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Compare Benin (2007) - American Samoa (2003)

Compare Benin (2007) z American Samoa (2003)

 Benin (2007)American Samoa (2003)
 BeninAmerican Samoa
Administrative divisions 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three districts and two islands* at the second order; Eastern, Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western
Age structure 0-14 years: 43.9% (male 1,788,248/female 1,754,940)


15-64 years: 53.7% (male 2,138,649/female 2,203,291)


65 years and over: 2.4% (male 77,844/female 115,342) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 37.5% (male 13,557; female 12,818)


15-64 years: 57% (male 19,712; female 20,346)


65 years and over: 5.4% (male 2,081; female 1,746) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, cashews; livestock bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock
Airports 5 (2007) 3 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
total: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (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 (2007)
total: 1


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


land: 110,620 sq km


water: 2,000 sq km
total: 199 sq km


land: 199 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Pennsylvania slightly larger than 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. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006 and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and independent. Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was "discovered" by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.
Birth rate 38.1 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 23.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $786 million


expenditures: $1.024 billion (2006 est.)
revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants)


expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)
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)
Pago Pago
Climate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season from November to April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 121 km 116 km
Constitution adopted by referendum 2 December 1990 ratified 1966, in effect 1967
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: Territory of American Samoa


conventional short form: American Samoa


abbreviation: AS
Currency - US dollar (USD)
Death rate 11.94 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 4.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $1.6 billion (2000) $NA
Dependency status - unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Gayleatha B. BROWN


embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou


mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou


telephone: [229] 21-30-06-50


FAX: [229] 21-30-06-70
none (territory of the US)
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 (territory of the US)
Disputes - international two villages remain in dispute along the border with Burkina Faso; Benin accused Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated; in 2005, Nigeria ceded thirteen villages to Benin, but border relations remain strained by rival gang clashes; Benin and Togo announced plans in 2006 to construct a joint hydroelectric dam on the Mona River at the southern end of the border none
Economic aid - recipient $349.1 million (2005) important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994
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. Specific projects to improve the business climate by reforms to the land tenure system, the commercial justice system, and the financial sector were included in Benin's $307 million Millennium Challenge Account grant signed in February 2006. 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. This is a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa conducts most of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being. Attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes. Tourism, a developing sector, has been held back by the recurring financial difficulties in East Asia.
Electricity - consumption 587 million kWh (2005) 120.9 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 595 million kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 105 million kWh (2005) 130 million 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: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Lata 966 m
Environment - current issues inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification limited natural fresh water resources; the water division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past few years to improve water catchments and pipelines
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, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
-
Ethnic groups Fon and related 39.2%, Adja and related 15.2%, Yoruba and related 12.3%, Bariba and related 9.2%, Peulh and related 7%, Ottamari and related 6.1%, Yoa-Lokpa and related 4%, Dendi and related 2.5%, other 1.6% (includes Europeans), unspecified 2.9% (2002 census) Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other 5%
Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002) the US dollar is used
Executive branch chief of state: President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


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


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


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


election results: Thomas YAYI Boni elected president; percent of vote - Thomas YAYI Boni 74.5%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI 25.5%
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)


head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003) following the death of Governor Tauese P. SUNIA on 26 March 2003; TULAFONO had been the Lieutenant Governor


cabinet: NA


elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004)


election results: Tauese P. SUNIA reelected governor; percent of vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 50.7%, Lealaifuaneva Peter REID (independent) 47.8%


note: Togiola TULAFONO became acting governor 26 March 2003 upon the death of Governor Tauese P. SUNIA
Exports NA bbl/day NA (2001)
Exports - commodities cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood canned tuna 93%
Exports - partners China 20.9%, Indonesia 7.7%, India 7%, Netherlands 6.2%, Niger 5.7%, Togo 4.6%, Nigeria 4.3% (2006) Indonesia 71.1%, Japan 7.7%, Samoa 7.7%, Australia 6.7% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 October - 30 September
Flag description two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club
GDP - purchasing power parity - $500 million (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 32.8%


industry: 13.7%


services: 53.5% (2006 est.)
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4% (2006 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 9 30 N, 2 15 E 14 20 S, 170 00 W
Geography - note sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean
Highways - total: 350 km


paved: 150 km


unpaved: 200 km
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA% (2003)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs transshipment point used by Nigerian traffickers for narcotics destined for Western Europe; vulnerable to money laundering due to poorly enforced financial regulations -
Imports NA bbl/day NA (2001)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6%
Imports - partners China 46.6%, France 7.5%, Thailand 6% (2006) Australia 41%, New Zealand 23%, South Korea 18% (2002)
Independence 1 August 1960 (from France) none (territory of the US)
Industrial production growth rate 8.3% (2001 est.) NA%
Industries textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts
Infant mortality rate total: 77.85 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 82.32 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 73.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 9.82 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 11.61 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 7.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.8% (2006 est.) NA%
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 120 sq km (2003) NA sq km
Judicial branch Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)
Labor force 3.211 million (1996) 14,000 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation - government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990)
Land boundaries total: 1,989 km


border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 23.53%


permanent crops: 2.37%


other: 74.1% (2005)
arable land: 5%


permanent crops: 10%


other: 85% (1998 est.)
Languages French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English


note: most people are bilingual
Legal system based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction NA
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 31 March 2007 (next to be held by March 2011)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FCBE 35, ADD 20, PRD 10, other and independents 18
bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs and serve four-year terms)


elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004)


election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - independents 18


note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat) reelected as delegate
Life expectancy at birth total population: 53.44 years


male: 52.28 years


female: 54.63 years (2007 est.)
total population: 75.75 years


male: 71.35 years


female: 80.41 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 34.7%


male: 47.9%


female: 23.3% (2002 census)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97%


male: 98%


female: 97% (1980 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand
Map references Africa Oceania
Maritime claims territorial sea: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - none (2002 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the US
Military branches Benin Armed Forces: Ground Forces Command, Benin Navy, Benin People's Air Force (Force Aerienne Populaire de Benin, FAPB) (2007) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.7% (2006) -
National holiday National Day, 1 August (1960) Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Nationality noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
noun: American Samoan(s)


adjective: American Samoan
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March typhoons common from December to March
Natural resources small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber pumice, pumicite
Net migration rate 0.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 3.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Political parties and leaders Alliance for Dynamic Democracy or ADD [Nicephore SOGLO]; Alliance of Progress Forces or AFP; African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Force Cowrie for an Emerging Benin or FCBE; 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; The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union of Tomorrow's Benin or UBF [Bruno AMOUSSOU]


note: approximately 20 additional minor parties
Democratic Party [leader NA]; Republican Party [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 8,078,314


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 2007 est.)
70,260 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 33% (2001 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.674% (2007 est.) 2.22% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors - Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu, Pago Pago, Ta'u
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000) AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways total: 758 km


narrow gauge: 758 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
0 km
Religions Christian 42.8% (Catholic 27.1%, Celestial 5%, Methodist 3.2%, other Protestant 2.2%, other 5.3%), Muslim 24.4%, Vodoun 17.3%, other 15.5% (2002 census) Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.019 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.971 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.675 male(s)/female


total population: 0.983 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 1.19 male(s)/female


total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: inadequate; fixed-line network is almost saturated with fixed-line teledensity stuck at a meager 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of roughly 10 per 100 persons


domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections; four mobile-cellular providers


international: country code - 229; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth station - 7 (Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
general assessment: NA


domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 76,300 (2005) 13,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 750,000 (2005) 2,550 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2001) 1 (1997)
Terrain mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)
Total fertility rate 5.08 children born/woman (2007 est.) 3.3 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 6% (2000)
Waterways 150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2005) none
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