uly 1998 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 48% (male 1,465,067; female 1,455,852)
15-64 years: 50% (male 1,455,224; female 1,582,880)
65 years and over: 2% (male 61,523; female 80,253) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.31% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 45.82 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 12.77 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 100.22 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.61 years
male: 51.56 years
female: 55.72 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.48 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Beninese (singular and plural)
adjective: Beninese

Ethnic groups: African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being
Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500

Religions: indigenous beliefs 70%, Muslim 15%, Christian 15%

Languages: French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars
in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37%
male: 48.7%
female: 25.8% (1995 est.)

@Benin:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Benin
conventional short form: Benin
local long form: Republique du Benin
local short form: Benin
former: Dahomey

Data code: BN

Government type: republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped
Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February
1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991

National capital: Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the
seat of government

Administrative divisions: 6 departments; Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou,
Mono, Oueme, Zou

Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: National Day, 1 August (1990)

Constitution: 2 December 1990

Legal system: based on French civil law and customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

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 a