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Compare Benin (2002) - Swaziland (2001)

Compare Benin (2002) z Swaziland (2001)

 Benin (2002)Swaziland (2001)
 BeninSwaziland
Administrative divisions 12 provinces; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni
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:
45.53% (male 250,327; female 252,479)

15-64 years:
51.88% (male 276,186; female 296,728)

65 years and over:
2.59% (male 11,687; female 16,936) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001) sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep
Airports 5 (2001) 18 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


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

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1 (2000 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 (2002)
total:
17

914 to 1,523 m:
7

under 914 m:
10 (2000 est.)
Area total: 112,620 sq km


land: 110,620 sq km


water: 2,000 sq km
total:
17,363 sq km

land:
17,203 sq km

water:
160 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. Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s have pressured the monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy.
Birth rate 43.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 40.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $377.4 million


expenditures: $561.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
revenues:
$400 million

expenditures:
$450 million, including capital expenditures of $115 million (FY96/97)
Capital Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital
Climate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north varies from tropical to near temperate
Coastline 121 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution December 1990 none; constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended 12 April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but was not formally presented to the people; since then a few more outlines for a constitution have been compiled under the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), but so far none have been accepted
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:
Kingdom of Swaziland

conventional short form:
Swaziland
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States lilangeni (SZL)
Death rate 14.52 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 21.84 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $1.18 billion (2000) $281 million (2000 est.)
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
chief of mission:
Ambassador Gregory L. JOHNSON

embassy:
Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane

mailing address:
P. O. Box 199, Mbabane

telephone:
[268] 404-6441 through 404-6445

FAX:
[268] 404-5959
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
chief of mission:
Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA

chancery:
3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 362-6683

FAX:
[1] (202) 244-8059
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 Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom
Economic aid - recipient $342.6 million (2000) $55 million (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 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. In this small landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 60% of the population. Manufacturing features a number of agroprocessing factories. Mining has declined in importance in recent years: diamond mines have shut down because of the depletion of easily accessible reserves; high-grade iron ore deposits were depleted by 1978; and health concerns have cut world demand for asbestos. Exports of soft drink concentrate, sugar, and wood pulp are the main earners of hard currency. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives four-fifths of its imports and to which it sends two-thirds of its exports. Remittances from the Southern African Customs Union and Swazi workers in South African mines substantially supplement domestically earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. Prospects for 2001 are strengthened by government millennium projects for a new convention center, additional hotels, an amusement park, a new airport, and stepped-up roadbuilding and factory construction plans.
Electricity - consumption 523.2 million kWh (2000) 198 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 852 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 300 million kWh (2000) 701 million kWh

note:
supplied by South Africa (1999)
Electricity - production 240 million kWh (2000) 375 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 17%


hydro: 83%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
fossil fuel:
53.33%

hydro:
46.67%

nuclear:
0%

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


highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m
lowest point:
Great Usutu River 21 m

highest point:
Emlembe 1,862 m
Environment - current issues inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; 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, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:
Desertification, Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500 African 97%, European 3%
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 emalangeni per US dollar - 7.7803 (January 2001), 6.9056 (2000), 6.1087 (1999), 5.4807 (1998), 4.6032 (1997), 4.2706 (1996); note - the Swazi lilangeni is at par with the South African rand; emalangeni is the plural form of lilangeni
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:
King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)

head of government:
Prime Minister Sibusiso Barnabas DLAMINI (since 9 August 1996)

cabinet:
Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Exports $35.3 million f.o.b. (2000) $881 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit
Exports - partners Brazil, France, Indonesia, Thailand, Morocco, Portugal, Cote d'Ivoire (2001) South Africa 65%, EU 12%, Mozambique 11%, US 5% (1998)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
Flag description two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally
GDP purchasing power parity - $6.8 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $4.4 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 36%


industry: 14%


services: 50% (2001 est.)
agriculture:
10%

industry:
46%

services:
44% (1998 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,040 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.4% (2001 est.) 2.4% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 9 30 N, 2 15 E 26 30 S, 31 30 E
Geography - note sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa
Highways total: 6,787 km


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


unpaved: 5,430 km (1997 est.)
total:
3,000 km

paved:
850 km

unpaved:
2,150 km (1997)
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 -
Imports $437.6 million c.i.f. (2000) $928 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Imports - partners France, US, China, Cote d'Ivoire, Netherlands, Japan (2001) South Africa 84%, EU 5%, Japan 2%, Singapore 2% (1998)
Independence 1 August 1960 (from France) 6 September 1968 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 8.3% (2001 est.) 3.7% (FY95/96)
Industries textiles, food processing, chemical production, construction materials (2001) mining (coal and asbestos), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates
Infant mortality rate 88.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 109.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3% (2001 est.) 6.4% (2000 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 ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 4 (2002) 3 (2000)
Irrigated land 120 sq km (1998 est.) 670 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch
Labor force NA NA
Labor force - by occupation - private sector 70%, public sector 30%
Land boundaries total: 1,989 km


border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
total:
535 km

border countries:
Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km
Land use arable land: 15.28%


permanent crops: 1.36%


other: 83.36% (1998 est.)
arable land:
11%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
62%

forests and woodland:
7%

other:
20% (1993 est.)
Languages French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official)
Legal system based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; 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 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
bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)

elections:
House of Assembly - last held 16 and 24 October 1998 (next to be held NA 2003)

election results:
House of Assembly - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local council of each constituency and for each constituency the three candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single winner by a second round
Life expectancy at birth total population: 49.69 years


male: 48.81 years


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

male:
37.86 years

female:
39.4 years (2001 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:
76.7%

male:
78%

female:
75.6% (1995 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 200 NM none (landlocked)
Merchant marine none (2002 est.) -
Military branches Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), Royal Swaziland Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $27 million (FY96) $19.198 million (FY00/01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.2% (FY96) 4.75% (FY00/01)
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:
248,084 (2001 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:
143,618 (2001 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, 6 September (1968)
Nationality noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
noun:
Swazi(s)

adjective:
Swazi
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March NA
Natural resources small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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
Imbokodvo National Movement or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National Libertatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]; Swaziland National Front or SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president]; Swaziland Progressive Party or SPP [J. J. NQUKU, president]; Swaziland United Front or SUF [Matsapa SHONGWE, leader]

note:
political parties are banned by the constitution promulgated on 13 October 1978; illegal parties are prohibited from holding large public gatherings; the organizations listed are political associations
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.)
1,104,343

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.)
Population below poverty line 37% (2001 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.91% (2002 est.) 1.83% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Cotonou, Porto-Novo none
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000) AM 7, FM 6 (2000)
Radios 660,000 (2000) 155,000 (1997)
Railways total: 578 km


narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2000 est.)
total:
297 km; note - includes 71 km which are not in use

narrow gauge:
297 km 1.067-m gauge
Religions indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% Protestant 55%, Muslim 10%, Roman Catholic 5%, indigenous beliefs 30%
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:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
0.99 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age
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:
not a modern system

domestic:
system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 51,000 (2000) 33,500 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 55,500 (2000) 30,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2001) 10 (2000)
Terrain mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
Total fertility rate 6.14 children born/woman (2002 est.) 5.82 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 22% (1995 est.)
Waterways streams navigable along small sections, important only locally none
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