44 km
Coastline:
121 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea:
200 nm
International disputes:
none
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Terrain:
mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Natural resources:
small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Land use:
arable land:
12%
permanent crops:
4%
meadows and pastures:
4%
forest and woodland:
35%
other:
45%
Irrigated land:
60 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter; deforestation;
desertification
Note:
recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; no
natural harbors

*Benin, People

Population:
5,166,735 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.33% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
48.09 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
14.8 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
112.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
51.31 years
male:
49.51 years
female:
53.16 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.86 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Beninese (singular and plural)
adjective:
Beninese
Ethnic divisions:
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:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
23%
male:
32%
female:
16%
Labor force:
1.9 million (1987)
by occupation:
agriculture 60%, transport, commerce, and public services 38%, industry less
than 2%
note:
49% of population of working age (1985)

*Benin, Government

Names:
conventional long form: Republic of Benin
conventional short form:
Benin
local long form:
Republique Populaire du Benin
local short form:
Benin
former:
Dahomey
Digraph:
BN
Type:
republic under multiparty democratic rule dropped Marxism-Leninism December
1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty
system completed 4 April 1991
Capital:
Porto-Novo
Administrative divisions:
6 provinces; Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Mono, O