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Compare Dominica (2003) - Benin (2008)

Compare Dominica (2003) z Benin (2008)

 Dominica (2003)Benin (2008)
 DominicaBenin
Administrative divisions 10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul, Saint Peter 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou
Age structure 0-14 years: 27.8% (male 9,807; female 9,571)


15-64 years: 64.3% (male 23,024; female 21,768)


65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,226; female 3,259) (2003 est.)
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 bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, cashews; livestock
Airports 2 (2002) 5 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)
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: 754 sq km


land: 754 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 112,620 sq km


land: 110,620 sq km


water: 2,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Background Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763, which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in office for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean. 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 16.78 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 38.1 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $73.9 million


expenditures: $84.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
revenues: $936.9 million


expenditures: $1.226 billion (2007 est.)
Capital Roseau 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; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Coastline 148 km 121 km
Constitution 3 November 1978 adopted by referendum 2 December 1990
Country name conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica


conventional short form: Dominica
conventional long form: Republic of Benin


conventional short form: Benin


local long form: Republique du Benin


local short form: Benin


former: Dahomey
Currency East Caribbean dollar (XCD) -
Death rate 6.99 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 11.94 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $161.5 million (2001) $1.2 billion (2007)
Diplomatic representation from the US the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; US interests are served by the embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados 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 chief of mission: Ambassador Swinburne LESTRADE


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


telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781


FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791


consulate(s) general: New York
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 protests Venezuela's claim to give full effect to Aves Island, which creates a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea 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 $24.4 million (1995) $374.7 million (2006)
Economy - overview The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and international economic developments. Hurricane Luis devastated the country's banana crop in 1995 after tropical storms wiped out a quarter of the 1994 crop. The economy subsequently has been fueled by increases in construction, soap production, and tourist arrivals. Development of the tourism industry remains difficult however, because of the rugged coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of an international airport. Economic growth is sluggish, and unemployment is greater than 20%. The government has been attempting to develop an offshore financial sector in order to diversify the island's production base. 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 67.35 million kWh (2001) 587 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 595 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 72.41 million kWh (2001) 105 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 47.1%


hydro: 52.9%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m
Environment - current issues NA inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
Environment - international 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: none of the selected 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 black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib Amerindian 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 East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999), 2.7 (1998) 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 chief of state: President Nicholas LIVERPOOL (since 10 November 2003)


head of government: Prime Minister Pierre CHARLES (since 1 October 2000); note - assumed post after death of Prime Minister Roosevelt DOUGLAS


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister


elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held NA October 2008); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent of legislative vote - NA%
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 NA (2001) 0 bbl/day (2007)
Exports - commodities bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood
Exports - partners UK 36.1%, Jamaica 18%, US 7.5%, Antigua and Barbuda 6.4%, Guyana 5.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.4% (2002) China 20.9%, Indonesia 7.7%, India 7%, Netherlands 6.2%, Niger 5.7%, Togo 4.6%, Nigeria 4.3% (2006)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June calendar year
Flag description green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes) two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side
GDP purchasing power parity - $380 million (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 18%


industry: 24%


services: 58% (2002 est.)
agriculture: 33.2%


industry: 14.5%


services: 52.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 1.2% (2002 est.) 4.5% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 15 25 N, 61 20 W 9 30 N, 2 15 E
Geography - note known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in the world sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands
Highways total: 780 km


paved: 393 km


unpaved: 387 km (1999 est.)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 3.1%


highest 10%: 29% (2003)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; minor cannabis producer; anti-money-laundering enforcement is weak, making the country particularly vulnerable to money laundering transshipment point used by Nigerian traffickers for narcotics destined for Western Europe; vulnerable to money laundering due to poorly enforced financial regulations
Imports NA (2001) 16,830 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products
Imports - partners China 23.9%, US 23.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 11.9%, South Korea 7.6%, UK 7.3%, Japan 4.5% (2002) China 46.6%, France 7.5%, Thailand 6% (2006)
Independence 3 November 1978 (from UK) 1 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate -10% (1997 est.) 4.5% (2007 est.)
Industries soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement
Infant mortality rate total: 15.34 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 20.29 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 10.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
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) 1% (2001 est.) 2.5% (2007 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO 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
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 16 (2000) -
Irrigated land NA sq km 120 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of Appeal and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction) Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice
Labor force 25,000 5.38 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28% -
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: 4%


permanent crops: 16%


other: 80% (1998 est.)
arable land: 23.53%


permanent crops: 2.37%


other: 74.1% (2005)
Languages English (official), French patois French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)
Legal system based on English common law based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 31 January 2000 (next to be held by 17 July 2005) note - tradition dictates that the election will be held within five years of the last election, but technically it is five years from the first seating of parliament (17 April 2000) plus a 90 day grace period


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -DLP 10, UWP 9, DFP 2
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: 74.12 years


male: 71.23 years


female: 77.15 years (2003 est.)
total population: 53.44 years


male: 52.28 years


female: 54.63 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school


total population: 94%


male: 94%


female: 94% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 34.7%


male: 47.9%


female: 23.3% (2002 census)
Location Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims contiguous zone: 24 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
territorial sea: 200 nm
Merchant marine none (2002 est.) -
Military branches Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (including Special Service Unit, Coast Guard) 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 - dollar figure $NA -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 1.7% (2006)
National holiday Independence Day, 3 November (1978) National Day, 1 August (1960)
Nationality noun: Dominican(s)


adjective: Dominican
noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
Natural hazards flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March
Natural resources timber, hydropower, arable land small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Net migration rate -16.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 0.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica Labor Party or DLP [Pierre CHARLES]; United Workers Party or UWP [Edison JAMES] 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 Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party) NA
Population 69,655 (July 2003 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 30% (2002 est.) 37.4% (2007 est.)
Population growth rate -0.63% (2003 est.) 2.674% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Portsmouth, Roseau -
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 1, FM 34, shortwave 1 (2007)
Railways 0 km total: 758 km


narrow gauge: 758 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Religions Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), none 2%, other 6% 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: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female


total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
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 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: fully automatic network


international: microwave radio relay and SHF radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia
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 19,000 (1996) 77,300 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 461 (1996) 1.056 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 0 (however, there is one cable television company) (1997) 6 (2007)
Terrain rugged mountains of volcanic origin mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Total fertility rate 1.99 children born/woman (2003 est.) 5.08 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 23% (2000 est.) NA%
Waterways none 150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2005)
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