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Compare Northern Mariana Islands (2002) - Benin (2002)

Compare Northern Mariana Islands (2002) z Benin (2002)

 Northern Mariana Islands (2002)Benin (2002)
 Northern Mariana IslandsBenin
Administrative divisions none (commonwealth in political union with the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four municipalities at the second order; Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian 12 provinces; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou
Age structure 0-14 years: 23.4% (male 9,208; female 8,902)


15-64 years: 74.8% (male 27,041; female 30,781)


65 years and over: 1.8% (male 690; female 689) (2002 est.)
0-14 years: 47.2% (male 1,616,138; female 1,585,463)


15-64 years: 50.5% (male 1,665,439; female 1,764,966)


65 years and over: 2.3% (male 65,877; female 89,742) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001)
Airports 6 (2001) 5 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)
total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
total: 4


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)
Area total: 477 sq km


land: 477 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
total: 112,620 sq km


land: 110,620 sq km


water: 2,000 sq km
Area - comparative 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Background Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US was approved in 1975. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978. Dahomey gained its independence from France in 1960; the name was changed to Benin in 1975. From 1974 to 1989 the country was a socialist state; free elections were reestablished in 1991.
Birth rate 20.29 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 43.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $193 million


expenditures: $223 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY 2001/02 est.)
revenues: $377.4 million


expenditures: $561.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
Capital Saipan Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government
Climate tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Coastline 1,482 km 121 km
Constitution Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978 December 1990
Country name conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands


conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands


former: Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)
conventional long form: Republic of Benin


conventional short form: Benin


local long form: Republique du Benin


local short form: Benin


former: Dahomey
Currency US dollar (USD) Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Death rate 2.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 14.52 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $NA $1.18 billion (2000)
Dependency status commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs -
Diplomatic representation from the US - chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela E. BRIDGEWATER


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 - 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 Niger have refered to the ICJ the dispute over l'Ete and 14 smaller disputed islands in the Niger River, which has never been delimited; with Nigeria, several villages are in dispute along the Okpara River and only 35 km of the 436 km boundary are demarcated; the Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint remains undemarcated; Benin accuses Togo of moving boundary markers and stationing troops in its territory; two villages are in dispute with Burkina Faso
Economic aid - recipient extensive funding from US $342.6 million (2000)
Economy - overview The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. The key tourist industry employs about 50% of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown. The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is by far the most important industry with employment of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions. The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output averaged a stable 5% in the past five years, but rapid population rise 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. The 2001 privatization policy should continue in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of initial government reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation.
Electricity - consumption NA kWh 523.2 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports - 300 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production NA kWh 240 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 17%


hydro: 83%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m
Environment - current issues contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development 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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500
Exchange rates the US dollar is used Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro
Executive branch chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)


head of government: Governor Juan N. BABAUTA (since NA January 2002); Lieutenant Governor Diego T. BENEVENTE (since NA January 2002)


cabinet: NA


elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held NA November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005)


election results: Juan N. BABAUTA elected governor in a four-way race; percent of vote - Juan N. BABAUTA (Republican Party) 49%
chief of state: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; runoff election held 22 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2006)


election results: Mathieu KEREKOU reelected president; percent of vote - Mathieu KEREKOU 84.1%, Bruno AMOUSSOU 15.9%


note: the four top-ranking contenders following the first-round presidential elections were: Mathieu KEREKOU (incumbent) 45.4%, Nicephore SOGOLO (former president) 27.1%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI (National Assembly Speaker) 12.6%, and Bruno AMOUSSOU (Minister of State) 8.6%; the second-round balloting, originally scheduled for 18 March 2001, was postponed four days because both SOGOLO and HOUNGBEDJI withdrew alleging electoral fraud; this left KEREKOU to run against his own Minister of State, AMOUSSOU, in what was termed a "friendly match"
Exports $NA $35.3 million f.o.b. (2000)
Exports - commodities garments cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa
Exports - partners US Brazil, France, Indonesia, Thailand, Morocco, Portugal, Cote d'Ivoire (2001)
Fiscal year 1 October - 30 September calendar year
Flag description blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side
GDP purchasing power parity - $900 million


note: GDP numbers reflect US spending (2000 est.)
purchasing power parity - $6.8 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
agriculture: 36%


industry: 14%


services: 50% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,040 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA% 5.4% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 15 12 N, 145 45 E 9 30 N, 2 15 E
Geography - note strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands
Heliports 1 (2002) -
Highways total: 362 km


paved: NA km


unpaved: NA km (1991)
total: 6,787 km


paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways)


unpaved: 5,430 km (1997 est.)
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 $437.6 million c.i.f. (2000)
Imports - commodities food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products
Imports - partners US, Japan France, US, China, Cote d'Ivoire, Netherlands, Japan (2001)
Independence none (commonwealth in political union with the US) 1 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 8.3% (2001 est.)
Industries tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts textiles, food processing, chemical production, construction materials (2001)
Infant mortality rate 5.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 88.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.2% (1997 est.) 3% (2001 est.)
International organization participation ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), SPC ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2001) 4 (2002)
Irrigated land NA sq km 120 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice
Labor force 6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (1995) NA
Labor force - by occupation NA -
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: 15.22%


permanent crops: 6.52%


other: 78.26% (1998 est.)
arable land: 15.28%


permanent crops: 1.36%


other: 83.36% (1998 est.)
Languages English, Chamorro, Carolinian


note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home
French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)
Legal system based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 5 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2003); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2003)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 4, Democratic Party 3, Reform Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 16, Democratic Party 1, Covenant Party 1


note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party - Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)
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 1999 (next to be held 30 March 2003)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RB 27, PRD 11, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 9, MADEP 6, Alliance E'toile 4, IPD 4, other 12
Life expectancy at birth total population: 75.95 years


male: 72.85 years


female: 79.23 years (2002 est.)
total population: 49.69 years


male: 48.81 years


female: 50.61 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97%


male: 97%


female: 96% (1980 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 37.5%


male: 52.2%


female: 23.6% (2000)
Location Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, 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 none (2002 est.) none (2002 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the US -
Military branches - Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $27 million (FY96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 1.2% (FY96)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 1,509,760


females age 15-49: 1,536,036


note: both sexes are liable for military service (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 771,373


females age 15-49: 778,730 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 71,278


females: 70,088 (2002 est.)
National holiday Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978) National Day, 1 August (1960)
Nationality noun: NA


adjective: NA
noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
Natural hazards active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November) hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March
Natural resources arable land, fish small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Net migration rate 17.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Political parties and leaders Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Benigno R. FITIAL] African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Front for Renewal and Development or FARD-ALAFIA [Saka SALEY]; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD [Bertin BORNA]; Movement for Citizens' Commitment and Awakening or MERCI [Severin ADJOVI]; Renaissance Party du Benin or RB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]


note: approximately 20 additional minor parties; the Coalition of Democratic Forces, [Gatien HOUNGBEDJI], an alliance of parties and organizations supporting President KEREKOU
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 77,311 (July 2002 est.) 6,787,625


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 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 37% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate 3.49% (2002 est.) 2.91% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Saipan, Tinian Cotonou, Porto-Novo
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)
Radios NA 660,000 (2000)
Railways 0 km total: 578 km


narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2000 est.)
Religions Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found) indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female


total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
general assessment: NA


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


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); submarine cable
Telephones - main lines in use 21,000 (1996) 51,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,200 (1995) 55,500 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (1997) 1 (2001)
Terrain southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Total fertility rate 1.76 children born/woman (2002 est.) 6.14 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% NA%
Waterways none streams navigable along small sections, important only locally
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