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Compare Trinidad and Tobago (2008) - Benin (2002)

Compare Trinidad and Tobago (2008) z Benin (2002)

 Trinidad and Tobago (2008)Benin (2002)
 Trinidad and TobagoBenin
Administrative divisions 9 regional corporations, 2 city corporations, 3 borough corporations, 1 ward


regional corporations: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin, Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco


city corporations: Port-of-Spain, San Fernando


borough corporations: Arima, Chaguanas, Point Fortin


ward: Tobago
12 provinces; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou
Age structure 0-14 years: 19.5% (male 105,994/female 100,156)


15-64 years: 71.6% (male 397,699/female 358,755)


65 years and over: 8.9% (male 42,039/female 51,965) (2007 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 cocoa, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001)
Airports 6 (2007) 5 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
total: 1


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


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
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: 5,128 sq km


land: 5,128 sq km


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


land: 110,620 sq km


water: 2,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Delaware slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Background First colonized by the Spanish, the islands came under British control in the early 19th century. The islands' sugar industry was hurt by the emancipation of the slaves in 1834. Manpower was replaced with the importation of contract laborers from India between 1845 and 1917, which boosted sugar production as well as the cocoa industry. The discovery of oil on Trinidad in 1910 added another important export. Independence was attained in 1962. The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing. The government is coping with a rise in violent crime. 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 13.07 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 43.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $6.415 billion


expenditures: $6.214 billion (2007 est.)
revenues: $377.4 million


expenditures: $561.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
Capital name: Port-of-Spain


geographic coordinates: 10 39 N, 61 31 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of government
Climate tropical; rainy season (June to December) tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Coastline 362 km 121 km
Constitution 1 August 1976 December 1990
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago


conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago
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 10.76 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 14.52 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $3.025 billion (31 December 2007 est.) $1.18 billion (2000)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN


embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain


mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain


telephone: [1] (868) 622-6371 through 6376


FAX: [1] (868) 628-5462
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 Marina Annette VALERE


chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036


telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490


FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130


consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
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 in April 2006, the Permanent Court of Arbitration issued a decision that delimited a maritime boundary with Trinidad and Tobago and compelled Barbados to enter a fishing agreement that limited Barbadian fishermen's catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago's exclusive economic zone; in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compulsory international arbitration under UNCLOS challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's and Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters; Guyana has also expressed its intention to include itself in the arbitration as the Trinidad and Tobago-Venezuela maritime boundary may extend into its waters as well 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 $200,000 (2007 est.) $342.6 million (2000)
Economy - overview Trinidad and Tobago has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for international businesses and has one of the highest growth rates and per capita incomes in Latin America. Recent growth has been fueled by investments in liquefied natural gas (LNG), petrochemicals, and steel. Additional petrochemical, aluminum, and plastics projects are in various stages of planning. Trinidad and Tobago is the leading Caribbean producer of oil and gas, and its economy is heavily dependent upon these resources but it also supplies manufactured goods, notably food and beverages, as well as cement to the Caribbean region. Oil and gas account for about 40% of GDP and 80% of exports, but only 5% of employment. The country is also a regional financial center, and tourism is a growing sector, although it is not proportionately as important as in many other Caribbean islands. The economy benefits from a growing trade surplus. Economic growth reached 12.6% in 2006 and 5.5% in 2007 as prices for oil, petrochemicals, and LNG remained high, and as foreign direct investment continued to grow to support expanded capacity in the energy sector. 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 7.083 billion kWh (2007) 523.2 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 300 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 7.704 billion kWh (2007) 240 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 17%


hydro: 83%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m
Environment - current issues water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion 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, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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 Indian (South Asian) 40%, African 37.5%, mixed 20.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.8% (2000 census) African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500
Exchange rates Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar - 6.3275 (2007), 6.3107 (2006), 6.2842 (2005), 6.299 (2004), 6.2951 (2003) 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 Maxwell RICHARDS (since 17 March 2003)


head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24 December 2001)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament


elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 11 February 2008 (next to be held by February 2013); the president usually appoints as prime minister the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives


election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS reelected president; percent of electoral college vote - NA
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 202,100 bbl/day (2004) $35.3 million f.o.b. (2000)
Exports - commodities petroleum and petroleum products, liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol, ammonia, urea, steel products, beverages, cereal and cereal products, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus fruit, vegetables, flowers cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa
Exports - partners US 59.8%, Spain 5.3%, Jamaica 5.2% (2006) Brazil, France, Indonesia, Thailand, Morocco, Portugal, Cote d'Ivoire (2001)
Fiscal year 1 October - 30 September calendar year
Flag description red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side to the lower fly side two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green band on the hoist side
GDP - purchasing power parity - $6.8 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 0.6%


industry: 62%


services: 37.4% (2007 est.)
agriculture: 36%


industry: 14%


services: 50% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $1,040 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.5% (2007 est.) 5.4% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 11 00 N, 61 00 W 9 30 N, 2 15 E
Geography - note Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands
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%
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; producer of cannabis 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 91,780 bbl/day (2004) $437.6 million c.i.f. (2000)
Imports - commodities mineral fuels, lubricants, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live animals, grain foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products
Imports - partners US 30.6%, Brazil 12%, Venezuela 6.8%, Gabon 4.7%, Colombia 4.6% (2006) France, US, China, Cote d'Ivoire, Netherlands, Japan (2001)
Independence 31 August 1962 (from UK) 1 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate 8% (2007 est.) 8.3% (2001 est.)
Industries petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage, cotton textiles textiles, food processing, chemical production, construction materials (2001)
Infant mortality rate total: 24.33 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 26.15 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 22.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
88.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 7.6% (2007 est.) 3% (2001 est.)
International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO 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) - 4 (2002)
Irrigated land 40 sq km (2003) 120 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission); High Court of Justice; Caribbean Court of Appeals member; Court of Appeals; the highest court of appeal is the Privy Council in London Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice
Labor force 615,400 (2007 est.) NA
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 4%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 12.9%, construction and utilities 17.5%, services 65.6% (2006 est.) -
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: 14.62%


permanent crops: 9.16%


other: 76.22% (2005)
arable land: 15.28%


permanent crops: 1.36%


other: 83.36% (1998 est.)
Languages English (official), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), French, Spanish, Chinese 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; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31 seats; 16 members appointed by the ruling party, nine by the President, six by the opposition party to serve a maximum term of five years) and the House of Representatives (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: House of Representatives - last held on 5 November 2007 (next to be held in 2012)


election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM 46%, UNC 29.7%; seats by party - PNM 26, UNC 15


note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 12 members serving four-year terms; last election held in January 2005; seats by party - PNM 11, DAC 1
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: 66.85 years


male: 65.87 years


female: 67.87 years (2007 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: 98.6%


male: 99.1%


female: 98% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 37.5%


male: 52.2%


female: 23.6% (2000)
Location Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and Togo
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 200 NM
Merchant marine total: 9 ships (1000 GRT or over) 27,599 GRT/8,081 DWT


by type: passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 2


foreign-owned: 1 (US 1)


registered in other countries: 1 (Bahamas 1, unknown 1) (2007)
none (2002 est.)
Military branches Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force: Ground Force, Coast Guard (includes air wing) (2004) Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), National Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $27 million (FY96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.3% (2006) 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 Independence Day, 31 August (1962) National Day, 1 August (1960)
Nationality noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)


adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian
noun: Beninese (singular and plural)


adjective: Beninese
Natural hazards outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, asphalt small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Net migration rate -11.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines condensate 245 km; gas 1,320 km; oil 563 km (2007) -
Political parties and leaders Congress of the People [Winston DOOKERAN]; Democratic Action Congress or DAC [Hochoy CHARLES] (only active in Tobago); Democratic National Alliance or DNA [Gerald YETMING] (coalition of NAR, DDPT, MND); Movement for National Development or MND [Garvin NICHOLAS]; National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [Dr. Carson CHARLES]; People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY] 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 Jamaat-al Muslimeen [Yasin BAKR] NA
Population 1,056,608 (July 2007 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 17% (2007 est.) 37% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate -0.883% (2007 est.) 2.91% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors - Cotonou, Porto-Novo
Radio broadcast stations AM 4, FM 18, shortwave 0 (2001) AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)
Radios - 660,000 (2000)
Railways - total: 578 km


narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2000 est.)
Religions Roman Catholic 26%, Hindu 22.5%, Anglican 7.8%, Baptist 7.2%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Muslim 5.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4%, other Christian 5.8%, other 10.8%, unspecified 1.4%, none 1.9% (2000 census) indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.058 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.109 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.809 male(s)/female


total population: 1.068 male(s)/female (2007 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 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: excellent international service; good local service


domestic: mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 150 telephones per 100 persons


international: country code - 1-868; submarine cable systems provide connectivity to US and parts of the Caribbean and South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana
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 325,500 (2006) 51,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.655 million (2006) 55,500 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 6 (2005) 1 (2001)
Terrain mostly plains with some hills and low mountains mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Total fertility rate 1.74 children born/woman (2007 est.) 6.14 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 6% (2007 est.) NA%
Waterways - streams navigable along small sections, important only locally
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