.i.f., 1995)
commodities: foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, petroleum products,
intermediate goods, capital goods, light consumer goods
partners: France 27%, Thailand 9%, China, Hong Kong
Debt-external: $1.7 billion (1995 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100
centimes
Exchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1-608.36 (January 1998),
583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16
(1993)
note: beginning 12 January 1994 the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100
per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 16,200 (1986 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: fair system of open wire and microwave radio relay
international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean);
submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 2
Televisions: 20,000 (1993 est.)
@Benin:Transportation
Railways:
total: 578 km (single track)
narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)
Highways:
total: 6,787 km
paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways)
unpaved: 5,430 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: navigable along small sections, important only locally
Ports and harbors: Cotonou, Porto-Novo
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 6 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airports-with unpaved runways:
total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1997 est.)
@Benin:Military
Military branches: Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force),
National Gendarmerie
Military manpower-military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower-availability:
males age 15-49: 1,311,490
females age 15-49: 1,378,979 (1998 est.)
note: both sexes are liable for military service
Military manpower-fit for military service:
males: 671,230
females: 698,290 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-reaching military age annually:
males: 65,498
females: 65,112 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: $33 million (1994)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: 3.2% (1994)
@Benin:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics associated with
Nigerian trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for
Western Europe and the US
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