style="font-size:15px;"> 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; at least
six major tribal languages in north
Literacy:
23% (male 32%, female 16%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
1,900,000 (1987); agriculture 60%, transport, commerce, and public services
38%, industry less than 2%; 49% of population of working age (1985)
Organized labor:
about 75% of wage earners
:Benin Government
Long-form name:
Republic of Benin
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, Oueme, Zou
Independence:
1 August 1960 (from France; formerly Dahomey)
Constitution:
2 December 1990
Legal system:
based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
National holiday:
National Day, 1 August (1990)
Executive branch:
president, cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
President Nicephore SOGLO (since 4 April 1991)
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance of the Democratic Union for the Forces of Progress (UDFP), Timothee
ADANLIN; Movement for Democracy and Social Progress (MDPS), Jean-Roger
AHOYO; and the Union for Liberty and Development (ULD), Marcellin DEGBE;
Alliance of the National Party for Democracy and Development (PNDD) and the
Democratic Renewal Party (PRD), Pascal Chabi KAO; Alliance of the Social
Democratic Party (PSD) and the National Union for Solidarity and Progress
(UNSP), Bruno AMOUSSOU; Our Common Cause (NCC), Albert TEVOEDJRE; National
Rally for Democracy (RND), Joseph KEKE; Alliance of the National Movement
for Democracy and Development (MNDD), Bertin BORNA; Movement for Solidarity,
Union, and Progress (MSUP), Adebo ADENIYI; and Union for Democracy and
National Reconstruction (UDRN), Azaria FAKOREDE; Union for Democracy and
National Solidarity (UDS), Mama Amadou N'DIAYE; Assembly of Liberal
Democrats for National Reconstruction (RDL), Severin ADJOVI; Alliance of the
Alliance for Social Democracy (ASD), Robert DOSSOU, and Bloc for Social
Democracy (BSD), Michel MAGNIDE; Alliance of the Alliance for Democracy and
Progress (ADP), Akindes ADEKPEDJOU, and Democratic Union for Social Renewal
(UDRS), Bio Gado Seko N'GOYE; National Union for Democracy and Progress
(UNDP), Robert TAGNON; numerous other small parties
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
National Assembly:
last held 10 and 24 March 1991; results - percent of vote by party NA; seats
- (64 total) UDFP-MDPS-ULD 12, PNDD/PRD 9, PSD/UNSP 8, NCC 7, RND 7,
MNDD/MSUP/UDRN 6, UDS 5, RDL 4, ASD/BSD 3, ADP/UDRS 2, UNDP 1
President:
last held 10 and 24 March 1991; results - Nicephore SOGLO 68%, Mathieu
KEREKOU 32%
Communists:
Communist Party of Dahomey (PCD) remains active
:Benin Government
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD,
ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU,
LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Candide AHOUANSOU; Chancery at 2737 Cathedral Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 232-6656
US:
Ambassador Harriet W. ISOM; Embassy at Rue Caporal Anani Bernard, Cotonou
(mailing address is B. P. 2012, Cotonou); telephone [229] 30-06-50,
30-05-13, 30-17-92; FAX [229] 30-14-39 and 30-19-74
Flag:
two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red with a vertical green
band on the hoist side
:Benin Economy
