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Compare Benin (2007) - Seychelles (2001)

Compare Benin (2007) z Seychelles (2001)

 Benin (2007)Seychelles (2001)
 BeninSeychelles
Administrative divisions 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou 23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis, Takamaka
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:
28.27% (male 11,367; female 11,167)

15-64 years:
65.47% (male 25,453; female 26,737)

65 years and over:
6.26% (male 1,673; female 3,318) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, cashews; livestock coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish
Airports 5 (2007) 14 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
total:
6

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
3

under 914 m:
2 (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 (2007)
total:
8

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
4 (2000 est.)
Area total: 112,620 sq km


land: 110,620 sq km


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

land:
455 sq km

water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Pennsylvania 2.5 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. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006 and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and independent. A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new constitution and free elections in 1993.
Birth rate 38.1 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 17.66 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $786 million


expenditures: $1.024 billion (2006 est.)
revenues:
$249 million

expenditures:
$262 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 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)
Victoria
Climate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May)
Coastline 121 km 491 km
Constitution adopted by referendum 2 December 1990 18 June 1993
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 Seychelles

conventional short form:
Seychelles
Currency - Seychelles rupee (SCR)
Death rate 11.94 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.65 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $1.6 billion (2000) $240 million (1999 est.)
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
the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Seychelles
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 Claude Sylvestre MOREL

chancery:
800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017

telephone:
[1] (212) 972-1785

FAX:
[1] (212) 972-1786
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 claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)
Economic aid - recipient $349.1 million (2005) $16.4 million (1995)
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. Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than 70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. The vulnerability of the tourist sector was illustrated by the sharp drop in 1991-92 due largely to the Gulf war. Although the industry has rebounded, the government recognizes the continuing need for upgrading the sector in the face of stiff international competition. Other issues facing the government are the curbing of the budget deficit and further privatization of public enterprises. Growth slowed in 1998-2000, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors. Tight controls on exchange rates and the scarcity of foreign exchange have hindered short-term economic prospects. The black market value of the Seychelles ruppee is half the official exchange rate; without a devaluation of the currency the tourist sector should remain sluggish as vacationers seek cheaper destinations such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.
Electricity - consumption 587 million kWh (2005) 148.8 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 595 million kWh (2005) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 105 million kWh (2005) 160 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

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


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

highest point:
Morne Seychellois 905 m
Environment - current issues inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater
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
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
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) Seychellois (mixture of Asians, Africans, Europeans)
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) Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 6.0397 (November 2000), 5.6009 (2000), 5,3426 (1999), 5.2622 (1998), 5.0263 (1997), 4.9700 (1996)
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 France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 20-22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2003)

election results:
France Albert RENE reelected president; percent of vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 66.7%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO) 19.5%, Sir James MANCHAM (DP) 13.8%
Exports NA bbl/day $111 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports)
Exports - partners China 20.9%, Indonesia 7.7%, India 7%, Netherlands 6.2%, Niger 5.7%, Togo 4.6%, Nigeria 4.3% (2006) France, UK, Netherlands, Italy, China, Germany, Japan
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 five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side
GDP - purchasing power parity - $610 million (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 32.8%


industry: 13.7%


services: 53.5% (2006 est.)
agriculture:
3.1%

industry:
26.3%

services:
70.6% (1999)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $7,700 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4% (2006 est.) 1.5% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 9 30 N, 2 15 E 4 35 S, 55 40 E
Geography - note sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands
Highways - total:
373 km

paved:
315 km

unpaved:
58 km (1997)
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 $440 million (c.i.f., 1999)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Imports - partners China 46.6%, France 7.5%, Thailand 6% (2006) South Africa, UK, China, Singapore, France, Italy
Independence 1 August 1960 (from France) 29 June 1976 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 8.3% (2001 est.) NA%
Industries textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages
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.)
17.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.8% (2006 est.) 6% (1999 est.)
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 ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
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 Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the president
Labor force 3.211 million (1996) 30,900 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation - industry 19%, services 71%, agriculture 10% (1989)
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:
2%

permanent crops:
13%

permanent pastures:
0%

forests and woodland:
11%

other:
74% (1993 est.)
Languages French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) English (official), French (official), Creole
Legal system based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law
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
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats - 25 elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least ten percent of the vote; members serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held 20-22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2003)

election results:
percent of vote by party - SPPF 61.7%, UO 26.1%, DP 12.1%; seats by party - SPPF 30, UO 3, DP 1

note:
the 9 awarded seats are apportioned according to the share of each party in the total vote
Life expectancy at birth total population: 53.44 years


male: 52.28 years


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

male:
65.17 years

female:
76.37 years (2001 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:
58%

male:
56%

female:
60% (1971 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo Eastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 200 nm contiguous zone:
24 NM

continental shelf:
200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine - total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,353 GRT/7,638 DWT

ships by type:
cargo 1 (2000 est.)
Military branches Benin Armed Forces: Ground Forces Command, Benin Navy, Benin People's Air Force (Force Aerienne Populaire de Benin, FAPB) (2007) Army, Coast Guard, air wing, National Guard, Presidential Protection Unit, Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $13 million (FY93)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.7% (2006) 2.8% (FY93)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
22,951 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
11,452 (2001 est.)
National holiday National Day, 1 August (1960) Constitution Day, 18 June (1993)
Nationality noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
noun:
Seychellois (singular and plural)

adjective:
Seychelles
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible
Natural resources small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber fish, copra, cinnamon trees
Net migration rate 0.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -6.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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 or DP [James MANCHAM]; Seychelles National Party or SNP (formerly the United Opposition or UO) [Wavel RAMKALAWAN]; Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE] - the governing party
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Roman Catholic Church; trade unions
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.)
79,715 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 33% (2001 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.674% (2007 est.) 0.49% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors - Victoria
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000) AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios - 42,000 (1997)
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) Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 8%, other 2%
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:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.02 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.93 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 17 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:
effective system

domestic:
radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago

international:
direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 76,300 (2005) 19,635 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 750,000 (2005) 16,316 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2001) 2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs
Total fertility rate 5.08 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.83 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% NA%
Waterways 150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2005) none
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