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Compare Benin (2006) - Moldova (2005)

Compare Benin (2006) z Moldova (2005)

 Benin (2006)Moldova (2005)
 BeninMoldova
Administrative divisions 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou 32 raions (raioane, singular - raionul), 3 municipalities (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala)

counties: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir, Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari, Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova, Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti, Soroca, Stefan-Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni

municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau

autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia

territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului
Age structure 0-14 years: 44.1% (male 1,751,709/female 1,719,138)


15-64 years: 53.5% (male 2,067,248/female 2,138,957)


65 years and over: 2.4% (male 75,694/female 110,198) (2006 est.)
0-14 years: 20.2% (male 459,452/female 442,725)


15-64 years: 69.5% (male 1,489,813/female 1,606,202)


65 years and over: 10.3% (male 169,038/female 288,191) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts; livestock vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk
Airports 5 (2006) 23 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
total: 6


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2004 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 (2006)
total: 17


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 5


under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)
Area total: 112,620 sq km


land: 110,620 sq km


water: 2,000 sq km
total: 33,843 sq km


land: 33,371 sq km


water: 472 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Pennsylvania slightly larger than Maryland
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. Formerly part of Romania, Moldova was incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. The poorest nation in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its president in 2001.
Birth rate 38.85 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 15.27 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $766.8 million


expenditures: $1.017 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
revenues: $648.1 million


expenditures: $634.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Capital name: Porto-Novo (official capital)


geographic coordinates: 6 29 N, 2 37 E


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


note: Cotonou (seat of government)
Chisinau
Climate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north moderate winters, warm summers
Coastline 121 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution December 1990 new constitution adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994; replaced old Soviet constitution of 1979
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 Moldova


conventional short form: Moldova


local long form: Republica Moldova


local short form: none


former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic; Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic
Death rate 12.22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 12.79 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $1.6 billion (2000) $1.4 billion (2004 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 Heather M. HODGES


embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [373] (22) 408-300


FAX: [373] (22) 23-30-44
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 Mihail MANOLI


chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130


FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204
Disputes - international Benin and Burkina Faso military clash in 2006 over sections of riverine boundary involving disputed villages and squatters; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated; in 2005, Nigeria ceded thirteen villages to Benin as a consequence of a 2004 joint task force to resolve maritime and land boundary disputes, but clashes among rival gangs along the border persist; a joint boundary commission continues to resurvey the boundary with Togo to verify Benin's claim that Togo moved boundary stones Moldova and Ukraine have established joint customs posts to monitor transit through Moldova's break-away Transnistria Region which remains under OSCE supervision
Economic aid - recipient $342.6 million (2000) $100 million (2000)
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. Many of these proposals are included in Benin's application to receive Millennium Challenge Account funding - for which it was a finalist in 2004-05. The 2001 privatization policy continues in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of government reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation, with Benin benefiting from a G8 debt reduction announced in July 2005, 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, which has resulted in increased smuggling and criminality in the border region. Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe despite recent progress from its small economic base. It enjoys a favorable climate and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import almost all of its energy supplies from Russia. Energy shortages contributed to sharp production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991. As part of an ambitious reform effort after independence, Moldova introduced a convertible currency, freed prices, stopped issuing preferential credits to state enterprises, backed steady land privatization, removed export controls, and freed interest rates. The government entered into agreements with the World Bank and the IMF to promote growth and reduce poverty. The economy returned to positive growth of 2.1% in 2000, 6.1% in 2001, 7.2% in 2002, 6.3% in 2003, and 6.8% in 2004. Further reforms will come slowly because of strong political forces backing government controls. The economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors.
Electricity - consumption 538.2 million kWh (2003) 4.605 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 474 million kWh (2003) 1 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 69 million kWh (2003) 3.876 billion kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m
lowest point: Dniester River 2 m


highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m
Environment - current issues inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods
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-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection


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 Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (1989 est.)


note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region
Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001) lei per US dollar - 12.33 (2004), 13.945 (2003), 13.571 (2002), 12.865 (2001), 12.434 (2000)
Executive branch chief of state: President YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); runoff election held 19 March 2006 (next to be held March 2011)


election results: YAYI Boni elected president; percent of vote - YAYI Boni 74.5%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI 25.5%
chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001)


head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April 2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since 29 January 2002)


cabinet: selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament


elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 4 April 2005 (next to be held NA 2009); note - prime minister designated by the president, upon consultation with Parliament; within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001, cabinet received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001


election results: Vladimir VORONIN reelected president; parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 75, Gheorghe DUCA 1; Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 75 of 101
Exports NA bbl/day NA
Exports - commodities cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa foodstuffs, textiles, machinery
Exports - partners China 31.3%, Indonesia 8.1%, India 7.4%, Niger 6%, Togo 4.8%, Thailand 4.8%, Nigeria 4.6% (2005) Russia 35.8%, Italy 13.9%, Romania 10%, Germany 7.3%, Ukraine 6.6%, Belarus 6%, US 4.6% (2004)
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 same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 31.6%


industry: 13.8%


services: 54.6% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 22.4%


industry: 24.8%


services: 52.8% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3.5% (2005 est.) 6.8% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 9 30 N, 2 15 E 47 00 N, 29 00 E
Geography - note sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone
Highways - total: 12,719 km


paved: 10,977 km


unpaved: 1,742 km (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 2.2%


highest 10%: 30.7% (1997)
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 limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and possibly the US; widespread crime and underground economic activity
Imports NA bbl/day NA
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products mineral products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles (2000)
Imports - partners France 21.8%, Ghana 7.1%, Cote d'Ivoire 7%, China 6.7%, UK 5.2%, Belgium 4.9%, Togo 4.5%, Thailand 4.2%, Nigeria 4% (2005) Ukraine 24.6%, Russia 12.2%, Romania 9.3%, Germany 8.5%, Italy 7.4% (2004)
Independence 1 August 1960 (from France) 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate 8.3% (2001 est.) 17% (2003 est.)
Industries textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar, vegetable oil, shoes, textiles
Infant mortality rate total: 79.56 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 84.09 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 74.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
total: 40.42 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 43.11 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 37.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.5% (2005 est.) 11.5% (2004 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, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land 120 sq km (2003) 3,070 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature)
Labor force 3.211 million 1.36 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture 40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998)
Land boundaries total: 1,989 km


border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
total: 1,389 km


border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km
Land use arable land: 23.53%


permanent crops: 2.37%


other: 74.1% (2005)
arable land: 55.3%


permanent crops: 10.79%


other: 33.91% (2001)
Languages French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
Legal system based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; it is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents
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 (UBF, MADEP, FC, Alliance MDC-PC-CPP, IPD, AFP, MDS, RDP) 52, opposition (PRB, PRD, E'toile, and 5 other small parties) 31
unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and electoral blocs elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 6 March 2005 (next to be held NA 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 46.1%, Democratic Moldova Bloc 28.4%, PPCD 9.1%, other parties 16.4%; seats by party - PCRM 56, Democratic Moldova Bloc 34, PPCD 11
Life expectancy at birth total population: 53.04 years


male: 51.9 years


female: 54.22 years (2006 est.)
total population: 65.18 years


male: 61.12 years


female: 69.43 years (2005 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: 99.1%


male: 99.6%


female: 98.7% (2003 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania
Map references Africa Europe
Maritime claims territorial sea: 200 nm none (landlocked)
Merchant marine - total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,636 GRT/1,088 DWT


by type: cargo 2 (2005)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force National Army: Ground Forces, Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $100.9 million (2005 est.) $8.7 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.3% (2005 est.) 0.4% (FY02)
National holiday National Day, 1 August (1960) Independence Day, 27 August (1991)
Nationality noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
noun: Moldovan(s)


adjective: Moldovan
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March landslides (57 cases in 1998)
Natural resources small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone
Net migration rate 0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) -0.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines - gas 606 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Alliance of Progress Forces or AFP; African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD; Key Force or FC; Movement for Development and Solidarity or MDS; Movement for Development by the Culture-Salute Party-Congress of People for Progress Alliance or Alliance MDC-PS-CPP; New Alliance or NA; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP; Renaissance Party du Benin or RB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union of Tomorrow's Benin or UBF [Bruno AMOUSSOU]


note: approximately 20 additional minor parties
Democratic Modova Bloc [Serafim URECHEANU] includes: Democratic Party [Dumitru DIACOV], Our Moldova Alliance [Dumitru BRAGHIS, Serafim URECHEANU], Social Liberal Party [Oleg SEREBRIAN]; Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN, first chairman]; Popular Christian Democratic Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 7,862,944


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 2006 est.)
4,455,421 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line 33% (2001 est.) 80% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate 2.73% (2006 est.) 0.22% (2005 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000) AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998)
Railways total: 578 km


narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
total: 1,138 km


broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge


standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)
Religions indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female


total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2005 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 - 7 (Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside Chisinau; some effort to modernize is under way


domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile cellular telephone service being introduced


international: country code - 373; service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik
Telephones - main lines in use 76,300 (2005) 706,900 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 386,700 (2005) 338,200 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2001) 1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea
Total fertility rate 5.2 children born/woman (2006 est.) 1.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad) (2002 est.)
Waterways 150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2005) 424 km (2004)
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