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Compare French Polynesia (2001) - Benin (2008)

Compare French Polynesia (2001) z Benin (2008)

 French Polynesia (2001)Benin (2008)
 French PolynesiaBenin
Administrative divisions none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent

note:
Clipperton Island is administered by France from French Polynesia
12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou
Age structure 0-14 years:
29.74% (male 38,473; female 36,925)

15-64 years:
65.17% (male 86,128; female 79,076)

65 years and over:
5.09% (male 6,481; female 6,423) (2001 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 coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, cashews; livestock
Airports 45 (2000 est.) 5 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total:
32

over 3,047 m:
2

1,524 to 2,437 m:
5

914 to 1,523 m:
19

under 914 m:
6 (2000 est.)
total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
13

914 to 1,523 m:
3

under 914 m:
10 (2000 est.)
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:
4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)

land:
3,660 sq km

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


land: 110,620 sq km


water: 2,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Background The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. 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 18.6 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 38.1 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues:
$1 billion

expenditures:
$900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996)
revenues: $936.9 million


expenditures: $1.226 billion (2007 est.)
Capital Papeete 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, but moderate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Coastline 2,525 km 121 km
Constitution 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) adopted by referendum 2 December 1990
Country name conventional long form:
Territory of French Polynesia

conventional short form:
French Polynesia

local long form:
Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise

local short form:
Polynesie Francaise

former:
French Colony of Oceania
conventional long form: Republic of Benin


conventional short form: Benin


local long form: Republique du Benin


local short form: Benin


former: Dahomey
Currency Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF) -
Death rate 4.45 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 11.94 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $NA $1.2 billion (2007)
Dependency status overseas territory of France since 1946 -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of France) 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 (overseas territory of France) 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 $367 million (1997) $374.7 million (2006)
Economy - overview Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefited from a five-year (1994-98) development agreement with France aimed principally at creating new jobs. 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 399.9 million kWh (1999) 587 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 595 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 430 million kWh (1999) 105 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
51.16%

hydro:
48.84%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Mont Orohena 2,241 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, 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 Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% 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 Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 127.11 (January 2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996); note - pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro 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 Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Paul RONCIERE (since NA 1994)

head of government:
President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of the Territorial Assembly Justin ARAPARI (since 13 May 1996)

cabinet:
Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers

elections:
French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly
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 $205 million (f.o.b., 1999) 0 bbl/day (2007)
Exports - commodities cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997) cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood
Exports - partners Japan 62%, US 21% (1999) 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 calendar year
Flag description two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side
GDP purchasing power parity - $2.6 billion (1997 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
4%

industry:
18%

services:
78% (1997)
agriculture: 33.2%


industry: 14.5%


services: 52.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $10,800 (1997 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 2.5% (1997 est.) 4.5% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 15 00 S, 140 00 W 9 30 N, 2 15 E
Geography - note includes five archipelagoes; Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands
Highways total:
792 km

paved:
264 km

unpaved:
528 km (2000)
-
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 used by Nigerian traffickers for narcotics destined for Western Europe; vulnerable to money laundering due to poorly enforced financial regulations
Imports $749 million (f.o.b., 1999) 16,830 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities fuels, foodstuffs, equipment foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products
Imports - partners France 53%, US 13%, Australia 10% (1999) China 46.6%, France 7.5%, Thailand 6% (2006)
Independence none (overseas territory of France) 1 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 4.5% (2007 est.)
Industries tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement
Infant mortality rate 9.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 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) 1.5% (1994) 2.5% (2007 est.)
International organization participation ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO 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) 2 (2000) -
Irrigated land NA sq km 120 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice
Labor force 70,000 (1996) 5.38 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997) -
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:
1%

permanent crops:
6%

permanent pastures:
5%

forests and woodland:
31%

other:
57% (1993 est.)
arable land: 23.53%


permanent crops: 2.37%


other: 74.1% (2005)
Languages French (official), Tahitian (official) French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)
Legal system based on French system based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held 12 May 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 22, Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia 10, New Fatherland Party 5, other 4

note:
one seat was elected to the French Senate on 24 September 1989 (next to be held NA September 1998); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UC 1; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 25 May - 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 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:
75.01 years

male:
72.67 years

female:
77.46 years (2001 est.)
total population: 53.44 years


male: 52.28 years


female: 54.63 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 14 and over can read and write

total population:
98%

male:
98%

female:
98% (1977 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 34.7%


male: 47.9%


female: 23.3% (2002 census)
Location Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo
Map references Oceania Africa
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
territorial sea: 200 nm
Merchant marine total:
4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,240 GRT/7,765 DWT

ships by type:
cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2000 est.)
-
Military - note defense is the responsibility of France -
Military branches French Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie 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 Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) National Day, 1 August (1960)
Nationality noun:
French Polynesian(s)

adjective:
French Polynesian
noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
Natural hazards occasional cyclonic storms in January hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March
Natural resources timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Net migration rate 3.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 0.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders Centrist Union or UC [leader NA]; Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE] 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 NA
Population 253,506 (July 2001 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 NA% 37.4% (2007 est.)
Population growth rate 1.72% (2001 est.) 2.674% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa -
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) AM 1, FM 34, shortwave 1 (2007)
Radios 128,000 (1997) -
Railways 0 km total: 758 km


narrow gauge: 758 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
Religions Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 16% 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:
1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.07 male(s)/female (2001 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:
NA

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
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 52,000 (1997) 77,300 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 5,427 (1997) 1.056 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997) 6 (2007)
Terrain mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Total fertility rate 2.23 children born/woman (2001 est.) 5.08 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 15% (1992 est.) NA%
Waterways none 150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2005)
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