Benin

The territory of Dahomey 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.

Capital City: Porto Novo (+1 GMT)

Chief of State: President Thomas YAYI Boni

Head of Govt.: President Thomas YAYI Boni

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc

Main Cities: Cotonou

Major Languages: French, Fon, and Yoruba

Calling Code: 229

Voltage: 220V

Primary Religions: Indigenous beliefs, Christian, Muslim

Main Airports

Cotonou Cadjehoun (COO)

U.S. Embassy

rue Caporal Bernard Anani, 01 BP 2012, Cotonou, Benin
tel. 229-21-30-06-50

Statistics

GDP: purchasing power parity:

$8.553 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity:

1,100 (2005 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.5% (2005 est.)

Labor force:

NA

Exports:

$826.9 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - partners:

China 31.3%, Indonesia 8.1%, India 7.4%, Niger 6%, Togo 4.8%, Thailand 4.8%, Nigeria 4.6% (2005)

Imports:

$1.043 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - partners:

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)

Population:

7,862,944

Population growth rate:

2.73% (2006 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line:

33% (2001 est.)

Major Industries:

textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement

Employing Workers: 121*

Registering Property: 85*

Enforcing Contracts: 162*

Closing a Business: 98*

*2006 World Bank rank out of 175 countries