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Compare Benin (2008) - Andorra (2005)

Compare Benin (2008) z Andorra (2005)

 Benin (2008)Andorra (2005)
 BeninAndorra
Administrative divisions 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou 7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la Vella, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Escaldes-Engordany, Ordino, Sant Julia de Loria
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: 14.8% (male 5,471/female 4,995)


15-64 years: 71.5% (male 26,463/female 23,977)


65 years and over: 13.7% (male 4,780/female 4,863) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, cashews; livestock small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables; sheep
Airports 5 (2007) none (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
-
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)
-
Area total: 112,620 sq km


land: 110,620 sq km


water: 2,000 sq km
total: 468 sq km


land: 468 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. YAYI has begun a high profile fight against corruption and has strongly promoted accelerating Benin's economic growth. For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique co-principality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from 1607 onward, the French chief of state and the Spanish bishop of Urgel). In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the titular heads of state retained, but the government transformed into a parliamentary democracy. Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous Andorra achieved considerable prosperity since World War II through its tourist industry. Many immigrants (legal and illegal) are attracted to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes.
Birth rate 38.1 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 9 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $936.9 million


expenditures: $1.226 billion (2007 est.)
revenues: $385 million


expenditures: $342 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997)
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)
Andorra la Vella
Climate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers
Coastline 121 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution adopted by referendum 2 December 1990 Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991, approved by referendum 14 March 1993, effective 4 May 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: Principality of Andorra


conventional short form: Andorra


local long form: Principat d'Andorra


local short form: Andorra
Death rate 11.94 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.07 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $1.2 billion (2007) $NA
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] 21-30-03-84
the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US Ambassador to Spain is accredited to Andorra; US interests in Andorra are represented by the Consulate General's office in Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda, 23, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; telephone: [34] (93) 280-2227; FAX: [34] (93) 280-6175
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 (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jelena V. PIA-COMELLA


chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017


telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064


FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630
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 $374.7 million (2006) none
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 seven 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 though the government annulled the privatization of Benin's state cotton company in November 2007 after the discovery of irregularities in the bidding process. 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. An insufficient electrical supply continues to adversely affect Benin's economic growth though the government recently has taken steps to increase domestic power production. Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy, accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 9 million tourists visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and by its summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage has recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its "tax haven" status, also contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural production is limited - only 2% of the land is arable - and most food has to be imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep raising. Manufacturing output consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.
Electricity - consumption 587 million kWh (2005) NA kWh
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 595 million kWh (2005) NA kWh; note - most electricity supplied by Spain and France; Andorra generates a small amount of hydropower
Electricity - production 105 million kWh (2005) NA kWh
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m
lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m


highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m
Environment - current issues inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid 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, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Hazardous Wastes


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) Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other 6% (1998)
Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003) euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)
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: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002); Spanish Coprince Bishop Joan Enric VIVES i SICILIA (since 12 May 2003), represented by Nemesi MARQUES i OSTE (since NA)


head of government: Executive Council President Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA (since 27 May 2005)


cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive Council president


elections: Executive Council president elected by the General Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year term; election last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held April-May 2005)


election results: Marc FORNE MOLNE elected executive council president; percent of General Council vote - NA%
Exports 0 bbl/day (2007) $58 million f.o.b. (1998)
Exports - commodities cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood tobacco products, furniture
Exports - partners China 20.9%, Indonesia 7.7%, India 7%, Netherlands 6.2%, Niger 5.7%, Togo 4.6%, Nigeria 4.3% (2006) Spain 58%, France 34% (2000)
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 three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the coat of arms features a quartered shield; similar to the flags of Chad and Romania, which do not have a national coat of arms in the center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 33.2%


industry: 14.5%


services: 52.3% (2007 est.)
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $26,800 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.5% (2007 est.) 2% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 9 30 N, 2 15 E 42 30 N, 1 30 E
Geography - note sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in the Pyrenees
Highways - total: 269 km


paved: 198 km


unpaved: 71 km
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.1%


highest 10%: 29% (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 16,830 bbl/day (2007 est.) $1.077 billion (1998)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products consumer goods, food, electricity
Imports - partners China 46.6%, France 7.5%, Thailand 6% (2006) Spain 48%, France 35%, US 2.3% (2000)
Independence 1 August 1960 (from France) 1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of the French count of Foix and the Spanish bishop of Urgel)
Industrial production growth rate 4.5% (2007 est.) NA%
Industries textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber, banking
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: 4.05 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.38 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 3.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.5% (2007 est.) 4.3% (2000)
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, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO CE, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNESCO, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTO (observer)
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 Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the Courts or Tribunal de Corts; Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or Tribunal Superior de Justicia d'Andorra; Supreme Council of Justice or Consell Superior de la Justicia; Fiscal Ministry or Ministeri Fiscal; Constitutional Tribunal or Tribunal Constitucional
Labor force 5.38 million (2007 est.) 33,000 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture 1%, industry 21%, services 78% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries total: 1,989 km


border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
total: 120.3 km


border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km
Land use arable land: 23.53%


permanent crops: 2.37%


other: 74.1% (2005)
arable land: 2.22%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 97.78% (2001)
Languages French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese
Legal system based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted 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 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 General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, 14 from a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of the 7 parishes; members serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held March-April 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 41.2%, PS 38.1%, CDA 11%, other 9.7%; seats by party - PLA 14, PS 12, CDA 2
Life expectancy at birth total population: 53.44 years


male: 52.28 years


female: 54.63 years (2007 est.)
total population: 83.51 years


male: 80.6 years


female: 86.6 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 34.7%


male: 47.9%


female: 23.3% (2002 census)
definition: NA


total population: 100%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain
Map references Africa Europe
Maritime claims territorial sea: 200 nm none (landlocked)
Merchant marine - registered in other countries: 1
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of France and Spain
Military branches Benin Armed Forces (FAB): Army (l'Arme de Terre), Benin Navy (Forces Navales Beninois, FNB), Benin People's Air Force (Force Aerienne Populaire de Benin, FAPB) (2008) no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.7% (2006) -
National holiday National Day, 1 August (1960) Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)
Nationality noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
noun: Andorran(s)


adjective: Andorran
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March avalanches
Natural resources small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead
Net migration rate 0.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Political parties and leaders Alliance for Dynamic Democracy or ADD; Alliance of Progress Forces or AFP; African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Benin Renaissance or RB [Rosine SOGLO]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Force Cowrie for an Emerging Benin or FCBE; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD [Theophile NATA]; Key Force or FC [Lazare SÈHOUÉTO]; Movement for the People's Alternative or MAP [Olivier CAPO-CHICHI]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Dominique HOUNGNINOU]; Social Democrat Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Union for the Relief or UPR [Issa SALIFOU]; Union for Democracy and National Solidarity or UDS [Sacca LAFIA]


note: approximately 20 additional minor parties
Andorran Democratic Center Party or CDA (formerly Democratic Party or PD) [leader NA]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA (formerly Liberal Union or UL) [Albert PINTAT]; Social Democratic Party or PS (formerly part of National Democratic Group or AND) [Mariona GONZALEZ REOLIT]
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.)
70,549 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line 37.4% (2007 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.674% (2007 est.) 0.95% (2005 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 34, shortwave 1 (2007) AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways total: 758 km


narrow gauge: 758 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
-
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 (predominant)
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: 1.07 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female


total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2005 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 subscribership is increasing


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: modern system with microwave radio relay connections between exchanges


international: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and Spain
Telephones - main lines in use 77,300 (2006) 35,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.056 million (2006) 23,500 (2001)
Television broadcast stations 6 (2007) 0 (1997)
Terrain mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys
Total fertility rate 5.08 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.29 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 0% (1996 est.)
Waterways 150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2005) -
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