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Compare Benin (2008) - Saint Lucia (2001)

Compare Benin (2008) z Saint Lucia (2001)

 Benin (2008)Saint Lucia (2001)
 BeninSaint Lucia
Administrative divisions 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou 11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux Fort
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:
32.13% (male 25,951; female 24,874)

15-64 years:
62.59% (male 48,568; female 50,430)

65 years and over:
5.28% (male 3,120; female 5,235) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, cashews; livestock bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa
Airports 5 (2007) 2 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


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

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1

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


land: 110,620 sq km


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

land:
610 sq km

water:
10 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Pennsylvania 3.5 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. The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries, was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to the UK in 1814. Self-government was granted in 1967 and independence in 1979.
Birth rate 38.1 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 21.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $936.9 million


expenditures: $1.226 billion (2007 est.)
revenues:
$141.2 million

expenditures:
$146.7 million, including capital expenditures of $25.1 million (FY97/98 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)
Castries
Climate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to April, rainy season from May to August
Coastline 121 km 158 km
Constitution adopted by referendum 2 December 1990 22 February 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:
none

conventional short form:
Saint Lucia
Currency - East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Death rate 11.94 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 5.36 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $1.2 billion (2007) $131.6 million (1998)
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 Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador in Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia
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 Sonia Merlyn JOHNNY

chancery:
3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016

telephone:
[1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795

FAX:
[1] (202) 364-6728

consulate(s) general:
Miami and New York
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) $51.8 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 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. The recent changes in the EU import preference regime and the increased competition from Latin American bananas have made economic diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia. Improvement in the construction sector and growth of the tourism industry helped expand GDP in 1998-99. The agriculture sector registered its fifth year of decline in 1997 primarily because of a severe decline in banana production. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean, and the government is beginning to develop regulations for the small offshore financial sector.
Electricity - consumption 587 million kWh (2005) 102.3 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) 110 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:
Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point:
Mount Gimie 950 m
Environment - current issues inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region
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, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

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) black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1%
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) East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)
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:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dr. Perlette LOUISY (since September 1997)

head of government:
Prime Minister Kenneth ANTHONY (since 24 May 1997) and Deputy Prime Minister Mario MICHEL (since 24 May 1997)

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general
Exports 0 bbl/day (2007) $68.3 million (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil
Exports - partners China 20.9%, Indonesia 7.7%, India 7%, Netherlands 6.2%, Niger 5.7%, Togo 4.6%, Nigeria 4.3% (2006) UK 50%, US 24%, Caricom countries 16% (1995)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
Flag description two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border
GDP - purchasing power parity - $700 million (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 33.2%


industry: 14.5%


services: 52.3% (2007 est.)
agriculture:
10.7%

industry:
32.3%

services:
57% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.5% (2007 est.) 0.5% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 9 30 N, 2 15 E 13 53 N, 60 68 W
Geography - note sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands -
Highways - total:
1,210 km

paved:
63 km

unpaved:
1,147 km (1996)
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 transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe
Imports 16,830 bbl/day (2007 est.) $319.4 million (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels
Imports - partners China 46.6%, France 7.5%, Thailand 6% (2006) US 36%, Caricom countries 22%, UK 11%, Japan 5%, Canada 4% (1995)
Independence 1 August 1960 (from France) 22 February 1979 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 4.5% (2007 est.) -8.9% (1997 est.)
Industries textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing
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.)
15.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.5% (2007 est.) 2.5% (2000 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, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO ACCT (associate), ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 15 (2000)
Irrigated land 120 sq km (2003) 10 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (jurisdiction extends to Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)
Labor force 5.38 million (2007 est.) 43,800
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture 43.4%, services 38.9%, industry and commerce 17.7% (1983 est.)
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:
8%

permanent crops:
21%

permanent pastures:
5%

forests and woodland:
13%

other:
53% (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 patois
Legal system based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on English common 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
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; six members appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and two after consultation with religious, economic, and social groups) and the House of Assembly (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)

elections:
House of Assembly - last held 23 May 1997 (next to be held NA 2002)

election results:
House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SLP 16, UWP 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 53.44 years


male: 52.28 years


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

male:
69 years

female:
76.39 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 has ever attended school

total population:
67%

male:
65%

female:
69% (1980 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
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 - none (2000 est.)
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) Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $5 million (FY91/92)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.7% (2006) 2% (FY91/92)
National holiday National Day, 1 August (1960) Independence Day, 22 February (1979)
Nationality noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
noun:
Saint Lucian(s)

adjective:
Saint Lucian
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March hurricanes and volcanic activity
Natural resources small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential
Net migration rate 0.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -4.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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
National Freedom Party or NFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Kenneth ANTHONY]; United Workers Party or UWP [Dr. Morella JOSEPH]
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.)
158,178 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 37.4% (2007 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.674% (2007 est.) 1.23% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors - Castries, Vieux Fort
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 34, shortwave 1 (2007) AM 2, FM 7 (plus 3 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios - 111,000 (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%, Protestant 7%, Anglican 3%
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:
1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.96 male(s)/female (2001 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:
adequate system

domestic:
system is automatically switched

international:
direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados; international calls beyond these countries are carried by Intelsat from Martinique
Telephones - main lines in use 77,300 (2006) 37,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.056 million (2006) 1,600 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 6 (2007) 3 (of which two are commercial stations and one is a community antenna television or CATV channel) (1997)
Terrain mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys
Total fertility rate 5.08 children born/woman (2007 est.) 2.38 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 15% (1996 est.)
Waterways 150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2005) none
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