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Compare Benin (2003) - Guam (2003)

Compare Benin (2003) z Guam (2003)

 Benin (2003)Guam (2003)
 BeninGuam
Administrative divisions 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou none (territory of the US)
Age structure 0-14 years: 47% (male 1,668,817; female 1,638,291)


15-64 years: 50.7% (male 1,739,517; female 1,834,231)


65 years and over: 2.3% (male 67,504; female 93,130) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 35.1% (male 30,334; female 27,264)


15-64 years: 58.4% (male 50,258; female 45,538)


65 years and over: 6.4% (male 5,269; female 5,278) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001) fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef
Airports 5 (2002) 5 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
total: 4


over 3,047 m: 2


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


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Area total: 112,620 sq km


land: 110,620 sq km


water: 2,000 sq km
total: 549 sq km


land: 549 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Pennsylvania three times the size of Washington, DC
Background Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960, as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged. Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The military installation on the island is one of the most strategically important US bases in the Pacific.
Birth rate 43.15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 23.19 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $377.4 million


expenditures: $561.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
revenues: $340 million


expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government Hagatna (Agana)
Climate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season from July to December; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 121 km 125.5 km
Constitution December 1990 Organic Act of 1 August 1950
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: Territory of Guam


conventional short form: Guam


local long form: Guahan
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States US dollar (USD)
Death rate 13.65 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 4.29 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $1.6 billion (2000) $NA
Dependency status - organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Wayne NEILL


embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou


mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou


telephone: [229] 30-06-50


FAX: [229] 30-06-70
none (territory of the US)
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 (territory of the US)
Disputes - international two villages are in dispute along the border with Burkina Faso; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated, but states accept 2001 arbitration over disputed Niger River islands; several villages along the Okpara River are in dispute with Nigeria; in 2001, Benin claimed Togo moved the boundary stones - joint commission presently resurveying the boundary none
Economic aid - recipient $342.6 million (2000) Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury ($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income or excise taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guam Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam
Economy - overview The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output has averaged a stable 5% in the past six years, but rapid population rise has 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, while pressing for speeded-up structural reforms. The economy depends on US military spending, tourism, and the export of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over the past 20 years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones. More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. The industry has recently suffered setbacks because of the continuing Japanese slowdown; the Japanese normally make up almost 90% of the tourists. Most food and industrial goods are imported. Guam faces the problem of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of military downsizing.
Electricity - consumption 631.1 million kWh (2001) 771.9 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 376 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 274.3 million kWh (2001) 830 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 14.2%


hydro: 85.8%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
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: Mount Lamlam 406 m
Environment - current issues inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species
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 Chamorro 37%, Filipino 26%, white 10%, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other 27%
Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998) the US dollar is used
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 George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)


head of government: Governor Felix P. P. CAMACHO (since 6 January 2003) and Lieutenant Governor Kaleo MOYLAN (since 6 January 2003)


cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature


elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006)


election results: Felix P. P. CAMACHO elected governor; percent of vote - Felix P. P. CAMACHO (Republican Party) 55.4%, Robert A. UNDERWOOD (Democratic Party) 44.6%
Exports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction materials, fish, food and beverage products
Exports - partners India 25%, Italy 11.1%, Indonesia 7.4%, China 7.2%, Thailand 6.7%, Brazil 6.1%, UK 4.4%, Niger 4% (2002) Japan 81.7%, South Korea 6.1%, Canada 2.4% (2002)
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 territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the national flag
GDP purchasing power parity - $7.38 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $3.2 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 38%


industry: 15%


services: 47% (2002 est.)
agriculture: 7%


industry: 15%


services: 78% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 6% (2002 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 9 30 N, 2 15 E 13 28 N, 144 47 E
Geography - note sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean
Highways total: 6,787 km


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


unpaved: 5,430 km (1999 est.)
total: 885 km


paved: 675 km


unpaved: 210 km


note: there are also 685 km of roads classified non-public, including roads located on federal government installations
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 NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
Imports - partners China 30.7%, France 15.7%, UK 4.8%, Italy 4.2% (2002) Singapore 40.5%, South Korea 21.7%, Japan 21.6%, Hong Kong 4.9% (2002)
Independence 1 August 1960 (from France) none (territory of the US)
Industrial production growth rate 8.3% (2001 est.) NA%
Industries textiles, food processing, chemical production, construction materials (2001) US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles
Infant mortality rate total: 86.76 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 91.79 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 81.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
total: 6.46 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 6.62 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 6.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.3% (2002 est.) 0% (1999 est.)
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 4 (2002) 20 (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 Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor)
Labor force NA 60,000 (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation - federal and territorial government 26%, private 74% (trade 24%, other services 40%, industry 10%) (2000 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: 15.28%


permanent crops: 1.36%


other: 83.36% (1998 est.)
arable land: 10.91%


permanent crops: 10.91%


other: 78.18% (1998 est.)
Languages French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) English, Chamorro, Japanese
Legal system based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction modeled on US; US federal laws 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 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Presidential Movement 52, opposition (PRB, PRD, E'toile, and 5 other small parties) 31
unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)


elections: last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November 2004)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 9, Republican Party 6


note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party) was elected as delegate; percent of vote by party - Democratic Party 64.6%, Republican Party 35.4%; seats by party - Democratic Party 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 51.08 years


male: 50.35 years


female: 51.84 years (2003 est.)
total population: 78.27 years


male: 75.96 years


female: 80.9 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 40.9%


male: 56.2%


female: 26.5% (2000)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99%


male: 99%


female: 99% (1990 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
Map references Africa Oceania
Maritime claims territorial sea: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine none (2002 est.) none (2002 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the US
Military branches Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $80.8 million (FY02) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.7% (FY02) -
Military manpower - availability note: both sexes are liable for military service


males age 15-49: 1,597,562


females age 15-49: 1,536,036 (2003 est.)
-
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 805,603


females age 15-49: 809,961 (2003 est.)
-
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 75,021


females: 78,998 (2003 est.)
-
National holiday National Day, 1 August (1960) Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)
Nationality noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
noun: Guamanian(s)


adjective: Guamanian
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)
Natural resources small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Political parties and leaders African Congress for Renewal or DUNYA [Saka SALEY]; African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Coalition of Democratic Forces [Gatien HOUNGBEDJI]; 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]; Key Force or FC [leader NA]; Presidential Movement (UBF, MADEP, FC, IDP, and 4 other small parties); Renaissance Party du Benin or PRB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union of Tomorrow's Benin or UBF [Bruno AMOUSSOU]


note: approximately 20 additional minor parties
Democratic Party (controls the legislature) [speaker, Vicente (Ben) PANGELINAN]; Republican Party (party of Governor CAMACHO) [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 7,041,490


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 2003 est.)
163,941 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 37% (2001 est.) 23% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate 2.95% (2003 est.) 1.89% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Cotonou, Porto-Novo Apra Harbor
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000) AM 4, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2003)
Railways total: 578 km


narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)
0 km
Religions indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.14 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female


total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections
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: modern system, integrated with US facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers


domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service and local access to the Internet


international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and GTE, linking the US and Asia)
Telephones - main lines in use 51,000 (2000) 84,134 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 55,500 (2000) 55,000 (1998)
Television broadcast stations 1;; (2001) 5 (1997)
Terrain mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in center, mountains in south
Total fertility rate 6.04 children born/woman (2003 est.) 3.62 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 15% (2000 est.)
Waterways streams navigable along small sections, important only locally none
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