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Compare Seychelles (2008) - Benin (2006)

Compare Seychelles (2008) z Benin (2006)

 Seychelles (2008)Benin (2006)
 SeychellesBenin
Administrative divisions 23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis, Takamaka 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou
Age structure 0-14 years: 25.4% (male 10,504/female 10,272)


15-64 years: 68.5% (male 27,405/female 28,706)


65 years and over: 6.1% (male 1,590/female 3,418) (2007 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, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; poultry; tuna cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts; livestock
Airports 15 (2007) 5 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways total: 9


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 6


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 6


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 4 (2007)
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: 455 sq km


land: 455 sq km


water: 0 sq km
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 A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new constitution and free elections in 1993. President France-Albert RENE, who had served since 1977, was re-elected in 2001, but stepped down in 2004. Vice President James MICHEL took over the presidency and in July 2006 was elected to a new five-year term. 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 15.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 38.85 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $380.9 million


expenditures: $361.2 million (2007 est.)
revenues: $766.8 million


expenditures: $1.017 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Capital name: Victoria


geographic coordinates: 4 38 S, 55 27 E


time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May) tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Coastline 491 km 121 km
Constitution 18 June 1993 December 1990
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles


conventional short form: Seychelles


local long form: Republic of Seychelles


local short form: Seychelles
conventional long form: Republic of Benin


conventional short form: Benin


local long form: Republique du Benin


local short form: Benin


former: Dahomey
Death rate 6.25 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 12.22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $957 million (31 December 2007 est.) $1.6 billion (2000)
Diplomatic representation from the US the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Seychelles 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 chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Ronald JUMEAU


chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017


telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785


FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786
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 together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory) 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 $18.81 million (2005) $342.6 million (2000)
Economy - overview Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the pre-independence, near-subsistence level, moving the island into the upper-middle income group of countries. Growth has been led by the tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than 70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years, the government has encouraged foreign investment to upgrade hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. Sharp drops illustrated the vulnerability of the tourist sector in 1991-92 due largely to the Gulf War and once again following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Economic growth slowed in 1998-2002 and fell in 2003-04, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors, but resumed in 2005-07. Real GDP grew by 5.8% in 2007, driven by tourism and a boom in tourism-related construction. The Seychelles rupee was allowed to depreciate in 2006 after being overvalued for years and fell by 10% in the first 9 months of 2007. 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 193.4 million kWh (2005) 538.2 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 474 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 208 million kWh (2005) 69 million kWh (2003)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m
Environment - current issues water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater 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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


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


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500
Exchange rates Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 6.5 (2007), 5.5 (2006), 5.5 (2005), 5.5 (2004), 5.4007 (2003) 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: President James Alix MICHEL (since 14 April 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held 28-30 July 2006 (next to be held in 2011)


election results: President James MICHEL elected president; percent of vote - James MICHEL 53.73%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN 45.71%, Philippe BOULLE 0.56%; note - this was the first election in which President James MICHEL participated; he was originally sworn in as president after former president France Albert RENE stepped down in April 2004
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 0 bbl/day (2004) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports) cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa
Exports - partners UK 25.5%, France 17.5%, Italy 11.9%, Mauritius 8.5%, Japan 8.3%, Spain 8.2%, Netherlands 4.3% (2006) China 31.3%, Indonesia 8.1%, India 7.4%, Niger 6%, Togo 4.8%, Thailand 4.8%, Nigeria 4.6% (2005)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 2.4%


industry: 25.6%


services: 72% (2007 est.)
agriculture: 31.6%


industry: 13.8%


services: 54.6% (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.8% (2007 est.) 3.5% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 4 35 S, 55 40 E 9 30 N, 2 15 E
Geography - note 41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands
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 5,800 bbl/day (2004) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products
Imports - partners Saudi Arabia 17.7%, South Africa 9.7%, Spain 8.1%, France 7.8%, Singapore 7.2%, Italy 4.8%, UK 4% (2006) 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 29 June 1976 (from UK) 1 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate 1% (2007 est.) 8.3% (2001 est.)
Industries fishing, tourism, processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement
Infant mortality rate total: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 18.67 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 10.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 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) 2.9% (2007 est.) 3.5% (2005 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) 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 120 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the president Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice
Labor force 30,900 (1996) 3.211 million
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 10%


industry: 19%


services: 71% (1989)
-
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: 2.17%


permanent crops: 13.04%


other: 84.79% (2005)
arable land: 23.53%


permanent crops: 2.37%


other: 74.1% (2005)
Languages Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2% (2002 census) 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, French civil law, and customary law based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats; 25 members elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least 10% of the vote; to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 10-12 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012)


election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 56.2%, SNP 43.8%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11
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: 72.34 years


male: 66.98 years


female: 77.86 years (2007 est.)
total population: 53.04 years


male: 51.9 years


female: 54.22 years (2006 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 91.8%


male: 91.4%


female: 92.3% (2002 census)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 33.6%


male: 46.4%


female: 22.6% (2002 est.)
Location archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 108,348 GRT/165,593 DWT


by type: cargo 1, carrier 1, chemical tanker 4


foreign-owned: 3 (Hong Kong 1, Nigeria 1, South Africa 1) (2007)
-
Military branches Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes Naval Wing, Air Wing), National Guard (2005) Army, Navy, Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $100.9 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2% (2006 est.) 2.3% (2005 est.)
National holiday Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993) National Day, 1 August (1960)
Nationality noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)


adjective: Seychellois
noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
Natural hazards lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March
Natural resources fish, copra, cinnamon trees small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Net migration rate -5.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Political parties and leaders Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Paul CHOW]; Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United Opposition or UO); Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE, James MICHEL] (the governing party) 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 Roman Catholic Church; trade unions NA
Population 81,895 (July 2007 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 0.432% (2007 est.) 2.73% (2006 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (2001) AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)
Railways - total: 578 km


narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Religions Roman Catholic 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.1%, other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other non-Christian 1.5%, unspecified 1.5%, none 0.6% (2002 census) indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.023 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.955 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.465 male(s)/female


total population: 0.932 male(s)/female (2007 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 17 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: effective system


domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 110 telephones per 100 persons; radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago


international: country code - 248; direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
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 20,700 (2006) 76,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 70,300 (2006) 386,700 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997) 1 (2001)
Terrain Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Total fertility rate 1.74 children born/woman (2007 est.) 5.2 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% NA%
Waterways - 150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2005)
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