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Compare Benin (2008) - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2002)

Compare Benin (2008) z Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2002)

 Benin (2008)Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2002)
 BeninSaint Vincent and the Grenadines
Administrative divisions 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou 6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick
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: 28.9% (male 17,093; female 16,497)


15-64 years: 64.8% (male 38,718; female 36,689)


65 years and over: 6.3% (male 3,188; female 4,209) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, cashews; livestock bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; fish
Airports 5 (2007) 6 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
total: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 2 (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: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km)


land: 389 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Pennsylvania twice 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. Disputed between France and the United Kingdom in the 18th century, Saint Vincent was ceded to the latter in 1783. Autonomy was granted in 1969, and independence in 1979.
Birth rate 38.1 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 17.54 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $936.9 million


expenditures: $1.226 billion (2007 est.)
revenues: $94.6 million


expenditures: $85.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) (2000 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)
Kingstown
Climate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)
Coastline 121 km 84 km
Constitution adopted by referendum 2 December 1990 27 October 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 Vincent and the Grenadines
Currency - East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Death rate 11.94 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.12 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $1.2 billion (2007) $167.2 million (2000) (2000)
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 Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador in Barbados is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
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 Ellsworth I. A. JOHN


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


telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730


FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736


consulate(s) general: 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) $47.5 million (1995); note - EU $34.5 million (1998) (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. Bananas and other agricultural products remain the staple of this lower-middle income country's economy. Although tourism and other services have been growing moderately in recent years, the government has been ineffective at introducing new industries. Unemployment remains high, and economic growth hinges upon seasonal variations in the agricultural and tourism sectors. Tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in 1994 and 1995, and tourism in the Eastern Caribbean has suffered low arrivals following September 11. St. Vincent is home to a small offshore banking sector, but its restrictive secrecy laws have come under international review. As of June 2001, it remained on the Financial Action Task Force's list of noncooperative jurisdictions.
Electricity - consumption 587 million kWh (2005) 76.3 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) 82 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 73%


hydro: 27%


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: Soufriere 1,234 m
Environment - current issues inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive
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, 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 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 7%
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 Sir Fredrick Nathaniel BALLANTYNE (since 2 September 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29 March 2001)


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 is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
Exports 0 bbl/day (2007) $53.7 million (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets
Exports - partners China 20.9%, Indonesia 7.7%, India 7%, Netherlands 6.2%, Niger 5.7%, Togo 4.6%, Nigeria 4.3% (2006) Caricom countries 49%, UK 16%, US 10% (1995)
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 vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern
GDP - purchasing power parity - $339 million (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 33.2%


industry: 14.5%


services: 52.3% (2007 est.)
agriculture: 10%


industry: 26%


services: 64% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.5% (2007 est.) -0.8% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 9 30 N, 2 15 E 13 15 N, 61 12 W
Geography - note sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays
Highways - total: 1,040 km


paved: 320 km


unpaved: 720 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 transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; small-scale cannabis cultivation
Imports 16,830 bbl/day (2007 est.) $185.6 million (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels
Imports - partners China 46.6%, France 7.5%, Thailand 6% (2006) US 36%, Caricom countries 28%, UK 13% (1995)
Independence 1 August 1960 (from France) 27 October 1979 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 4.5% (2007 est.) -0.9% (1997 est.)
Industries textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch
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.)
16.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.5% (2007 est.) -0.4% (2001 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 ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 15 (2000)
Irrigated land 120 sq km (2003) 10 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)
Labor force 5.38 million (2007 est.) 67,000 (1984 est.)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture 26%, industry 17%, services 57% (1980 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: 10.26%


permanent crops: 17.95%


other: 71.79% (1998 est.)
Languages French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) English, 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
unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 28 March 2001 (next to be held by March 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ULP 12, NDP 3
Life expectancy at birth total population: 53.44 years


male: 52.28 years


female: 54.63 years (2007 est.)
total population: 72.82 years


male: 71.07 years


female: 74.63 years (2002 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: 96%


male: 96%


female: 96% (1970 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, 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


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - total: 788 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,000,660 GRT/10,702,776 DWT


ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 142, cargo 382, chemical tanker 24, combination bulk 11, combination ore/oil 3, container 47, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large-load carrier 2, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 48, refrigerated cargo 39, roll on/roll off 52, short-sea passenger 13, specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 1


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Albania 1, Anguilla 1, Argentina 1, Australia 2, Bahamas, The 1, Bangladesh 1, Barbados 2, Belgium 4, Bulgaria 14, Canada 1, Cayman Islands 1, China 135, Colombia 1, Croatia 12, Cyprus 6, Denmark 16, Egypt 7, Estonia 6, France 27, Germany 12, Greece 156, Guyana 7, Hong Kong 23, Iceland 1, India 11, Indonesia 3, Israel 2, Italy 19, Japan 1, Kenya 4, Latvia 5, Lebanon 9, Liberia 5, Lithuania 1, Malta 1, Man, Isle of 1, Marshall Islands 3, Mexico 1, Monaco 6, Netherlands 14, Netherlands Antilles 1, Nigeria 3, Norway 33, Pakistan 5, Panama 2, Poland 2, Portugal 2, Puerto Rico 2, Russia 8, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saudi Arabia 3, Singapore 4, Slovenia 7, South Korea 4, Spain 1, Sweden 6, Switzerland 10, Syria 2, Taiwan 1, Thailand 1, Trinidad and Tobago 1, Tunisia 1, Turkey 15, Ukraine 8, United Arab Emirates 45, United Kingdom 16, United States 25, Vietnam 1 (2002 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 Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.7% (2006) NA%
National holiday National Day, 1 August (1960) Independence Day, 27 October (1979)
Nationality noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)


adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat
Natural resources small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber hydropower, cropland
Net migration rate 0.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -7.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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 Reform Party or NRP [Joel MIGUEL]; New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Ken BOYEA]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [leader NA]; United People's Movement or UPM [Adrian SAUNDERS]; Unity Labor Party or ULP [Ralph GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)
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.)
116,394 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 37.4% (2007 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.674% (2007 est.) 0.37% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors - Kingstown
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 34, shortwave 1 (2007) AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios - 77,000 (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) Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, Hindu Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant
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: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 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: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines


international: VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia
Telephones - main lines in use 77,300 (2006) 20,500 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.056 million (2006) NA
Television broadcast stations 6 (2007) 1 (plus three repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains volcanic, mountainous
Total fertility rate 5.08 children born/woman (2007 est.) 2.01 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 22% (1997 est.) (1997 est.)
Waterways 150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2005) none
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