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Compare Benin (2005) - El Salvador (2007)

Compare Benin (2005) z El Salvador (2007)

 Benin (2005)El Salvador (2007)
 BeninEl Salvador
Administrative divisions 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou 14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana, Sonsonate, Usulutan
Age structure 0-14 years: 46.5% (male 1,752,243/female 1,719,458)


15-64 years: 51.2% (male 1,868,630/female 1,948,610)


65 years and over: 2.3% (male 70,367/female 100,717) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 36.1% (male 1,281,889/female 1,228,478)


15-64 years: 58.7% (male 1,942,674/female 2,134,154)


65 years and over: 5.2% (male 158,276/female 202,602) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001) coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; beef, dairy products; shrimp
Airports 5 (2004 est.) 65 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)
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 (2004 est.)
total: 61


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 12


under 914 m: 48 (2007)
Area total: 112,620 sq km


land: 110,620 sq km


water: 2,000 sq km
total: 21,040 sq km


land: 20,720 sq km


water: 320 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Pennsylvania slightly smaller than Massachusetts
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. El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for military and political reforms.
Birth rate 41.99 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 26.13 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $869.4 million


expenditures: $720.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $2.82 billion


expenditures: $2.94 billion (FY07 est.)
Capital Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government name: San Salvador


geographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 W


time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
Coastline 121 km 307 km
Constitution December 1990 20 December 1983
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 El Salvador


conventional short form: El Salvador


local long form: Republica de El Salvador


local short form: El Salvador
Death rate 13.76 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $1.6 billion (2000) $7.518 billion (2006 est.)
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
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles L. GLAZER


embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador


mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023


telephone: [503] 2278-4444


FAX: [503] 2278-5522
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 Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez


chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671


FAX: [1] (202) 234-3834


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Elizabeth (New Jersey), Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), Nogales (Arizona), Santa Ana (California), San Francisco, Washington, DC


consulate(s): Boston
Disputes - international two villages remain in dispute along the border with Burkina Faso; accuses Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated, and the states expect a ruling in 2005 from the ICJ over the disputed Niger and Mekrou River islands; a joint task force was established in 2004 that resolved disputes over and redrew the maritime and the 870-km land boundary with Nigeria, including the sovereignty over seven villages along the Okpara River; a joint boundary commission continues to resurvey the boundary with Togo to verify Benin's claim that Togo moved boundary stones International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, in 1992, with final agreement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States (OAS) survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ decision, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca
Economic aid - recipient $342.6 million (2000) $199.4 million of which $55 million from US (2005)
Economy - overview The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output has averaged around 5% in the past six years, but rapid population growth 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 more rapid structural reforms. Benin continues to be hurt by Nigerian trade protection that bans imports of a growing list of products from Benin and elsewhere. As a result, smuggling and criminality along the Benin-Nigeria border has been on the rise. The smallest country in Central America, El Salvador has the third largest economy, but growth has been minimal in recent years. Hoping to stimulate the sluggish economy, the government is striving to open new export markets, encourage foreign investment, and modernize the tax and healthcare systems. Implementation in 2006 of the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, which El Salvador was the first to ratify, has strengthened an already positive export trend. The trade deficit has been offset by annual remittances from Salvadorans living abroad - equivalent to more than 16% of GDP - and external aid. With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency in 2001, El Salvador has lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate on maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy. The current government has pursued economic diversification, with some success in promoting textile production, international port services, and tourism. It is committed to opening the economy to trade and investment, and has embarked on a wave of privatizations extending to telecom, electricity distribution, banking, and pension funds.
Electricity - consumption 565.2 million kWh (2002) 5.204 billion kWh (2006)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 95.5 million kWh (2006)
Electricity - imports 300 million kWh (2002) 322 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 285.2 million kWh (2002) 5.293 billion kWh (2006)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


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


highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m
Environment - current issues inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500 mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%
Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000) the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001
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 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 SOGLO (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 SOGLO 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 Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004)


cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president


elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 21 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2009)


election results: Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez elected president; percent of vote - Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez 57.7%, Schafik HANDAL 35.6%, Hector SILVA 3.9%, other 2.8%
Exports NA NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity
Exports - partners China 28.7%, India 18.4%, Ghana 6.3%, Thailand 6%, Niger 5.8%, Indonesia 4.2%, Nigeria 4.2% (2004) US 49.6%, Guatemala 14.4%, Honduras 8.8%, Nicaragua 5% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band - it features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 36.3%


industry: 14.3%


services: 49.4% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 10.1%


industry: 29.9%


services: 60% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2004 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2004 est.) 4.2% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 9 30 N, 2 15 E 13 50 N, 88 55 W
Geography - note sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline on Caribbean Sea
Heliports - 1 (2007)
Highways total: 6,787 km


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


unpaved: 5,430 km (1999 est.)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: 0.7%


highest 10%: 38.8% (2002)
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 transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana produced for local consumption; significant use of cocaine
Imports NA NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity
Imports - partners China 32.2%, France 13%, Thailand 6.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.3% (2004) US 32.2%, Guatemala 9.3%, Mexico 7.4%, Germany 6.3%, China 4.7% (2006)
Independence 1 August 1960 (from France) 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate 8.3% (2001 est.) 2% (2006 est.)
Industries textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement (2001) food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals
Infant mortality rate total: 85 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 90 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 79.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 22.88 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 25.76 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 19.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.8% (2004 est.) 4% (2006 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land 120 sq km (1998 est.) 450 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by the Legislative Assembly)
Labor force NA (1996) 2.875 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture: 17.1%


industry: 17.1%


services: 65.8% (2003 est.)
Land boundaries total: 1,989 km


border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
total: 545 km


border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km
Land use arable land: 18.08%


permanent crops: 2.4%


other: 79.52% (2001)
arable land: 31.37%


permanent crops: 11.88%


other: 56.75% (2005)
Languages French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)
Legal system based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on civil and Roman law with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
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 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 Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year terms)


elections: last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ARENA 34, FMLN 32, PCN 10, PDC 6, CD 2
Life expectancy at birth total population: 52.66 years


male: 51.53 years


female: 53.82 years (2005 est.)
total population: 71.78 years


male: 68.18 years


female: 75.57 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 33.6%


male: 46.4%


female: 22.6% (2002 est.)
definition: age 10 and over can read and write


total population: 80.2%


male: 82.8%


female: 77.7% (2003 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between Guatemala and Honduras
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force Salvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2006)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $96.5 million (2004) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.4% (2004) 5% (2006)
National holiday National Day, 1 August (1960) Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Nationality noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
noun: Salvadoran(s)


adjective: Salvadoran
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes
Natural resources small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -3.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 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 four 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
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic Convergence or CD [Ruben ZAMORA] (formerly United Democratic Center or CDU); Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA]; National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez]; Popular Social Christian Party or PPSC [Rene AGUILUZ]; Revolutionary Democratic Front or FDR [Julio Cesar HERNANDEZ Carcamo]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI
Population 7,460,025


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 2005 est.)
6,948,073 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 33% (2001 est.) 35.2% (2005 est.)
Population growth rate 2.82% (2005 est.) 1.699% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Cotonou -
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000) AM 52, FM 144, shortwave 0 (2005)
Railways total: 578 km


narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
total: 562 km


narrow gauge: 562 km 0.914-m gauge


note: railways not in operation since 2005 because of disuse and lack of maintenance due to high costs (2007)
Religions indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% Roman Catholic 83%, other 17%


note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.043 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.781 male(s)/female


total population: 0.949 male(s)/female (2007 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: country code - 229; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
general assessment: the four mobile-cellular service providers are expanding services rapidly and in 2006 mobile-cellular density stood at roughly 55 per 100 persons; growth in fixed-line services has slowed in the face of mobile-cellular competition


domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system


international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System
Telephones - main lines in use 66,500 (2003) 1.037 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 236,200 (2003) 3.852 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2001) 5 (1997)
Terrain mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
Total fertility rate 5.86 children born/woman (2005 est.) 3.08 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate NA 6% official rate; but the economy has much underemployment (2006 est.)
Waterways 150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2004) Rio Lempa partially navigable for small craft (2007)
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