Economic Overview
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 seven 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 though the government annulled the privatization of benin's state cotton company in november 2007 after the discovery of irregularities in the bidding process. 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. an insufficient electrical supply continues to adversely affect benin's economic growth though the government recently has taken steps to increase domestic power production.
Environmental Issues
Inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
Government Type
Republic
Population
8,532,547
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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (july 2008 est.)
Location
Western africa, bordering the bight of benin, between nigeria and togo
Area
Total: 112,620 sq km
land: 110,620 sq km
water: 2,000 sq km
Slightly smaller than pennsylvania
Country Aliases
Conventional long form: republic of benin
conventional short form: benin
local long form: republique du benin
local short form: benin
former: dahomey
Capital
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)
Military Service
21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; in practice, volunteers may be taken at the age of 18; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18 months (2006)
International Disputes
In september 2007, economic community of west african states (ecowas) intervened to attempt to resolve the dispute over two villages along the benin-burkina faso border that remain from 2005 icj decision; 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 cross-border gang clashes; talks continue between benin and togo on funding the adjrala hydroelectric dam on the mona river
Sources: Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
