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Compare Niue (2004) - Benin (2006)

Compare Niue (2004) z Benin (2006)

 Niue (2004)Benin (2006)
 NiueBenin
Administrative divisions none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the second order 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou
Age structure 0-14 years: NA


15-64 years: NA


65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)
0-14 years: 44.1% (male 1,751,709/female 1,719,138)


15-64 years: 53.5% (male 2,067,248/female 2,138,957)


65 years and over: 2.4% (male 75,694/female 110,198) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts; livestock
Airports 1 (2003 est.) 5 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
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 (2006)
Area total: 260 sq km


land: 260 sq km


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


land: 110,620 sq km


water: 2,000 sq km
Area - comparative 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Background Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately administered. The population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200 in 1966 to about 2,100 in 2004), with substantial emigration to New Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest. 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.
Birth rate NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 38.85 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: NA


expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA
revenues: $766.8 million


expenditures: $1.017 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Capital Alofi 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; modified by southeast trade winds tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Coastline 64 km 121 km
Constitution 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act) December 1990
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Niue


former: Savage Island
conventional long form: Republic of Benin


conventional short form: Benin


local long form: Republique du Benin


local short form: Benin


former: Dahomey
Currency New Zealand dollar (NZD) -
Death rate NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 12.22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $418,000 (2002 est.) $1.6 billion (2000)
Dependency status self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense; however, these responsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercised at the request of the Government of Niue -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand) chief of mission: Ambassador Wayne NEILL


embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou


mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou


telephone: [229] 30-06-50


FAX: [229] 30-06-70
Diplomatic representation in the US none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand) 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 Benin and Burkina Faso military clash in 2006 over sections of riverine boundary involving disputed villages and squatters; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated; in 2005, Nigeria ceded thirteen villages to Benin as a consequence of a 2004 joint task force to resolve maritime and land boundary disputes, but clashes among rival gangs along the border persist; a joint boundary commission continues to resurvey the boundary with Togo to verify Benin's claim that Togo moved boundary stones
Economic aid - recipient $2.6 million from New Zealand (2002) $342.6 million (2000)
Economy - overview The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems of geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall is made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that are used to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut government expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. The agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening, although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil, honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent years has suffered a serious loss of population because of migration of Niueans to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the promotion of tourism and a financial services industry, although Premier LAKATANI announced in February 2002 that Niue will shut down the offshore banking industry. Economic aid from New Zealand in 2002 was about $2.6 million. 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 six 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. Many of these proposals are included in Benin's application to receive Millennium Challenge Account funding - for which it was a finalist in 2004-05. The 2001 privatization policy continues in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of government reluctance. 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. Benin continues to be hurt by Nigerian trade protection that bans imports of a growing list of products from Benin and elsewhere, which has resulted in increased smuggling and criminality in the border region.
Electricity - consumption 2.79 million kWh (2001) 538.2 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 474 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 3 million kWh (2001) 69 million kWh (2003)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m
Environment - current issues increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
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


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Polynesian (with some 200 Europeans, Samoans, and Tongans) African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500
Exchange rates New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003), 2.1620 (2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999) Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner John BRYAN (since NA May 2000)


head of government: Premier Young VIVIAN (since 1 May 2002)


cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers


elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2005)


election results: Young VIVIAN elected premier; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - Young VIVIAN (NPP) 70%, Hunukitama HUNUKI (AI) 30%
chief of state: President YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); runoff election held 19 March 2006 (next to be held March 2011)


election results: YAYI Boni elected president; percent of vote - YAYI Boni 74.5%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI 25.5%
Exports NA (2001) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa
Exports - partners New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia (2000) China 31.3%, Indonesia 8.1%, India 7.4%, Niger 6%, Togo 4.8%, Thailand 4.8%, Nigeria 4.6% (2005)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars - a large one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each arm of the bold red cross two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side
GDP purchasing power parity - $7.6 million (2000 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA


industry: NA


services: 55%
agriculture: 31.6%


industry: 13.8%


services: 54.6% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,600 (2000 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate -0.3% (2000 est.) 3.5% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 19 02 S, 169 52 W 9 30 N, 2 15 E
Geography - note one of world's largest coral islands sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands
Highways total: 234 km


paved: 86 km


unpaved: 148 km (2001)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs - transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western Europe and the US; vulnerable to money laundering due to a poorly regulated financial infrastructure
Imports NA (2001) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, lubricants, chemicals, drugs foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products
Imports - partners New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US (2000) France 21.8%, Ghana 7.1%, Cote d'Ivoire 7%, China 6.7%, UK 5.2%, Belgium 4.9%, Togo 4.5%, Thailand 4.2%, Nigeria 4% (2005)
Independence on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary government in free association with New Zealand 1 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate NA 8.3% (2001 est.)
Industries tourism, handicrafts, food processing textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement
Infant mortality rate total: NA


male: NA


female: NA (2004 est.)
total: 79.56 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 84.09 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 74.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1% (1995) 3.5% (2005 est.)
International organization participation ACP, FAO, PIF, Sparteca, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land NA sq km 120 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice
Labor force NA (1998 est.) 3.211 million
Labor force - by occupation most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board -
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: 15.38%


permanent crops: 11.54%


other: 73.08% (2001)
arable land: 23.53%


permanent crops: 2.37%


other: 74.1% (2005)
Languages Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan; English French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)
Legal system English common law


note: Niue is self-governing, with the power to make its own laws
based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a common roll and 14 are village representatives)


elections: last held 21 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPP 9, independents 11; note - all 20 seats were reelected
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 30 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Presidential Movement (UBF, MADEP, FC, Alliance MDC-PC-CPP, IPD, AFP, MDS, RDP) 52, opposition (PRB, PRD, E'toile, and 5 other small parties) 31
Life expectancy at birth total population: NA years


male: NA years


female: NA years (2004 est.)
total population: 53.04 years


male: 51.9 years


female: 54.22 years (2006 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: 95%


male: NA


female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 33.6%


male: 46.4%


female: 22.6% (2002 est.)
Location Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo
Map references Oceania Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 200 nm
Merchant marine none -
Military - note defense is the responsibility of New Zealand -
Military branches no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force Army, Navy, Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $100.9 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 2.3% (2005 est.)
National holiday Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) National Day, 1 August (1960)
Nationality noun: Niuean(s)


adjective: Niuean
noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
Natural hazards typhoons hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March
Natural resources fish, arable land small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Net migration rate NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Political parties and leaders Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]; Alliance of Independents or AI [leader NA] Alliance of Progress Forces or AFP; African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD; Key Force or FC; Movement for Development and Solidarity or MDS; Movement for Development by the Culture-Salute Party-Congress of People for Progress Alliance or Alliance MDC-PS-CPP; New Alliance or NA; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP; Renaissance Party du Benin or RB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union of Tomorrow's Benin or UBF [Bruno AMOUSSOU]


note: approximately 20 additional minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 2,156 (July 2004 est.) 7,862,944


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 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line NA 33% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate 0.01% (2004 est.) 2.73% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors none; offshore anchorage only -
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)
Railways - total: 578 km


narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Religions Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely related to the London Missionary Society) 75%, Latter-Day Saints 10%, other 15% (mostly Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventist) indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%
Sex ratio NA (2004 est.) at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on island


international: country code - 683
general assessment: NA


domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections


international: country code - 229; satellite earth station - 7 (Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Telephones - main lines in use 1,100 est (2002) 76,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 400 (2002) 386,700 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) 1 (2001)
Terrain steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Total fertility rate NA children born/woman (2004 est.) 5.2 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate NA (March 1999) NA%
Waterways - 150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2005)
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