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Compare South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2003) - Benin (2001)
Compare South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2003) z Benin (2001)
| South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2003) | Benin (2001) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | - | 6 provinces; Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Mono, Oueme, Zou; note - six additional provinces have been reported but not confirmed; they are Alibori, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, and Plateau; moreover, the term "province" may have been changed to "department" |
| Age structure | - | 0-14 years:
47.32% (male 1,574,124; female 1,544,741) 15-64 years: 50.38% (male 1,607,900; female 1,712,360) 65 years and over: 2.3% (male 64,756; female 86,901) (2001 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | - | corn, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, rice, cotton, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, livestock |
| Airports | none (2002) | 5 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | - | total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| 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 (2000 est.) |
| Area | total: 3,903 sq km
land: 3,903 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist of some nine islands |
total:
112,620 sq km land: 110,620 sq km water: 2,000 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than Rhode Island | slightly smaller than Pennsylvania |
| Background | The islands lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been under British administration since 1908, except for a brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from the British Antarctic Survey. The islands have large bird and seal populations, and, recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 NM to 200 NM around each island. | 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 | - | 44.23 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Budget | - | revenues:
$299 million expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of $14 million (1995 est.) |
| Capital | - | Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government |
| Climate | variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow | tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north |
| Coastline | NA km | 121 km |
| Constitution | adopted 3 October 1985 | December 1990 |
| Country name | conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
conventional short form: none |
conventional long form:
Republic of Benin conventional short form: Benin local long form: Republique du Benin local short form: Benin former: Dahomey |
| Currency | - | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States |
| Death rate | - | 14.51 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Debt - external | - | $1.6 billion (1998 est.) |
| Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen ELIZABETH II; Grytviken, formerly a whaling station on South Georgia, is a scientific base | - |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina) | chief of mission:
Ambassador Pamela E. BRIDGEWATER embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou mailing address: B. P. 2012, Cotonou telephone: [229] 30-06-50, 30-05-13, 30-17-92 FAX: [229] 30-14-39, 30-19-74 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina) | chief of mission:
Ambassador Lucien Edgar TONOUKOUIN chancery: 2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996 |
| Disputes - international | briefly occupied by military force in 1982 - claimed by Argentina in constitution but declares it will no longer seek settlement by force | none |
| Economic aid - recipient | - | $274.6 million (1997) |
| Economy - overview | Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from harvesting finfish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels. Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly. | The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output averaged a sound 5% in 1996-99, but a rapid population rise offset much of this growth. Inflation has subsided over the past several years. Commercial and transport activities, which make up a large part of GDP, are vulnerable to developments in Nigeria, particularly fuel shortages. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation in recent years. While high fuel prices constrained growth in 2000, increased cotton production - enabled by a major restructuring program - and an expansion of the Cotonou port, may lead to increased growth in 2001. |
| Electricity - consumption | - | 510.2 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - imports | - | 300 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production | - | 226 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
24.78% hydro: 75.22% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 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, 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 | - | African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500 |
| Exchange rates | - | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); 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 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, 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 | - | $396 million (f.o.b., 1999) |
| Exports - commodities | - | cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa |
| Exports - partners | - | Brazil 14%, Libya 5%, Indonesia 4%, Italy 4% (1999) |
| Fiscal year | - | calendar year |
| Flag description | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion centered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land) | two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side |
| GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $6.6 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture:
37.9% industry: 13.5% services: 48.6% (1999) |
| GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $1,030 (2000 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | - | 5% (2000 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 54 30 S, 37 00 W | 9 30 N, 2 15 E |
| Geography - note | the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 21st century, live on South Georgia | no natural harbors |
| Highways | - | 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% |
| Illicit drugs | - | transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western Europe and the US |
| Imports | - | $566 million (c.i.f., 1999) |
| Imports - commodities | - | foodstuffs, tobacco, petroleum products, capital goods |
| Imports - partners | - | France 38%, China 16%, UK 9%, Cote d'Ivoire 5% (1999) |
| Independence | - | 1 August 1960 (from France) |
| Industrial production growth rate | - | 6.9% (2000 est.) |
| Industries | - | textiles, cigarettes; beverages, food; construction materials, petroleum |
| Infant mortality rate | - | 89.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 3% (2000 est.) |
| International organization participation | - | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNTAET, UPU, WADB, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2000) |
| Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | 100 sq km (1993 est.) |
| Judicial branch | - | Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice |
| Labor force | - | 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: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (1998 est.) |
arable land:
13% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 31% other: 48% (1993 est.) |
| Languages | - | French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) |
| Legal system | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court | based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Legislative branch | - | 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 NA March 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RB 27, PRD 11, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 9, MADEP 6, E'toile 4, Alliance IPD 4, Car-DUNYA 3, MERCI 2, other 7 |
| Life expectancy at birth | - | total population:
49.94 years male: 49.02 years female: 50.88 years (2001 est.) |
| Literacy | - | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 37.5% male: 52.2% female: 23.6% (2000) |
| Location | Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America | Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo |
| Map references | Antarctic Region | Africa |
| Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea:
200 NM |
| Merchant marine | - | none (2000 est.) |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
| Military branches | - | Armed Forces (includes 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:
1,455,433 females age 15-49: 1,489,947 note: both sexes are liable for military service (2001 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
743,980 females age 15-49: 755,149 (2001 est.) |
| Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males:
70,088 females: 73,618 (2001 est.) |
| National holiday | Liberation Day, 14 June (1982) | National Day, 1 August (1960) |
| Nationality | - | noun:
Beninese (singular and plural) adjective: Beninese |
| Natural hazards | the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism | hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter |
| Natural resources | fish | small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber |
| Net migration rate | - | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Political parties and leaders | - | African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Sylvain Adekpedjou AKINDES]; Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD and the National Union for Solidarity and Progress or UNSP [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Cameleon Alliance or AC [leader NA]; Car-DUNYA [Saka SALEY]; Communist Party of Benin or PCB [Pascal FANTONDJI, first secretary]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Front for Renewal and Development or FARD-ALAFIA [Jerome Sakia KINA]; Impulse for Progress and Democracy or IPD [Bertin BORNA]; Liberal Democrats' Rally for National Reconstruction-Vivoten or RDL-Vivoten [Severin ADJOVI]; Movement for Citizens' Commitment and Awakening or MERCI [Severin ADJOVI]; New Generation for the Republic or NGR [Paul DOSSOU]; Our Common Cause or NCC [Francois Odjo TANKPINON]; Party Democratique du Benin or PDB [Col. Soule DANKORO]; Rally for Democracy and Pan-Africanism or RDP [Dominique HOYMINOU, Dr. Giles Auguste MINONTIN]; Renaissance Party du Benin or RB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union for National Democracy and Solidarity or UDS [Adamou N'Diaye MAMA]
note: the Coalition of Democratic Forces is an alliance of parties and organizations supporting President KEREKOU [Gatien HOUNGBEDJI] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
| Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March 2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2003 est.) |
6,590,782
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 2001 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | - | 37.2% (1999 est.) |
| Population growth rate | - | 2.97% (2001 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Grytviken | Cotonou, Porto-Novo |
| Radio broadcast stations | 0 (2003) | AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998) |
| Radios | - | 620,000 (1997) |
| Railways | - | total:
578 km (single track) narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2000) |
| Religions | - | indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% |
| Sex ratio | - | 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: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
| Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken |
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 | - | 36,000 (1997) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 4,295 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations | 0 (2003) | 2 (one privately-owned) (1997) |
| Terrain | most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes | mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains |
| Total fertility rate | - | 6.23 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | - | NA% |
| Waterways | none | streams navigable along small sections, important only locally |
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