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Compare Benin (2005) - Guadeloupe (2003)

Compare Benin (2005) z Guadeloupe (2003)

 Benin (2005)Guadeloupe (2003)
 BeninGuadeloupe
Administrative divisions 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou none (overseas department of France)
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: 24.7% (male 55,521; female 53,137)


15-64 years: 66.4% (male 144,764; female 147,449)


65 years and over: 8.9% (male 16,443; female 22,875) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001) bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats
Airports 5 (2004 est.) 9 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 8


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 5 (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 (2004 est.)
total: 1


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


land: 110,620 sq km


water: 2,000 sq km
total: 1,780 sq km


land: 1,706 sq km


water: 74 sq km


note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands, including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade, Iles des Saintes (2), Saint-Barthelemy, Iles de la Petite Terre, and Saint-Martin (French part of the island of Saint Martin)
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Pennsylvania 10 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. Guadeloupe has been a French possession since 1635. The island of Saint Martin is shared with the Netherlands; its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles and its northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe
Birth rate 41.99 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 16.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $869.4 million


expenditures: $720.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $225 million


expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996)
Capital Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government Basse-Terre
Climate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity
Coastline 121 km 306 km
Constitution December 1990 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Benin


conventional short form: Benin


local long form: Republique du Benin


local short form: Benin


former: Dahomey
conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe


conventional short form: Guadeloupe


local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe


local short form: Guadeloupe
Currency - euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)
Death rate 13.76 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $1.6 billion (2000) $NA
Dependency status - overseas department of France
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 (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN


chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656


FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996
none (overseas department of France)
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 none
Economic aid - recipient $342.6 million (2000) $NA; note - substantial annual French subsidies
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 Caribbean economy depends on agriculture, tourism, light industry, and services. It also depends on France for large subsidies and imports. Tourism is a key industry, with most tourists from the US; an increasingly large number of cruise ships visit the islands. The traditional sugarcane crop is slowly being replaced by other crops, such as bananas (which now supply about 50% of export earnings), eggplant, and flowers. Other vegetables and root crops are cultivated for local consumption, although Guadeloupe is still dependent on imported food, mainly from France. Light industry features sugar and rum production. Most manufactured goods and fuel are imported. Unemployment is especially high among the young. Hurricanes periodically devastate the economy.
Electricity - consumption 565.2 million kWh (2002) 1.074 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 300 million kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 285.2 million kWh (2002) 1.155 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - 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: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Soufriere 1,484 m
Environment - current issues inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification NA
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
-
Ethnic groups African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500 black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5%
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 - 1.06 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998)
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 Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Dominique VIAN (since 6 August 2002)


head of government: President of the General Council Jacques GILLOT (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Lucette MICHAUX-CHEVRY (since 22 March 1992)


cabinet: NA


elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils


election results: NA
Exports NA NA (2001)
Exports - commodities cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa bananas, sugar, rum
Exports - partners China 28.7%, India 18.4%, Ghana 6.3%, Thailand 6%, Niger 5.8%, Indonesia 4.2%, Nigeria 4.2% (2004) France 60%, Martinique 18%, US 4% (1999)
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 the flag of France is used
GDP - purchasing power parity - $3.7 billion (1997 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 36.3%


industry: 14.3%


services: 49.4% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 15%


industry: 17%


services: 68% (1997 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $9,000 (1997 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2004 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 9 30 N, 2 15 E 16 15 N, 61 35 W
Geography - note sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe proper into two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the smaller, eastern Grande-Terre
Highways total: 6,787 km


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


unpaved: 5,430 km (1999 est.)
total: 2,467 km


paved: NA km


unpaved: NA km (1998)
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 NA (2001)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials
Imports - partners China 32.2%, France 13%, Thailand 6.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.3% (2004) France 63%, Germany 4%, US 3%, Japan 2%, Netherlands Antilles 2% (1999)
Independence 1 August 1960 (from France) none (overseas department of France)
Industrial production growth rate 8.3% (2001 est.) NA%
Industries textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement (2001) construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism
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: 9.07 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 10.33 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 7.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.8% (2004 est.) NA%
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 FZ, WCL, WFTU
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 3 (2000)
Irrigated land 120 sq km (1998 est.) 20 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique
Labor force NA (1996) 125,900 (1997)
Labor force - by occupation - NA
Land boundaries total: 1,989 km


border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
total: 10.2 km


border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km
Land use arable land: 18.08%


permanent crops: 2.4%


other: 79.52% (2001)
arable land: 10.65%


permanent crops: 4.14%


other: 85.21% (1998 est.)
Languages French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) French (official) 99%, Creole patois
Legal system based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction French legal system
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 General Council or Conseil General (42 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)


elections: General Council - last held 22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004)


election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - left-wing candidates 11, PS 8, RPR 8, PPDG 6, right-wing candidates 5, PCG 3, UDF 1; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - RPR 48.03%, PS/PPDG/diverse left parties 24.49%, PCG 5.29%, diverse right parties 5.73%; seats by party - RPR 25, PS/PPDG/diverse left parties 12, PCG 2, diverse right parties 2


note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September 2004); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 1, FGPS 1; Guadeloupe elects four representatives to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 2, PS 1, different right parties 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 52.66 years


male: 51.53 years


female: 53.82 years (2005 est.)
total population: 77.53 years


male: 74.37 years


female: 80.84 years (2003 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: 90%


male: 90%


female: 90% (1982 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,240 GRT/109 DWT


ships by type: passenger 1


note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: France 1 (2002 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of France
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces, Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure $96.5 million (2004) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.4% (2004) -
National holiday National Day, 1 August (1960) Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Nationality noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
noun: Guadeloupian(s)


adjective: Guadeloupe
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active volcano
Natural resources small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -0.15 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 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
Communist Party of Guadeloupe or PCG [Mona CADOCE]; FGPS [Dominique LARIFLA]; Progressive Democratic Party or PPDG [Henri BANGOU]; Rally for the Republic or RPR (may have become UMP) [Lucette MICHAUX-CHEVRY]; Socialist Party or PS [Georges LOUISOR]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Marcel ESDRAS]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG; General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement for Independent Guadeloupe or MPGI
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.)
440,189 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 33% (2001 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.82% (2005 est.) 1% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Cotonou Basse-Terre, Gustavia (on Saint Barthelemy), Marigot, Pointe-a-Pitre
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000) AM 1, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways total: 578 km


narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
NA km; privately owned, narrow-gauge plantation lines
Religions indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant 1%
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: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female


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


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 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: domestic facilities inadequate


domestic: NA


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique
Telephones - main lines in use 66,500 (2003) 171,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular 236,200 (2003) NA
Television broadcast stations 1 (2001) 5 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin
Total fertility rate 5.86 children born/woman (2005 est.) 1.92 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate NA 27.8% (1998)
Waterways 150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2004) none
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