| Land area (sq. km) |
110,620.00 |
WDI |
| Arable land (% of land area) |
23.96 |
WDI |
| Population, total |
8,177,208.00 |
WDI |
| Population growth (annual %) |
3.21 |
WDI |
| Population density (people per sq. km) |
73.92 |
WDI |
| Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) |
34.66 |
WDI/UN/UNICEF |
| Life expectancy at birth, total (years) |
54.57 |
WDI |
| Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births) |
89.60 |
WDI |
| Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty line (% of population)** |
33.0 (2001 est.) |
WDI/CIA/UNICEF |
| Urban population (% of total) |
39.76 |
WDI |
| Ethnic breakdown |
African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500 |
CIA |
| Religious breakdown |
indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% |
CIA |
| Language |
French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) |
CIA |
| Capital City |
Porto-Novo |
CIA |
| Character of government |
Republic; Administrative Division: 12 departments; Independence day: 1 August 1960 (from France) |
CIA* |
| Current President/Prime Minister |
President Yayi BONI (since 6 April 2006) |
CIA* |
| Executive branch description |
President is the chief of staff and head of state. cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president. elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term) |
CIA* |
| Legislative branch description |
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) |
CIA* |
| Judicial branch description |
Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice |
CIA |
| Women in national parliament (% of total) |
7.00 |
WDI |
| Foreign aid per capita (current US$) |
46.22 |
WDI |
| Foreign direct investment, net inflow (BoP, current US$ bn) ** |
0.60 |
WDI |
| GDP growth (annual %) |
3.10 |
WDI |
| GDP per capita (constant 2000 US$) |
324.11 |
WDI |
| Inflation, consumer prices (annual %) |
0.87 |
WDI |
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
1.78 (1990) |
WDI/CIA/WRI |
| Military expenditure (% of central government expenditure) |
17.00 (1993-2004) |
WDI/WRI/Dept of State/UNICEF |
| Health expenditure, public (% of GDP) |
1.90 (2003) |
WDI/WRI |
| Education expenditure, public (% of GDP) |
3.60 (2002) |
WDI/WRI |
| Main export |
cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa |
CIA |
| Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) |
N/A |
WDI/CIA |
| External debt, total (DOD, current US$) |
1,916,400,000.00 |
WDI/CIA |
| Currency |
Franc (CFA) |
CIA |
| Local Currency Rate, per US$ |
528.29 |
CIA |
| Internet users (per 1,000 people) |
12.23 |
WDI/Comp Industry Almanac |
| Mobile phone subscribers (per 1,000 people) |
29.82 (2003) |
WDI |
| Personal computers (per 1,000 people) |
3.67 |
WDI |
| Telephone mainlines (per 1,000 people) |
8.90 |
WDI |
