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BENIN COUNTRY REPORT

 

 

 

 

The Republic of Benin is a country in Western Africa formally known as Dahomey or Dahomania . It has a small coast line with the Bight of Benin in the south, borders Togo in the west, Nigeria in the east, and Burkina Faso and Niger in the North.

A range of mountains extends along the northwest border and into Togo; this is the Atacora with the highest point, Mount Sokbaro at 658 meters. Two types of landscape predominate in the south. Benin has fields of lying fallow, mangroves and remnants of large sacred forests.

In the rest of the country, savanna is covered with thorny scrubs and dotted with huge baobab trees. Some forests line the banks of rivers. In the north and the northwest of Benin the Reserve du W du Niger and Pendjari National Park attract tourists eager to see elephants, lions, antelopes, hippos and monkeys.

Benin's climate is hot and humid. Annual rainfall in the coastal area averages 36 cm not particularly high for coastal West Africa . Benin has two rainy and two dry seasons. The principal rainy season is from April to late July, with a shorter less intense rainy period from late September to November.

The main dry season is from December to April, with a short cooler dry season from late July to early September . Temperatures and humidity are high along the tropical coast. In Cotonou, the average maximum temperature is 31 degrees the minimum is 24 degrees. The country covers 116,622 square kilometers.

 

Data
Independence 1 August 1960
Capital Cotonou
Population 7,862,944
Major languages French (official),Fon and Yoruba ( most common vernaculars in south), Nagot, Bariba, Dendi and others
Major religions Indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%,muslim 20%
Life expectancy

Total population:53.04 years

Male:51.9 years

Female:54.22 years

Literacy

Defination: age 15 and over can read and write

Total population:33.6%

Male:46.4%

Female:22.6%

Monetary Unit 1 CFA Franc = 100 Centimes
Major exports cotton, crude oil, palm products and cocoa
GDP Purchasing Power Parity $8.55 billion (2005)
GDP Per Capita $1100(2005)
Goverment Type Multiparty democracy
President Yayi Boni
Cabinet Council of ministers appointed by the president
Judiciary Constitutional court,supreme court and high court
Elections President reelected by popular vote for a five year term and is eligible for a second term
T.I Corruption Index Rank 121 worldwide rank with a score of 2.5 out of 10

Legislature:

Unicameral National Assembly with 83 seats. Members are elected by a direct popular vote to serve four year terms.

Political parties:

Benin's ruling party is termed as the presidential movement which is composed of the following parties:The presidential movement has 51 seats in parliament.

  • Union of Tomorrows Benin (UBF)
  • African Movement for Development and Progress (MDEP)
  • Key Force (FC)
  • Movement for Development and Solidarity (MDS)
  • Renaissance Party of Benin(RB)
  • Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP)
  • Movement for Development by the Culture, Salute Party and Congress of People for Progress Alliance (MDC-PS-CPP)
  • Progress Alliance of Progress Forces (AFP)
  • Impulse for Progress and Democracy (IPD)

Opposition party is led by the Democratic Renewal Party (PRD) and other parties include:It has 31 seats in parliament.

  • The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile)
  • The New Alliance (NA)
  • Benin Rebirth Party
  • Democratic Renewal Party