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Compare Benin (2005) - Uruguay (2001)

Compare Benin (2005) z Uruguay (2001)

 Benin (2005)Uruguay (2001)
 BeninUruguay
Administrative divisions 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou 19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres
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:
24.39% (male 419,932; female 399,605)

15-64 years:
62.61% (male 1,038,785; female 1,064,891)

65 years and over:
13% (male 180,130; female 256,762) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001) wheat, rice, barley, corn, sorghum; livestock; fish
Airports 5 (2004 est.) 64 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total:
15

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
5

914 to 1,523 m:
8

under 914 m:
1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 4


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)
total:
49

1,524 to 2,437 m:
2

914 to 1,523 m:
16

under 914 m:
31 (2000 est.)
Area total: 112,620 sq km


land: 110,620 sq km


water: 2,000 sq km
total:
176,220 sq km

land:
173,620 sq km

water:
2,600 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Pennsylvania slightly smaller than the state of Washington
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. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement, the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to agree to military control of his administration in 1973. By the end of the year the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold throughout the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.
Birth rate 41.99 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 17.36 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $869.4 million


expenditures: $720.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues:
$4 billion

expenditures:
$4.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $500 million (2000 est.)
Capital Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government Montevideo
Climate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown
Coastline 121 km 660 km
Constitution December 1990 27 November 1966, effective February 1967, suspended 27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7 January 1997
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:
Oriental Republic of Uruguay

conventional short form:
Uruguay

local long form:
Republica Oriental del Uruguay

local short form:
Uruguay

former:
Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province
Currency - Uruguayan peso (UYU)
Death rate 13.76 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 9.03 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $1.6 billion (2000) $8 billion (2000 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 Christopher C. ASHBY

embassy:
Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11100

mailing address:
APO AA 34035

telephone:
[598] (2) 408-777, 203-6061

FAX:
[598] (2) 48 86 11
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 Hugo FERNANDEZ Faingold

chancery:
2715 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone:
[1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316

FAX:
[1] (202) 331-8142

consulate(s) general:
Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York
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
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. Uruguay's economy is characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, relatively even income distribution, and high levels of social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually in 1996-98, in 1999-2000 the economy suffered from lower demand in Argentina and Brazil, which together account for about half of Uruguay's exports. Despite the severity of the trade shocks, Uruguay's financial indicators remained more stable than those of its neighbors, a reflection of its solid reputation among investors and its investment-grade sovereign bond rating - one of only two in Latin America. Challenges for the government of President Jorge BATLLE include expanding Uruguay's trade ties beyond its MERCOSUR trade partners and reducing the costs of public services. GDP fell by 1.1% in 2000 and will grow by perhaps 1.5% in 2001.
Electricity - consumption 565.2 million kWh (2002) 5.89 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 215 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 300 million kWh (2002) 800 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 285.2 million kWh (2002) 5.704 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
3.86%

hydro:
95.44%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0.7% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


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

highest point:
Cerro Catedral 514 m
Environment - current issues inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal
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:
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 Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban
Ethnic groups African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500 white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian, practically nonexistent
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) Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 12.5610 (January 2001), 12.0996 (2000), 11.3393 (1999), 10.4719 (1998), 9.4418 (1997), 7.9718 (1996)
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 Jorge BATLLE (since 1 March 2000) and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Jorge BATLLE (since 1 March 2000) and Vice President Luis HIERRO (since 1 March 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president with parliamentary approval

elections:
president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 31 October 1999 with run-off election on 28 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results:
Jorge BATLLE elected president; percent of vote - Jorge BATLLE 52% in a runoff against Tabare VAZQUEZ 44%
Exports NA $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa meat, rice, leather products, vehicles, dairy products, wool, electricity
Exports - partners China 28.7%, India 18.4%, Ghana 6.3%, Thailand 6%, Niger 5.8%, Indonesia 4.2%, Nigeria 4.2% (2004) MERCOSUR partners 45%, EU 20%, US 7% (1999 est.)
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 white (top and bottom) alternating with blue; there is a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May and 16 rays alternately triangular and wavy
GDP - purchasing power parity - $31 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 36.3%


industry: 14.3%


services: 49.4% (2004 est.)
agriculture:
10%

industry:
28%

services:
62% (1999)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $9,300 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2004 est.) -1.1% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 9 30 N, 2 15 E 33 00 S, 56 00 W
Geography - note sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands -
Highways total: 6,787 km


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


unpaved: 5,430 km (1999 est.)
total:
8,983 km

paved:
8,085 km

unpaved:
898 km (1999)
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 $3.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products road vehicles, electrical machinery, metal manufactures, heavy industrial machinery, crude petroleum
Imports - partners China 32.2%, France 13%, Thailand 6.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.3% (2004) MERCOSUR partners 43%, EU 20%, US 11% (1999 est.)
Independence 1 August 1960 (from France) 25 August 1825 (from Brazil)
Industrial production growth rate 8.3% (2001 est.) -2.1% (2000 est.)
Industries textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement (2001) food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages
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.)
14.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.8% (2004 est.) 4.8% (2000 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 CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 7 (2000)
Irrigated land 120 sq km (1998 est.) 7,700 sq km (1997 est.)
Judicial branch Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)
Labor force NA (1996) 1.5 million (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Land boundaries total: 1,989 km


border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
total:
1,564 km

border countries:
Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km
Land use arable land: 18.08%


permanent crops: 2.4%


other: 79.52% (2001)
arable land:
7%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
77%

forests and woodland:
6%

other:
10% (1997 est.)
Languages French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier)
Legal system based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 30 March 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
bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:
Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31 October 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results:
Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Encuentro Progresista 12, Colorado Party 10, Blanco 7, New Sector/Space Coalition 1; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Encuentro Progresista 40, Colorado Party 33, Blanco 22, New Sector/Space Coalition 4
Life expectancy at birth total population: 52.66 years


male: 51.53 years


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

male:
72.11 years

female:
78.96 years (2001 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:
97.3%

male:
96.9%

female:
97.7% (1995 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil
Map references Africa South America
Maritime claims territorial sea: 200 nm contiguous zone:
24 NM

continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine - total:
2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,752 GRT/5,228 DWT

ships by type:
petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 est.)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm, Coast Guard, Marines), Air Force, Police (Coracero Guard, Grenadier Guard)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $96.5 million (2004) $172 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.4% (2004) 0.9% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
817,535 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
661,777 (2001 est.)
National holiday National Day, 1 August (1960) Independence Day, 25 August (1825)
Nationality noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
noun:
Uruguayan(s)

adjective:
Uruguayan
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in weather fronts
Natural resources small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -0.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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
Colorado Party [Jorge BATLLE]; National Party or Blanco [Alberto VOLONTE]; New Sector/Space Coalition or Nuevo Espacio [Rafael MICHELINI]; Progressive Encounter in the Broad Front or Encuentro Progresista [Tabare VAZQUEZ]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
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.)
3,360,105 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 33% (2001 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.82% (2005 est.) 0.78% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Cotonou Fray Bentos, Montevideo, Nueva Palmira, Paysandu, Punta del Este, Colonia, Piriapolis
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000) AM 94, FM 115, shortwave 14 (seven are inactive) (1998)
Radios - 1.97 million (1997)
Railways total: 578 km


narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
total:
2,073 km

standard gauge:
2,073 km 1.435-m gauge (2000)
Religions indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% Roman Catholic 66% (less than one-half of the adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing or other 31%
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:
1.05 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.95 male(s)/female (2001 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:
some modern facilities

domestic:
most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network

international:
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 66,500 (2003) 850,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 236,200 (2003) 300,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2001) 26 (plus ten low-power repeaters for the Montevideo station) (1997)
Terrain mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
Total fertility rate 5.86 children born/woman (2005 est.) 2.36 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate NA 14% (2000 est.)
Waterways 150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2004) 1,600 km ( used by coastal and shallow-draft river craft)
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