mbly;

National Revolutionary Assembly--dissolved 1 March 1990 and
replaced by a 24-member interim High Council of the Republic with
legislative elections for new institutions planned for February 1991

Communists: dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989

Member of: ACP, AfDB, CEAO, EAMA, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, G-77, GATT,
IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, Niger
River Commission, OAU, OCAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Theophile NATA; Chancery at
2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 232-6656;
US--Ambassador Harriet ISOM; Embassy at Rue Caporal Anani Bernard,
Cotonou (mailing address is B. P. 2012, Cotonou); telephone p229o 30-06-50

Flag: green with a red five-pointed star in the upper hoist-side corner

- Economy
Overview: Benin is one of the least developed countries in the world
because of limited natural resources and a poorly developed infrastructure.
Agriculture accounts for almost 45% of GDP, employs about 60% of
the labor force, and generates a major share of foreign exchange earnings.
The industrial sector contributes only about 15% to GDP and employs
2% of the work force. Persistently low prices in recent years have
limited hard currency earnings from Benin's major exports of agricultural
products and crude oil.

GDP: $1.7 billion, per capita $335; real growth rate 1.8% (1988)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.3% (1988)

Unemployment: NA

Budget: revenues $168 million; expenditures $317 million, including
capital expenditures of $97 million (1989)

Exports: $226 million (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities--crude oil, cotton, palm products, cocoa;
partners--FRG 36%, France 16%, Spain 14%, Italy 8%, UK 7%

Imports: $413 million (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities--foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, petroleum products,
intermediate goods, capital goods, light consumer goods;
partners--France 34%, Netherlands 10%, Japan 7%, Italy 6%, US 5%

External debt: $1.0 billion (December 1989 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate - 0.7% (1988)

Electricity: 28,000 kW capacity; 24 million kWh produced,
5 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries: palm oil and palm kernel oil processing, textiles, beverages,
petroleum

Agriculture: small farms produce 90% of agricultural output;
production is dominated by food crops--corn, sorghum, cassava, beans,
and rice; cash crops include cotton, palm oil, and peanuts