelemy


local short form: Saint-Barthelemy
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States -
Death rate 14.52 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) -
Debt - external $1.18 billion (2000) -
Dependency status - overseas collectivity of France
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
none (overseas collectivity of France)
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
none (overseas collectivity of France)
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 -
Economic aid - recipient $342.6 million (2000) -
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. The economy of Saint Barthelemy is based upon high-end tourism and duty-free luxury commerce, serving visitors primarily from North America. The luxury hotels and villas host 70,000 visitors each year with another 130,000 arriving by boat. The relative isolation and high cost of living inhibits mass tourism. The construction and public sectors also enjoy significant investment in support of tourism. With limited fresh water resources, all food must be imported, as must all energy resources and most manufactured goods. Employment is strong and attracts labor from Brazil and Portugal.
Electricity - consumption 523.2 million kWh (2000) -
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) -
Electricity - imports 300 million kWh (2000) -
Electricity - production 240 million kWh (2000) -
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 17%


hydro: 83%


nuclear: 0%


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


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


highest point: Morne du Vitet 286 m
Environment - current issues inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification with no natural rivers or streams, fresh water is in short supply, especially in summer, and provided by desalinization of sea water, collection of rain water, or imported via water tanker
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 white, Creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia)
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 euros per US dollar - NA (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
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 Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007)


head of government: President of the Territorial Council Bruno MAGRAS (since 16 July 2007)


cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory, economic, social, and cultural council


elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term


election results: Bruno MAGRAS unanimously elected president by the Territorial Council on 16 July 2007
Exports $35.3 million f.o.b. (2000) -
Exports - commodities cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa -
Exports - partners Brazil, France, Indonesia, Thailand, Morocco, Portugal, Cote d'Ivoire (2001) -
Fiscal 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 - $6.8 billion (2001 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 36%


industry: 14%


services: 50% (2001 est.)
-
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,040 (2001 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 5.4% (2001 est.) -
Geographic coordinates 9 30 N, 2 15 E 17 90 N, 62 85 W
Geography - note sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands -
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%
-
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 -
Imports $437.6 million c.i.f. (2000) -
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products -
Imports - partners France, US, China, Cote d'Ivoire, Netherlands, Japan (2001) -
Independence 1 August 1960 (from France) none (overseas collectivity of France)
Industrial production growth rate 8.3% (2001 est.) -
Industries textiles, food processing, chemical production, construction materials (2001) -
Infant mortality rate 88.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) -
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3% (2001 est.) -
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 UPU
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 4 (2002) -
Irrigated land 120 sq km (1998 est.) -
Judicial branch Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice -
Labor force 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: 15.28%


permanent crops: 1.36%


other: 83.36% (1998 est.)
-
Languages French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) French (primary), English
Legal system based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction the laws of France, where applicable, apply
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 Territorial Council (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held July 2012)


election results: percent of vote by party - SBA 72.2%, Action-Equilibre-Transparence 9.9%, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy 7.9%, Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 9.9%; seats by party - SBA 16, Action-Equilibre-Transparence 1, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy 1, Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 1
Life expectancy at birth 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: 37.5%


male: 52.2%


female: 23.6% (2000)
-
Location Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo located approximately 125 miles northwest of Guadeloupe
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 200 NM -
Merchant marine none (2002 est.) -
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of France
Military branches Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $27 million (FY96) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 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 National Day, 1 August (1960) Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is St. Barthelemy Day, 24 August
Nationality noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
-
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March -
Natural resources small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber has few natural resouces, its beaches being the most important
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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
Action-Equilibre-Transparence [Maxime DESOUCHES]; Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy [Benoit CHAUVIN]; Saint-Barth d'Abord! or SBA [Bruno MAGRAS]; Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy [Karine MIOT-RICHARD]
Political pressure groups and leaders 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.)
6,852 (1999 March census)
Population below poverty line 37% (2001 est.) -
Population growth rate 2.91% (2002 est.) -
Ports and harbors Cotonou, Porto-Novo -
Radio broadcast stations 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.)
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Religions indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jehovah's Witness
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.)
-
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: fully integrated access


domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems


international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe
Telephones - main lines in use 51,000 (2000) -
Telephones - mobile cellular 55,500 (2000) -
Television broadcast stations 1 (2001) -
Terrain mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains hilly, almost completely surrounded by shallow-water reefs, with 20 beaches
Total fertility rate 6.14 children born/woman (2002 est.) -
Transportation - note - nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles)
Unemployment rate NA% -
Waterways streams navigable along small sections, important only locally -
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