Compare Coral Sea Islands (2004) - Benin (2008)

Compare Coral Sea Islands (2004) z Benin (2008)

	Coral Sea Islands (2004)	Benin (2008)

Administrative divisions	-	12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou
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.)
Agriculture - products	-	cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, cashews; livestock
Airports	-	5 (2007)
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: less than 3 sq km land: less than 3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most important	total: 112,620 sq km land: 110,620 sq km water: 2,000 sq km
Area - comparative	NA	slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Background	Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs.	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.
Birth rate	-	38.1 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	-	revenues: $936.9 million expenditures: $1.226 billion (2007 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)
Climate	tropical	tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Coastline	3,095 km	121 km
Constitution	-	adopted by referendum 2 December 1990
Country name	conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands	conventional long form: Republic of Benin conventional short form: Benin local long form: Republique du Benin local short form: Benin former: Dahomey
Death rate	-	11.94 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	-	$1.2 billion (2007)
Dependency status	territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (territory of Australia)	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
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (territory of Australia)	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
Disputes - international	none	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
Economic aid - recipient	-	$374.7 million (2006)
Economy - overview	no economic activity	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.
Electricity - consumption	-	587 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	-	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	-	595 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production	-	105 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m
Environment - current issues	no permanent fresh water resources	inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
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)
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)
Executive branch	administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories	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%
Exports	-	0 bbl/day (2007)
Exports - commodities	-	cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood
Exports - partners	-	China 20.9%, Indonesia 7.7%, India 7%, Netherlands 6.2%, Niger 5.7%, Togo 4.6%, Nigeria 4.3% (2006)
Fiscal year	-	calendar year
Flag description	the flag of Australia is used	two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side
GDP - composition by sector	-	agriculture: 33.2% industry: 14.5% services: 52.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-	4.5% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates	18 00 S, 152 00 E	9 30 N, 2 15 E
Geography - note	important nesting area for birds and turtles	sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands
Household income or consumption by percentage share	-	lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 29% (2003)
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.)
Imports - commodities	-	foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products
Imports - partners	-	China 46.6%, France 7.5%, Thailand 6% (2006)
Independence	-	1 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate	-	4.5% (2007 est.)
Industries	-	textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement
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.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-	2.5% (2007 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
Irrigated land	0 sq km (1998 est.)	120 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch	-	Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice
Labor force	-	5.38 million (2007 est.)
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 1,989 km border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
Land use	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2001)	arable land: 23.53% permanent crops: 2.37% other: 74.1% (2005)
Languages	-	French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)
Legal system	the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply	based on French civil law and customary law; 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
Life expectancy at birth	-	total population: 53.44 years male: 52.28 years female: 54.63 years (2007 est.)
Literacy	-	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 34.7% male: 47.9% female: 23.3% (2002 census)
Location	Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia	Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo
Map references	Oceania	Africa
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm	territorial sea: 200 nm
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors	-
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)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	1.7% (2006)
National holiday	-	National Day, 1 August (1960)
Nationality	-	noun: Beninese (singular and plural) adjective: Beninese
Natural hazards	occasional tropical cyclones	hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March
Natural resources	NEGL	small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Net migration rate	-	0.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 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
Political pressure groups and leaders	-	NA
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station (2004 est.)	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.)
Population below poverty line	-	37.4% (2007 est.)
Population growth rate	-	2.674% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors	none; offshore anchorage only	-
Radio broadcast stations	-	AM 1, FM 34, shortwave 1 (2007)
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)
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.)
Suffrage	-	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)
Telephones - main lines in use	-	77,300 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular	-	1.056 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations	-	6 (2007)
Terrain	sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)	mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Total fertility rate	-	5.08 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	-	NA%
Waterways	-	150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2005)

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