San Marino (2005) | Benin (2007) | |
Administrative divisions | 9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino, Montegiardino, San Marino Citta, Serravalle | 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 16.7% (male 2,482/female 2,328)
15-64 years: 66.5% (male 9,255/female 9,943) 65 years and over: 16.9% (male 2,106/female 2,766) (2005 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 | wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef, cheese, hides | cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, cashews; livestock |
Airports | none (2004 est.) | 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: 61.2 sq km
land: 61.2 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 112,620 sq km
land: 110,620 sq km water: 2,000 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Pennsylvania |
Background | The third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See and Monaco) also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According to tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marino in 301 A.D. San Marino's foreign policy is aligned with that of Italy. Social and political trends in the republic also track closely with those of its larger neighbor. | 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. |
Birth rate | 10.18 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 38.1 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $400 million
expenditures: $400 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.) |
revenues: $786 million
expenditures: $1.024 billion (2006 est.) |
Capital | San Marino | 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 | Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers | tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 121 km |
Constitution | 8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions of a constitution | adopted by referendum 2 December 1990 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of San Marino
conventional short form: San Marino local long form: Repubblica di San Marino local short form: San Marino |
conventional long form: Republic of Benin
conventional short form: Benin local long form: Republique du Benin local short form: Benin former: Dahomey |
Death rate | 8.07 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 11.94 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $1.6 billion (2000) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the US Consul General in Florence (Italy) is accredited to San Marino | 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] 21-30-06-70 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | San Marino does not have an embassy in the US
honorary consulate(s) general: Washington, DC and New York honorary consulate(s): Detroit and Honolulu |
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 | $NA | $349.1 million (2005) |
Economy - overview | The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 2000 more than 3 million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries are banking, wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics. Main agricultural products are wine and cheeses. The per capita level of output and standard of living are comparable to those of the most prosperous regions of Italy, which supplies much of its food. | 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. 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 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 | - | 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: Torrente Ausa 55 m
highest point: Monte Titano 755 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
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution |
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 | Sammarinese, Italian | 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 | euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000) | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002) |
Executive branch | chief of state: cochiefs of state Captain Regent Claudio MUCCIOLI and Captain Regent Antonello BACCIOCHI (for the period 1 October 2005 - 31 March 2006)
head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political Affairs Fabio BERARDI (15 December 2003) cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term elections: cochiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great and General Council for a six-month term; election last held NA September 2005 (next to be held March 2006); secretary of state for foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General Council for a five-year term; election last held 13 December 2003 (next to be held June 2006 when general elections are scheduled) election results: Claudio MUCCIOLI and Antonello BACCIOCHI elected captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA%; Fabio BERARDI elected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs; percent of legislative vote - NA% note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council) selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (cochiefs of state) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State), which has 10 other members, all selected by the Grand and General Council; assisting the captains regent are 10 secretaries of state; the secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some of the prerogatives of a prime minister |
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 | trade data are included with the statistics for Italy | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, ceramics | 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 | calendar year |
Flag description | two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS (Liberty) | two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 32.8%
industry: 13.7% services: 53.5% (2006 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $34,600 (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 7.5% (2001 est.) | 4% (2006 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 43 46 N, 12 25 E | 9 30 N, 2 15 E |
Geography - note | landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines | sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands |
Highways | total: 220 km
paved: 220 km unpaved: 0 km (2001) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% (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 | trade data are included with the statistics for Italy | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | wide variety of consumer manufactures, food | foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products |
Imports - partners | - | China 46.6%, France 7.5%, Thailand 6% (2006) |
Independence | 3 September 301 | 1 August 1960 (from France) |
Industrial production growth rate | 6% (1997 est.) | 8.3% (2001 est.) |
Industries | tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine | textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement |
Infant mortality rate | total: 5.73 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.16 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 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) | 3.3% (2001) | 3.8% (2006 est.) |
International organization participation | CE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO | 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, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 120 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII | Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice |
Labor force | 18,500 (1999) | 3.211 million (1996) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 1%, industry 42%, services 57% (2000 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | total: 39 km
border countries: Italy 39 km |
total: 1,989 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km |
Land use | arable land: 16.67%
permanent crops: 0% other: 83.33% (2001) |
arable land: 23.53%
permanent crops: 2.37% other: 74.1% (2005) |
Languages | Italian | French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) |
Legal system | based on civil law system with Italian law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande e Generale (60 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 10 June 2001 (next to be held by June 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 41.4%, PSS 24.2%, PD 20.8%, APDS 8.2%, RC 3.4%, AN 1.9%; seats by party - PDCS 25, PSS 15, PD 12, APDS 5, RC 2, AN 1 |
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: 81.62 years
male: 78.13 years female: 85.43 years (2005 est.) |
total population: 53.44 years
male: 52.28 years female: 54.63 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 96% male: 97% female: 95% (1976 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 34.7% male: 47.9% female: 23.3% (2002 census) |
Location | Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy | Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo |
Map references | Europe | Africa |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | territorial sea: 200 nm |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Italy | - |
Military branches | Voluntary Military Force (Corpi Militari Voluntar); note - performs ceremonial duties and limited police assistance | Benin Armed Forces: Ground Forces Command, Benin Navy, Benin People's Air Force (Force Aerienne Populaire de Benin, FAPB) (2007) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $700,000 (FY00/01) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | 1.7% (2006) |
National holiday | Founding of the Republic, 3 September (301) | National Day, 1 August (1960) |
Nationality | noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural)
adjective: Sammarinese |
noun: Beninese (singular and plural)
adjective: Beninese |
Natural hazards | NA | hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March |
Natural resources | building stone | small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber |
Net migration rate | 10.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 0.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI]; Ideas in Movement or IM [Alessandro ROSSI]; National Alliance or AN [leader NA]; Party of Democrats or PD [Claudio FELICI]; San Marino Christian Democratic Party or PDCS [Giovanni LONFERNINI]; San Marino Popular Alliance of Democrats or APDS [Roberto GIORGETTI]; San Marino Socialist Party or PSS [Alberto CECCHETTI]; Socialists for Reform or SR [Renzo GIARDI] | Alliance for Dynamic Democracy or ADD [Nicephore SOGLO]; Alliance of Progress Forces or AFP; African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Force Cowrie for an Emerging Benin or FCBE; 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; 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 | 28,880 (July 2005 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% | 33% (2001 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.3% (2005 est.) | 2.674% (2007 est.) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000) |
Railways | - | total: 758 km
narrow gauge: 758 km 1.000-m gauge (2006) |
Religions | Roman Catholic | 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: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2005 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: adequate connections
domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into Italian system international: country code - 378; connected to Italian international network |
general assessment: inadequate; fixed-line network is almost saturated with fixed-line teledensity stuck at a meager 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular telephone density of roughly 10 per 100 persons
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 | 20,600 (2002) | 76,300 (2005) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 16,800 (2002) | 750,000 (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from Italy) (1997) | 1 (2001) |
Terrain | rugged mountains | mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains |
Total fertility rate | 1.33 children born/woman (2005 est.) | 5.08 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 2.6% (2001) | NA% |
Waterways | - | 150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2005) |