

Topic: Photos of Benin

Topic: Introduction
Background: Present day Benin is comprised of about 42 ethnic groups, including the Yoruba in the southeast, who migrated from what is now Nigeria in the 12th century; the Dendi in the north-central area, who came from Mali in the 16th century; the Bariba and the Fula in the northeast; the Ottamari in the Atakora mountains; the Fon in the area around Abomey in the south-central area; and the Mina, Xueda, and Aja, who came from Togo, on the coast. The Kingdom of Dahomey emerged on the Abomey plateau in the 17th century and was a regional power for much of the 18th and 19th centuries. Dahomey had an organized domestic economy, international trade with Europeans, and a highly organized military. The growth of Dahomey coincided with the growth of the Atlantic slave trade, and it became known as a major source of enslaved people. France began to control the coastal areas of Dahomey in the second half of the 19th century; the entire kingdom was conquered by 1894. French Dahomey achieved independence in 1960; it changed its name to the Republic of Benin in 1975.

A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006 and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and independent, who won a second five-year term in March 2011. Patrice TALON, a wealthy businessman, took office in 2016; the space for pluralism, dissent, and free expression has narrowed under his administration. Talon won a second term in April 2021.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo
Geographic coordinates: 9 30 N, 2 15 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 112,622 sq km

land: 110,622 sq km

water: 2,000 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries: total: 2,123 km

border countries (4): Burkina Faso 386 km; Niger 277 km; Nigeria 809 km; Togo 651 km
Coastline: 121 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm; note: the US does not recognize this claim

continental shelf: 200 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Elevation: highest point: unnamed elevation located 2.5 km southeast of the town of Kotopounga 675 m
note - the Factbook map is incorrect; it shows the wrong high elevation

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation: 273 m
Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Land use: agricultural land: 31.3% (2018 est.)

arable land: 22.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 3.5% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 4.9% (2018 est.)

forest: 40% (2018 est.)

other: 28.7% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 230 sq km (2012)
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km)
Population distribution: the population is primarily located in the south, with the highest concentration of people residing in and around the cities on the Atlantic coast; most of the north remains sparsely populated with higher concentrations of residents in the west at shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March
Geography - note: sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands

Topic: People and Society
Population: 13,754,688 (2022 est.)

note: estimates for this country explicitly taken into account the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic
Nationality: noun: Beninese (singular and plural)

adjective: Beninese
Ethnic groups: Fon and related 38.4%, Adja and related 15.1%, Yoruba and related 12%, Bariba and related 9.6%, Fulani and related 8.6%, Ottamari and related 6.1%, Yoa-Lokpa and related 4.3%, Dendi and related 2.9%, other 0.9%, foreigner 1.9% (2013 est.)
Languages: 55 languages; French (official); Fon (a Gbe language) and Yoruba are the most important indigenous languages in the south; half a dozen regionally important languages in the north, including Bariba (once counted as a Gur language) and Fulfulde
Religions: Muslim 27.7%, Roman Catholic 25.5%, Protestant 13.5% (Celestial 6.7%, Methodist 3.4%, other Protestant 3.4%), Vodoun 11.6%, other Christian 9.5%, other traditional religions 2.6%, other 2.6%, none 5.8% (2013 est.)
Demographic profile: Benin has a youthful age structure – almost 65% of the population is under the age of 25 – which is bolstered by high fertility and population growth rates. Benin’s total fertility has been falling over time but remains high, declining from almost 7 children per women in 1990 to 4.8 in 2016. Benin’s low contraceptive use and high unmet need for contraception contribute to the sustained high fertility rate. Although the majority of Beninese women use skilled health care personnel for antenatal care and delivery, the high rate of maternal mortality indicates the need for more access to high quality obstetric care.Poverty, unemployment, increased living costs, and dwindling resources increasingly drive the Beninese to migrate. An estimated 4.4 million, more than 40%, of Beninese live abroad. Virtually all Beninese emigrants move to West African countries, particularly Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire. Of the less than 1% of Beninese emigrants who settle in Europe, the vast majority live in France, Benin’s former colonial ruler.With about 40% of the population living below the poverty line, many desperate parents resort to sending their children to work in wealthy households as domestic servants (a common practice known as vidomegon), mines, quarries, or agriculture domestically or in Nigeria and other neighboring countries, often under brutal conditions. Unlike in other West African countries, where rural people move to the coast, farmers from Benin’s densely populated southern and northwestern regions move to the historically sparsely populated central region to pursue agriculture. Immigrants from West African countries came to Benin in increasing numbers between 1992 and 2002 because of its political stability and porous borders.Benin has a youthful age structure – almost 65% of the population is under the age of 25 – which is bolstered by high fertility and population growth rates. Benin’s total fertility has been falling over time but remains high, declining from almost 7 children per women in 1990 to 4.8 in 2016. Benin’s low contraceptive use and high unmet need for contraception contribute to the sustained high fertility rate. Although the majority of Beninese women use skilled health care personnel for antenatal care and delivery, the high rate of maternal mortality indicates the need for more access to high quality obstetric care.Poverty, unemployment, increased living costs, and dwindling resources increasingly drive the Beninese to migrate. An estimated 4.4 million, more than 40%, of Beninese live abroad. Virtually all Beninese emigrants move to West African countries, particularly Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire. Of the less than 1% of Beninese emigrants who settle in Europe, the vast majority live in France, Benin’s former colonial ruler.With about 40% of the population living below the poverty line, many desperate parents resort to sending their children to work in wealthy households as domestic servants (a common practice known as vidomegon), mines, quarries, or agriculture domestically or in Nigeria and other neighboring countries, often under brutal conditions. Unlike in other West African countries, where rural people move to the coast, farmers from Benin’s densely populated southern and northwestern regions move to the historically sparsely populated central region to pursue agriculture. Immigrants from West African countries came to Benin in increasing numbers between 1992 and 2002 because of its political stability and porous borders.
Age structure: 0-14 years: 45.56% (male 2,955,396/female 2,906,079)

15-24 years: 20.36% (male 1,300,453/female 1,318,880)

25-54 years: 28.54% (male 1,735,229/female 1,935,839)

55-64 years: 3.15% (male 193,548/female 211,427)

65 years and over: 2.39% (male 140,513/female 167,270) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 82.6

youth dependency ratio: 76.6

elderly dependency ratio: 6

potential support ratio: 16.7 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 17 years

male: 16.4 years

female: 17.6 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.34% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 41.15 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 8.01 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: the population is primarily located in the south, with the highest concentration of people residing in and around the cities on the Atlantic coast; most of the north remains sparsely populated with higher concentrations of residents in the west at shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization: urban population: 49.5% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 3.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 285,000 PORTO-NOVO (capital) (2018); 1.189 million Abomey-Calavi, 709,000 COTONOU (seat of government) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.9 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 20.5 years (2017/18 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 25-49
Maternal mortality ratio: 397 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 55.76 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 60.79 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 50.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62.21 years

male: 60.39 years

female: 64.14 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.43 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 15.5% (2017/18)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 79% of population

rural: 70.8% of population

total: 74.7% of population

unimproved: urban: 21% of population

rural: 29.2% of population

total: 25.3% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 2.4% (2019)
Physicians density: 0.08 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Hospital bed density: 0.5 beds/1,000 population
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 56.3% of population

rural: 18.1% of population

total: 36.6% of population

unimproved: urban: 43.7% of population

rural: 81.9% of population

total: 63.4% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.9% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 75,000 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 2,000 (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

animal contact diseases: rabies

respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis

note: on 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Benin is currently considered a high risk to travelers for polio; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 9.6% (2016)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 16.8% (2017/18)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 9.4% (2018)

women married by age 18: 30.6% (2018)

men married by age 18: 4.8% (2018 est.)
Education expenditures: 3% of GDP (2019)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 42.4%

male: 54%

female: 31.1% (2018)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 13 years

male: 14 years

female: 11 years (2016)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 3.9%

male: 3.2%

female: 4.5% (2018 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification (the spread of the desert into agricultural lands in the north is accelerated by regular droughts)
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 33.11 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 6.48 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 5.8 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Land use: agricultural land: 31.3% (2018 est.)

arable land: 22.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 3.5% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 4.9% (2018 est.)

forest: 40% (2018 est.)

other: 28.7% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 49.5% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 3.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 2.24% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

animal contact diseases: rabies

respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis

note: on 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Benin is currently considered a high risk to travelers for polio; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 685,936 tons (1993 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 171,484 tons (2005 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 25% (2005 est.)
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 145 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 30 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 59 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 26.39 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: 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, People's Republic of Benin

etymology: named for the Bight of Benin, the body of water on which the country lies
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: name: Porto-Novo (constitutional capital); Cotonou (seat of government)

geographic coordinates: 6 29 N, 2 37 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: the name Porto-Novo is Portuguese for "new port"; Cotonou means "by the river of death" in the native Fon language
Administrative divisions: 12 departments; Alibori, Atacora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou
Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 August (1960)
Constitution: history: previous 1946, 1958 (preindependence); latest adopted by referendum 2 December 1990, promulgated 11 December 1990

amendments: proposed concurrently by the president of the republic (after a decision in the Council of Ministers) and the National Assembly; consideration of drafts or proposals requires at least three-fourths majority vote of the Assembly membership; passage requires approval in a referendum unless approved by at least four-fifths majority vote of the Assembly membership; constitutional articles affecting territorial sovereignty, the republican form of government, and secularity of Benin cannot be amended; amended 2019
Legal system: civil law system modeled largely on the French system and some customary law
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Benin

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Patrice TALON (since 6 April 2016); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Patrice TALON (since 6 April 2016); prime minister position abolished

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); last held on 11 April 2021 (next to be held in April 2026)

election results: Patrice TALON elected to a second term; percent of vote - Patrice TALON (independent) 86.4%, Alassane SOUMANOU (FCBE) 11.3%, other 2.3%
Legislative branch: description: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats - current 81; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held on 28 April 2019 (next to be held in April 2023)

election results: percent of vote by party - Union Progressiste 56.2%, Bloc Republicain 43.8%; seats by party - Union Progressiste 47, Bloc Republicain 36; composition as of February 2022) - men 75, women 6, percent of women 7.4%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of the chief justice and 16 justices organized into an administrative division, judicial chamber, and chamber of accounts); Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle (consists of 7 members, including the court president); High Court of Justice (consists of the Constitutional Court members, 6 members appointed by the National Assembly, and the Supreme Court president); note - jurisdiction of the High Court of Justice is limited to cases of high treason by the national president or members of the government while in office

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president and judges appointed by the president of the republic upon the advice of the National Assembly; judges appointed for single renewable 5-year terms; Constitutional Court members - 4 appointed by the National Assembly and 3 by the president of the republic; members appointed for single renewable 5-year terms; other members of the High Court of Justice elected by the National Assembly; member tenure NA

subordinate courts: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; district courts; village courts; Assize courts
Political parties and leaders: Alliance for a Triumphant Benin or ABT [Abdoulaye BIO TCHANE]
African Movement for Development and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]
Benin Renaissance or RB [Lehady SOGLO]
Cowrie Force for an Emerging Benin or FCBE [Yayi BONI]
Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]
National Alliance for Development and Democracy or AND [Valentin Aditi HOUDE]
New Consciousness Rally or NC [Pascal KOUPAKI]
Patriotic Awakening or RP [Janvier YAHOUEDEOU]
Social Democrat Party or PSD [Emmanuel GOLOU]
Sun Alliance or AS [Sacca LAFIA]
Union Makes the Nation or UN [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI] (includes PRD, MADEP)
United Democratic Forces or FDU [Mathurin NAGO]

note: approximately 20 additional minor parties
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MNJTF, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Claude Felix DO REGO (since 17 July 2020)

chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656; [1] (202) 232-2611

FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996

email address and website: 
ambassade.washington@gouv.bj

https://beninembassy.us/
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia MAHONEY (since 4 July 2019)

embassy: 01 BP 2012, Cotonou

mailing address: 2120 Cotonou Place, Washington DC  20521-2120

telephone: [229] 21-30-06-50

FAX: [229] 21-30-03-84

email address and website: 
ACSCotonou@state.gov

https://bj.usembassy.gov/2120 Cotonou Place, Washington DC  20521-2120
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side; green symbolizes hope and revival, yellow wealth, and red courage

note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia
National symbol(s): leopard; national colors: green, yellow, red
National anthem: name: "L'Aube Nouvelle" (The Dawn of a New Day)

lyrics/music: Gilbert Jean DAGNON

note: adopted 1960
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 2 (1 cultural, 1 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Royal Palaces of Abomey (c), W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (n)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: The free market economy of Benin has grown consecutively for four years, though growth slowed in 2017, as its close trade links to Nigeria expose Benin to risks from volatile commodity prices. Cotton is a key export commodity, with export earnings significantly impacted by the price of cotton in the broader market. The economy began deflating in 2017, with the consumer price index falling 0.8%.During the first two years of President TALON’s administration, which began in April 2016, the government has followed an ambitious action plan to kickstart development through investments in infrastructure, education, agriculture, and governance. Electricity generation, which has constrained Benin’s economic growth, has increased and blackouts have been considerably reduced. Private foreign direct investment is small, and foreign aid accounts for a large proportion of investment in infrastructure projects.Benin has appealed for international assistance to mitigate piracy against commercial shipping in its territory, and has used equipment from donors effectively against such piracy. Pilferage has significantly dropped at the Port of Cotonou, though the port is still struggling with effective implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. Projects included in Benin's $307 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) first compact (2006-11) were designed to increase investment and private sector activity by improving key institutional and physical infrastructure. The four projects focused on access to land, access to financial services, access to justice, and access to markets (including modernization of the port). The Port of Cotonou is a major contributor to Benin’s economy, with revenues projected to account for more than 40% of Benin’s national budget.Benin will need further efforts to upgrade infrastructure, stem corruption, and expand access to foreign markets to achieve its potential. In September 2015, Benin signed a second MCC Compact for $375 million that entered into force in June 2017 and is designed to strengthen the national utility service provider, attract private sector investment, fund infrastructure investments in electricity generation and distribution, and develop off-grid electrification for poor and unserved households. As part of the Government of Benin’s action plan to spur growth, Benin passed public private partnership legislation in 2017 to attract more foreign investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the development of new food processing systems and agricultural products, encourage new information and communication technology, and establish Independent Power Producers. In April 2017, the IMF approved a three year $150.4 million Extended Credit Facility agreement to maintain debt sustainability and boost donor confidence.The free market economy of Benin has grown consecutively for four years, though growth slowed in 2017, as its close trade links to Nigeria expose Benin to risks from volatile commodity prices. Cotton is a key export commodity, with export earnings significantly impacted by the price of cotton in the broader market. The economy began deflating in 2017, with the consumer price index falling 0.8%.During the first two years of President TALON’s administration, which began in April 2016, the government has followed an ambitious action plan to kickstart development through investments in infrastructure, education, agriculture, and governance. Electricity generation, which has constrained Benin’s economic growth, has increased and blackouts have been considerably reduced. Private foreign direct investment is small, and foreign aid accounts for a large proportion of investment in infrastructure projects.Benin has appealed for international assistance to mitigate piracy against commercial shipping in its territory, and has used equipment from donors effectively against such piracy. Pilferage has significantly dropped at the Port of Cotonou, though the port is still struggling with effective implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. Projects included in Benin's $307 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) first compact (2006-11) were designed to increase investment and private sector activity by improving key institutional and physical infrastructure. The four projects focused on access to land, access to financial services, access to justice, and access to markets (including modernization of the port). The Port of Cotonou is a major contributor to Benin’s economy, with revenues projected to account for more than 40% of Benin’s national budget.Benin will need further efforts to upgrade infrastructure, stem corruption, and expand access to foreign markets to achieve its potential. In September 2015, Benin signed a second MCC Compact for $375 million that entered into force in June 2017 and is designed to strengthen the national utility service provider, attract private sector investment, fund infrastructure investments in electricity generation and distribution, and develop off-grid electrification for poor and unserved households. As part of the Government of Benin’s action plan to spur growth, Benin passed public private partnership legislation in 2017 to attract more foreign investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the development of new food processing systems and agricultural products, encourage new information and communication technology, and establish Independent Power Producers. In April 2017, the IMF approved a three year $150.4 million Extended Credit Facility agreement to maintain debt sustainability and boost donor confidence.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $40.29 billion (2020 est.)

$38.79 billion (2019 est.)

$36.3 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 5.6% (2017 est.)

4% (2016 est.)

2.1% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $3,300 (2020 est.)

$3,300 (2019 est.)

$3,200 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $10.315 billion (2018 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.8% (2019 est.)

1.7% (2018 est.)

0% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Fitch rating: B (2019)

Moody's rating: B2 (2019)

Standard & Poors rating: B+ (2018)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 26.1% (2017 est.)

industry: 22.8% (2017 est.)

services: 51.1% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 70.5% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 13.1% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 27.6% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 31.6% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -43% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: cassava, yams, maize, cotton, oil palm fruit, rice, pineapples, tomatoes, vegetables, soybeans
Industries: textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement
Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 3.662 million (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate: 1% (2014 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 3.9%

male: 3.2%

female: 4.5% (2018 est.)
Population below poverty line: 38.5% (2019 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 47.8 (2015 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1%

highest 10%: 29% (2003)
Budget: revenues: 1.578 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 2.152 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -6.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 54.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

49.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 17.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$1.024 billion (2017 est.)

-$808 million (2016 est.)
Exports: $3.58 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$3.85 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Exports - partners: Nigeria 25%, Bangladesh 14%, United Arab Emirates 14%, India 13%, China 8%, Vietnam 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities: cotton, refined petroleum, gold, cashews, copper (2019)
Imports: $4.31 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$4.67 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

$5.035 billion (2017 est.)
Imports - partners: China 28%, Thailand 9%, India 8%, Togo 6%, United States 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: rice, cars, palm oil, electricity, cotton (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $698.9 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$57.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $2.804 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.476 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

605.3 (2017 est.)

593.01 (2016 est.)

593.01 (2015 est.)

591.45 (2014 est.)

494.42 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 33% (2019)

electrification - urban areas: 58% (2019)

electrification - rural areas: 9% (2019)
Electricity - production: 335 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption: 1.143 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - imports: 1.088 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity: 321,000 kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels: 88% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: 9% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources: 2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves: 8 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption: 38,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 1,514 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 38,040 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 1.133 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 32,386 (2020)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 11,140,891 (2020)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 91.9 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: Benin’s telecom market is restricted by poor fixed-line infrastructure; low use of fixed-line voice and Internet; mobile networks account for almost all Internet and voice traffic; progress on fiber infrastructure through World Bank and the government investment to extend broadband and develop Smart Government program; monopolized fixed-line Internet services access is limited; ICT development will provide telecom services to 80% of the country, mostly via mobile and DSL infrastructure; Benin Smart City construction has begun; improved international Internet connectivity supports growth of m-commerce and m-banking; submarine cable connectivity from African coast to Europe (2020)

domestic: fixed-line teledensity only about 1 per 100 persons; spurred by the presence of multiple mobile-cellular providers, cellular telephone subscribership has increased rapidly, nearing 92 per 100 persons (2020)

international: country code - 229; landing points for the SAT-3/WASC and ACE fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe, and most West African countries; satellite earth stations - 7 (Intelsat-Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media: state-run Office de Radiodiffusion et de Television du Benin (ORTB) operates a TV station providing a wide broadcast reach; several privately owned TV stations broadcast from Cotonou; satellite TV subscription service is available; state-owned radio, under ORTB control, includes a national station supplemented by a number of regional stations; substantial number of privately owned radio broadcast stations; transmissions of a few international broadcasters are available on FM in Cotonou (2019)
Internet country code: .bj
Internet users: total: 3.66 million (2022 est.)

percent of population: 29% (2022 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 29,981 (2021)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.25 less than 1 (2021)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 1 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1 (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 112,392 (2015)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 805,347 mt-km (2015)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: TY
Airports: total: 6 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2021)
Pipelines: 134 km gas
Railways: total: 438 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 438 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)
Roadways: total: 16,000 km (2006)

paved: 1,400 km (2006)

unpaved: 14,600 km (2006)
Waterways: 150 km (seasonal navigation on River Niger along northern border) (2011)
Merchant marine: total: 6

by type: other 6 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Cotonou

LNG terminal(s) (import): Cotonou

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Benin Armed Forces (Forces Armees Beninoises, FAB): Army, Navy, Air Force; Ministry of Interior and Public Security: Republican Police (Police Republicaine, DGPR) (2021)
Military expenditures: 0.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

0.5% of GDP (approximately $130 million) (2019 est.)

0.7% of GDP (approximately $140 million) (2018 est.)

0.9% of GDP (approximately $160 million) (2017 est.)

0.7% of GDP (approximately $130 million) (2016 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: the Benin Armed Forces (FAB) are comprised of approximately 7,000 active duty troops; est. 5,000 Republican Police (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the FAB is equipped with a small mix of mostly older French and Soviet-era equipment (2021)
Military service age and obligation: 18-35 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; a higher education diploma is required; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18 months (2021)
Military deployments: 260 (plus about 160 police) Mali (MINUSMA) (Jan 2022)
Military - note: as of 2021, Benin participated in the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against the terrorist group Boko Haram (see Appendix T) along with Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; the Benin military contingent is in charge of MNJTF garrison duties
 as of 2021, the FAB had a close working relationship with the Belgian armed forces; the Belgians offered advice, training, and secondhand equipment donations, and deployed to Benin for limited military exercisesas of 2021, the FAB had a close working relationship with the Belgian armed forces; the Belgians offered advice, training, and secondhand equipment donations, and deployed to Benin for limited military exercises
Maritime threats: the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships; in 2021, there were 34 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region; although a significant decrease from the total number of 81 incidents in 2020, it included the one hijacking and three of five ships fired upon worldwide; while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping; in 2021, 57 crew members were kidnapped in seven separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 100% of kidnappings worldwide; Nigerian pirates in particular are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-001 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 4 January 2022, which states in part, "Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea"the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships; in 2021, there were 34 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region; although a significant decrease from the total number of 81 incidents in 2020, it included the one hijacking and three of five ships fired upon worldwide; while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping; in 2021, 57 crew members were kidnapped in seven separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 100% of kidnappings worldwide; Nigerian pirates in particular are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-001 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 4 January 2022, which states in part, "Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea"

Topic: Terrorism
Terrorist group(s): al-Qa’ida (Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimeen); Islamic State in the Greater Sahara; Boko Haram

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Benin-Burkina Faso: Benin retains a border dispute with Burkina Faso near the town of Koualau/Kourou.

Benin-Togo: Talks continue between Benin and Togo on funding the Adjarala hydroelectric dam on the Mona River.

Benin-Niger: The location of Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint is unresolved.Benin-Burkina Faso: Benin retains a border dispute with Burkina Faso near the town of Koualau/Kourou.

Benin-Togo: Talks continue between Benin and Togo on funding the Adjarala hydroelectric dam on the Mona River.

Benin-Niger: The location of Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint is unresolved.
Illicit drugs: a significant transit and departure country for cocaine shipments in Africa destined for Europea significant transit and departure country for cocaine shipments in Africa destined for Europe