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Compare Benin (2005) - Greece (2008)

Compare Benin (2005) z Greece (2008)

 Benin (2005)Greece (2008)
 BeninGreece
Administrative divisions 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou 51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous region*; Achaia, Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos, Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos
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: 14.3% (male 789,637/female 742,535)


15-64 years: 66.7% (male 3,565,237/female 3,570,630)


65 years and over: 19% (male 895,384/female 1,142,867) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001) wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products
Airports 5 (2004 est.) 81 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 66


over 3,047 m: 5


2,438 to 3,047 m: 15


1,524 to 2,437 m: 20


914 to 1,523 m: 17


under 914 m: 9 (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: 15


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 12 (2007)
Area total: 112,620 sq km


land: 110,620 sq km


water: 2,000 sq km
total: 131,940 sq km


land: 130,800 sq km


water: 1,140 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Pennsylvania slightly smaller than Alabama
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. Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II, Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war between supporters of the king and Communist rebels. Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. The 1974 democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. In 1981 Greece joined the EC (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the euro zone in 2001.
Birth rate 41.99 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 9.62 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $869.4 million


expenditures: $720.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $111.9 billion


expenditures: $120.7 billion (2007 est.)
Capital Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government name: Athens


geographic coordinates: 37 59 N, 23 44 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Climate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
Coastline 121 km 13,676 km
Constitution December 1990 11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001
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: Hellenic Republic


conventional short form: Greece


local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia


local short form: Ellas or Ellada


former: Kingdom of Greece
Death rate 13.76 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 10.33 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $1.6 billion (2000) $371.5 billion (30 June 2007)
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 Daniel V. SPECKHARD


embassy: 91 Vasilisis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens


mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108


telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951


FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282


consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki
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 Alexandros P. MALLIAS


chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300


FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324


consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Tampa


consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston
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 Greece and Turkey continue discussions to resolve their complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; Greece rejects the use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia; the mass migration of unemployed Albanians still remains a problem for developed countries, chiefly Greece and Italy
Economic aid - recipient $342.6 million (2000) $8 billion annually from EU (2000-06); Greece will receive about $3.8 billion per year between 2007-13 under the EU's Community Support Funds IV
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. Greece has a capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP at least 75% of the leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in agricultural and unskilled jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by nearly 4.0% per year between 2003 and 2007, due partly to infrastructural spending related to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, and in part to an increased availability of credit, which has sustained record levels of consumer spending. Greece violated the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criteria of no more than 3% of GDP from 2001 to 2006, but finally met that criteria in 2007. Public debt, inflation, and unemployment are above the euro-zone average, but are falling. The Greek Government continues to grapple with cutting government spending, reducing the size of the public sector, and reforming the labor and pension systems, in the face of often vocal opposition from the country's powerful labor unions and the general public. The economy remains an important domestic political issue in Greece and, while the ruling New Democracy government has had some success in improving economic growth and reducing the budget deficit, Athens faces long-term challenges in its effort to continue its economic reforms, especially social security reform and privatization.
Electricity - consumption 565.2 million kWh (2002) 54.31 billion kWh (2005 est.)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 1.836 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 300 million kWh (2002) 5.616 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 285.2 million kWh (2002) 56.13 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m
Environment - current issues inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification air pollution; water pollution
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: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds
Ethnic groups African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500 population: Greek 93%, other (foreign citizens) 7% (2001 census)


note: percents represent citizenship, since Greece does not collect data on ethnicity
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) euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (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 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 Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March 2005)


head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos (Kostas) KARAMANLIS (since 7 March 2004)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister


elections: president elected by parliament for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 February 2005 (next to be held by February 2010); according to the Greek Constitution, presidents may only serve two terms; president appoints leader of the party securing plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a government


election results: Karolos PAPOULIAS elected president; number of parliamentary votes, 279 out of 300
Exports NA 119,200 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles
Exports - partners China 28.7%, India 18.4%, Ghana 6.3%, Thailand 6%, Niger 5.8%, Indonesia 4.2%, Nigeria 4.2% (2004) Germany 11.5%, Italy 11.5%, Bulgaria 6.5%, UK 6.1%, Cyprus 5.5%, Turkey 5.2%, France 4.5%, US 4.5%, Spain 4.1% (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 nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 36.3%


industry: 14.3%


services: 49.4% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 3.2%


industry: 20.6%


services: 76.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2004 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2004 est.) 3.7% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 9 30 N, 2 15 E 39 00 N, 22 00 E
Geography - note sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands
Heliports - 9 (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%: 2.5%


highest 10%: 26% (2000 est.)
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 a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and organized crime
Imports NA 550,400 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners China 32.2%, France 13%, Thailand 6.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.3% (2004) Germany 12.6%, Italy 11.5%, Russia 7.1%, France 6%, Netherlands 5.2%, South Korea 4.2% (2006)
Independence 1 August 1960 (from France) 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
Industrial production growth rate 8.3% (2001 est.) 3.2% (2007 est.)
Industries textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement (2001) tourism, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum
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: 5.34 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 5.87 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 4.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.8% (2004 est.) 2.6% (2007 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 Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Irrigated land 120 sq km (1998 est.) 14,530 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council
Labor force NA (1996) 4.94 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture: 12%


industry: 20%


services: 68% (2004 est.)
Land boundaries total: 1,989 km


border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
total: 1,228 km


border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Macedonia 246 km
Land use arable land: 18.08%


permanent crops: 2.4%


other: 79.52% (2001)
arable land: 20.45%


permanent crops: 8.59%


other: 70.96% (2005)
Languages French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) Greek 99% (official), other 1% (includes English and French)
Legal system based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
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 Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: elections last held 16 September 2007 (next to be held by 2011)


election results: percent of vote by party - ND 41.8%, PASOK 38.1%, KKE 8.2%, Synaspismos 5%, LAOS 3.8%, other 3.1%; seats by party - ND 152, PASOK 102, KKE 22, Synaspismos 14, LAOS 10
Life expectancy at birth total population: 52.66 years


male: 51.53 years


female: 53.82 years (2005 est.)
total population: 79.38 years


male: 76.85 years


female: 82.06 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 15 and over can read and write


total population: 96%


male: 97.8%


female: 94.2% (2001 census)
Location Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
Map references Africa Europe
Maritime claims territorial sea: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm


continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine - total: 824 ships (1000 GRT or over) 33,654,384 GRT/57,898,789 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 246, cargo 66, carrier 1, chemical tanker 52, combination ore/oil 1, container 43, liquefied gas 6, passenger 11, passenger/cargo 109, petroleum tanker 269, roll on/roll off 19, specialized tanker 1


foreign-owned: 49 (Belgium 16, Cyprus 5, Italy 1, South Korea 2, UK 15, US 10)


registered in other countries: 2,324 (Antigua and Barbuda 3, Bahamas 214, Barbados 11, Belgium 4, Bermuda 3, Cambodia 5, Cayman Islands 23, China 1, Comoros 8, Cyprus 292, Denmark 4, Dominica 8, Egypt 8, Georgia 7, Gibraltar 8, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 30, Isle of Man 48, Italy 13, Jamaica 8, Lebanon 2, Liberia 311, Maldives 1, Malta 448, Marshall Islands 226, Norway 6, Panama 505, Philippines 3, Portugal 4, Russia 1, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 2, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 14, Slovakia 4, St Kitts and Nevis 2, St Vincent and The Grenadines 81, UAE 3, UK 6, Uruguay 1, Venezuela 3, unknown 8) (2007)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force Hellenic Army (Ellinikos Stratos, ES), Hellenic Navy (Ellinikos Polemiko Navtiko, EPN), Hellenic Air Force (Elliniki Polimiki Aeroporia, EPA) (2007)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $96.5 million (2004) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.4% (2004) 4.3% (2005 est.)
National holiday National Day, 1 August (1960) Independence Day, 25 March (1821)
Nationality noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
noun: Greek(s)


adjective: Greek
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March severe earthquakes
Natural resources small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines - gas 1,166 km; oil 94 km (2007)
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
Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Alekos ALAVANOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU]; Popular Orthodox Rally or LAOS [Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [Ioannis PANAGOPOULOS]; Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Dimitris DASKALOPOULOS]; Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros PAPASPYROS]
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.)
10,706,290 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 33% (2001 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.82% (2005 est.) 0.163% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Cotonou -
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000) AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)
Railways total: 578 km


narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
total: 2,571 km


standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (764 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge


dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail system) (2006)
Religions indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
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: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.063 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.998 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.783 male(s)/female


total population: 0.962 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
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: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service


domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands


international: country code - 30; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to Europe, Middle East, and Asia; a number of smaller submarine cables provide connectivity to various parts of Europe, the Middle East, and Cyprus; tropospheric scatter; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use 66,500 (2003) 6.185 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 236,200 (2003) 11.098 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2001) 36 (plus 1,341 repeaters); also 2 stations in the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)
Terrain mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands
Total fertility rate 5.86 children born/woman (2005 est.) 1.35 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate NA 8.4% (2007 est.)
Waterways 150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2004) 6 km


note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens sea voyage by 325 km (2007)
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