Dictionary    Maps    Thesaurus    Translate    Advanced >   


Tip: Use the vertical zoom bar to the left in order to zoom in and out.

Try being really specific: e.g. Sydney Opera House or your address and country. Then zoom right in and try satellite view. Drag the map to move around.


World Gazetteer Results for Kérou:
NameKérou
Geographical TypeLocality
Population31244
CountryBenin
Administrative DivisionAtacora
Dictionary Results for Benin:
1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)
Benin
    n 1: a country on western coast of Africa; formerly under French
         control [syn: Benin, Republic of Benin, Dahomey]

2. CIA World Factbook 2002
Benin

   Introduction Benin
   ------------------
                            Background: Dahomey gained its independence from
                                        France in 1960; the name was changed
                                        to Benin in 1975. From 1974 to 1989
                                        the country was a socialist state;
                                        free elections were reestablished in
                                        1991.
  
   Geography Benin
   ---------------
                              Location: Western Africa, bordering the North
                                        Atlantic Ocean, between Nigeria and
                                        Togo
                Geographic coordinates: 9 30 N, 2 15 E
                        Map references: Africa
                                  Area: total: 112,620 sq km
                                        water: 2,000 sq km
                                        land: 110,620 sq km
                    Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
                       Land boundaries: total: 1,989 km
                                        border countries: Burkina Faso 306
                                        km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km,
                                        Togo 644 km
                             Coastline: 121 km
                       Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 NM
                               Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south;
                                        semiarid in north
                               Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain;
                                        some hills and low mountains
                    Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
                                        highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m
                     Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits,
                                        limestone, marble, timber
                              Land use: arable land: 15.28%
                                        permanent crops: 1.36%
                                        other: 83.37% (1998 est.)
                        Irrigated land: 120 sq km (1998 est.)
                       Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may
                                        affect north from December to March
          Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable
                                        water; poaching threatens wildlife
                                        populations; deforestation;
                                        desertification
            Environment - international party to: Biodiversity, Climate
                            agreements: Change, Desertification, Endangered
                                        Species, Environmental Modification,
                                        Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
                                        Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
                                        Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  
                                        signed, but not ratified: none of
                                        the selected agreements
                      Geography - note: sandbanks create difficult access to
                                        a coast with no natural harbors,
                                        river mouths, or islands
  
   People Benin
   ------------
                            Population: 6,787,625
                                        note: estimates for this country
                                        explicitly take into account the
                                        effects of excess mortality due to
                                        AIDS; this can result in lower life
                                        expectancy, higher infant mortality
                                        and death rates, lower population
                                        and growth rates, and changes in the
                                        distribution of population by age
                                        and sex than would otherwise be
                                        expected (July 2002 est.)
                         Age structure: 0-14 years: 47.2% (male 1,616,138;
                                        female 1,585,463)
                                        15-64 years: 50.5% (male 1,665,439;
                                        female 1,764,966)
                                        65 years and over: 2.3% (male
                                        65,877; female 89,742) (2002 est.)
                Population growth rate: 2.91% (2002 est.)
                            Birth rate: 43.66 births/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                            Death rate: 14.52 deaths/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                    Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                             Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
                                        under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
                                        15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
                                        65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/
                                        female
                                        total population: 0.97 male(s)/
                                        female (2002 est.)
                 Infant mortality rate: 88.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
                                        est.)
              Life expectancy at birth: total population: 49.69 years
                                        female: 50.61 years (2002 est.)
                                        male: 48.81 years
                  Total fertility rate: 6.14 children born/woman (2002 est.)
      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 4.1% (2002)
     HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 160,000 (2002)
                                  AIDS:
                     HIV/AIDS - deaths: 37,000 (2002)
                           Nationality: noun: Beninese (singular and plural)
  
                                        adjective: Beninese
                         Ethnic groups: African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most
                                        important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba,
                                        Bariba), Europeans 5,500
                             Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian
                                        30%, Muslim 20%
                             Languages: French (official), Fon and Yoruba
                                        (most common vernaculars in south),
                                        tribal languages (at least six major
                                        ones in north)
                              Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
                                        and write
                                        total population: 37.5%
                                        male: 52.2%
                                        female: 23.6% (2000)
  
   Government Benin
   ----------------
                          Country name: conventional long form: Republic of
                                        Benin
                                        conventional short form: Benin
                                        local short form: Benin
                                        former: Dahomey
                                        local long form: Republique du Benin
                       Government 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 is the official capital;
                                        Cotonou is the seat of government
              Administrative divisions: 12 provinces; Alibori, Atakora,
                                        Atlantique, Borgou, Collines,
                                        Couffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono,
                                        Oueme, Plateau, Zou
                          Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France)
                      National holiday: National Day, 1 August (1960)
                          Constitution: December 1990
                          Legal system: based on French civil law and
                                        customary law; has not accepted
                                        compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
                              Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
                      Executive branch: chief of state: President Mathieu
                                        KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996); note -
                                        the president is both the chief of
                                        state and head of government
                                        head of government: President
                                        Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April
                                        1996); note - the president is both
                                        the chief of state and head of
                                        government
                                        cabinet: Council of Ministers
                                        appointed by the president
                                        elections: president reelected by
                                        popular vote for a five-year term;
                                        runoff election held 22 March 2001
                                        (next to be held NA March 2006)
                                        note: the four top-ranking
                                        contenders following the first-round
                                        presidential elections were: Mathieu
                                        KEREKOU (incumbent) 45.4%, Nicephore
                                        SOGOLO (former president) 27.1%,
                                        Adrien HOUNGBEDJI (National Assembly
                                        Speaker) 12.6%, and Bruno AMOUSSOU
                                        (Minister of State) 8.6%; the
                                        second-round balloting, originally
                                        scheduled for 18 March 2001, was
                                        postponed four days because both
                                        SOGOLO and HOUNGBEDJI withdrew
                                        alleging electoral fraud; this left
                                        KEREKOU to run against his own
                                        Minister of State, AMOUSSOU, in what
                                        was termed a "friendly match"
                                        election results: Mathieu KEREKOU
                                        reelected president; percent of vote
                                        - Mathieu KEREKOU 84.1%, Bruno
                                        AMOUSSOU 15.9%
                    Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or
                                        Assemblee Nationale (83 seats;
                                        members are elected by direct
                                        popular vote to serve four-year
                                        terms)
                                        election results: percent of vote by
                                        party - NA%; seats by party - RB 27,
                                        PRD 11, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 9, MADEP
                                        6, E'toile 4, Alliance IPD 4, Car-
                                        DUNYA 3, MERCI 2, other 7
                                        elections: last held 30 March 1999
                                        (next to be held NA March 2003)
                       Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Cour
                                        Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or
                                        Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice
         Political parties and leaders: African Movement for Democracy and
                                        Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN];
                                        Alliance for Democracy and Progress
                                        or ADP [Sylvain Adekpedjou AKINDES];
                                        Alliance of the Social Democratic
                                        Party or PSD and the National Union
                                        for Solidarity and Progress or UNSP
                                        [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Cameleon Alliance
                                        or AC [leader NA]; Car-DUNYA [Saka
                                        SALEY]; Communist Party of Benin or
                                        PCB [Pascal FANTONDJI, first
                                        secretary]; Democratic Renewal Party
                                        or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Front
                                        for Renewal and Development or FARD-
                                        ALAFIA [Jerome Sakia KINA]; Impulse
                                        for Progress and Democracy or IPD
                                        [Bertin BORNA]; Liberal Democrats'
                                        Rally for National Reconstruction-
                                        Vivoten or RDL-Vivoten [Severin
                                        ADJOVI]; Movement for Citizens'
                                        Commitment and Awakening or MERCI
                                        [Severin ADJOVI]; New Generation for
                                        the Republic or NGR [Paul DOSSOU];
                                        Our Common Cause or NCC [Francois
                                        Odjo TANKPINON]; Party Democratique
                                        du Benin or PDB [Col. Soule
                                        DANKORO]; Rally for Democracy and
                                        Pan-Africanism or RDP [Dominique
                                        HOYMINOU, Dr. Giles Auguste
                                        MINONTIN]; Renaissance Party du
                                        Benin or RB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The
                                        Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile)
                                        [Sacca LAFIA]; Union for National
                                        Democracy and Solidarity or UDS
                                        [Adamou N'Diaye MAMA]
                                        note: the Coalition of Democratic
                                        Forces, [Gatien HOUNGBEDJI], an
                                        alliance of parties and
                                        organizations supporting President
                                        KEREKOU
          Political pressure groups and NA
                               leaders:
             International organization ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS,
                         participation: Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
                                        ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
                                        IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
                                        IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU,
                                        MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW,
                                        UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE,
                                        UNMIK, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU,
                                        WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
                                        WTrO
   Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille
                                        Segbe OGUIN
                                        FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996
                                        telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656
                                        chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW,
                                        Washington, DC 20008
     Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela
                                    US: E. BRIDGEWATER
                                        embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani,
                                        Cotonou
                                        mailing address: B. P. 2012, Cotonou
  
                                        telephone: [229] 30-06-50
                                        FAX: [229] 30-06-70
                      Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow
                                        (top) and red with a vertical green
                                        band on the hoist side
  
   Economy Benin
   -------------
                    Economy - overview: The economy of Benin remains
                                        underdeveloped and dependent on
                                        subsistence agriculture, cotton
                                        production, and regional trade.
                                        Growth in real output averaged a
                                        stable 5% in the past five years,
                                        but rapid population rise offset
                                        much of this increase. Inflation has
                                        subsided over the past several
                                        years. In order to raise growth
                                        still further, Benin plans to
                                        attract more foreign investment,
                                        place more emphasis on tourism,
                                        facilitate the development of new
                                        food processing systems and
                                        agricultural products, and encourage
                                        new information and communication
                                        technology. The 2001 privatization
                                        policy should continue in
                                        telecommunications, water,
                                        electricity, and agriculture in
                                        spite of initial government
                                        reluctance. The Paris Club and
                                        bilateral creditors have eased the
                                        external debt situation.
                                   GDP: purchasing power parity - $6.8
                                        billion (2001 est.)
                GDP - real growth rate: 5.4% (2001 est.)
                      GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,040
                                        (2001 est.)
           GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 36%
                                        industry: 14%
                                        services: 50% (2001 est.)
         Population below poverty line: 37% (2001 est.)
     Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
                      percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
      Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2001 est.)
                           Labor force: NA
                     Unemployment rate: NA%
                                Budget: revenues: $377.4 million
                                        expenditures: $561.8 million,
                                        including capital expenditures of
                                        $NA (2001)
                            Industries: textiles, food processing, chemical
                                        production, construction materials
                                        (2001)
     Industrial production growth rate: 8.3% (2001 est.)
              Electricity - production: 240 million kWh (2000)
    Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 16.67%
                                        hydro: 83.33%
                                        other: 0% (2000)
                                        nuclear: 0%
             Electricity - consumption: 523.2 million kWh (2000)
                 Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
                 Electricity - imports: 300 million kWh (2000)
                Agriculture - products: cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca),
                                        yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts,
                                        livestock (2001)
                               Exports: $35.3 million (f.o.b., 2000)
                 Exports - commodities: cotton, crude oil, palm products,
                                        cocoa
                    Exports - partners: Brazil, France, Indonesia, Thailand,
                                        Morocco, Portugal, Cote d'Ivoire
                                        (2001)
                               Imports: $437.6 million (c.i.f., 2000)
                 Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum
                                        products
                    Imports - partners: France, US, China, Cote d'Ivoire,
                                        Netherlands, Japan (2001)
                       Debt - external: $1.18 billion (2000)
              Economic aid - recipient: $342.6 million (2000)
                              Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine
                                        franc (XOF); note - responsible
                                        authority is the Central Bank of the
                                        West African States
                         Currency code: XOF
                        Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine
                                        francs (XOF) per US dollar - 742.79
                                        (January 2002), 733.04 (2001),
                                        711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95
                                        (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1
                                        January 1999, the XOF is pegged to
                                        the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF
                                        per euro
                           Fiscal year: calendar year
  
   Communications Benin
   --------------------
         Telephones - main lines in use: 51,000 (2000)
           Telephones - mobile cellular: 55,500 (2000)
                       Telephone system: general assessment: NA
                                         domestic: fair system of open wire,
                                         microwave radio relay, and cellular
                                         connections
                                         international: satellite earth
                                         station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
                                         Ocean); submarine cable
               Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)
                                 Radios: 660,000 (2000)
          Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001)
                            Televisions: 66,000 (2000)
                  Internet country code: .bj
      Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2002)
                         Internet users: 50,000 (2002)
  
   Transportation Benin
   --------------------
                               Railways: total: 578 km
                                         narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge
                                         (2000 est.)
                               Highways: total: 6,787 km
                                         paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of
                                         expressways)
                                         unpaved: 5,430 km (1997 est.)
                              Waterways: streams navigable along small
                                         sections, important only locally
                      Ports and harbors: Cotonou, Porto-Novo
                        Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)
                               Airports: 5 (2001)
          Airports - with paved runways: total: 1
                                         1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)
        Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 4
                                         2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
                                         1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
                                         914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2001)
  
   Military Benin
   --------------
                      Military branches: Armed Forces (including Army, Navy,
                                         Air Force), National Gendarmerie
       Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
       Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,509,760
                                         note: both sexes are liable for
                                         military service (2002 est.)
                                         females age 15-49: 1,536,036
    Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 771,373
                                service: females age 15-49: 778,730 (2002
                                         est.)
   Military manpower - reaching military males: 71,278
                           age annually: females: 70,088 (2002 est.)
          Military expenditures - dollar $27 million (FY96)
                                 figure:
      Military expenditures - percent of 1.2% (FY96)
                                    GDP:
  
   Transnational Issues Benin
   --------------------------
              Disputes - international: Benin and Niger have refered to the
                                        ICJ the dispute over l'Ete and 14
                                        smaller disputed islands in the
                                        Niger River, which has never been
                                        delimited; with Nigeria, several
                                        villages are in dispute along the
                                        Okpara River and only 35 km of the
                                        436 km boundary are demarcated; the
                                        Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint remains
                                        undemarcated; Benin accuses Togo of
                                        moving boundary markers and
                                        stationing troops in its territory;
                                        two villages are in dispute with
                                        Burkina Faso
                         Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics
                                        associated with Nigerian trafficking
                                        organizations and most commonly
                                        destined for Western Europe and the
                                        US
  
                                       



Common Misspellings >
Most Popular Searches: United States Maps, World Maps, Florida State Maps, Road Maps, City Maps, Satellite Maps, Europe Maps, California Maps, Travel Maps, Texas Maps, Mexico Maps, Italy Maps, Africa Maps, USA Maps, Street Maps, Canada Maps, US Maps, Georgia Maps, China Maps, Germany Maps, 94087 Maps, North Carolina Maps Satellite Maps, Satellite Image, Satellite Images, Satellite Photo, Satellite Photos, Weather Network, National Weather Service, NOAA Weather, Local Weather, Akurnes Ic Iceland Weather, Sunnyvale US Weather, 97110 Weather, New York Weather, Weather San Jose Ca, Weather Report, Weather Forecast, Weather Radar, San Francisco Weather, Toronto Weather. See our main index and map index for more details.

©2011-2024 ZebraWords.com - Define Yourself - The Search for Meanings and Meaning Means I Mean. All content subject to terms and conditions as set out here. Contact Us, peruse our Privacy Policy