The 2008 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

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СКАЧАТЬ Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Union for the Relief or UPR

       [Issa SALIFOU]; Union for Democracy and National Solidarity or UDS

       [Sacca LAFIA]

       note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

      Political pressure groups and leaders:

      other: economic groups; environmentalists; political groups; teachers' unions and other educational groups

      International organization participation:

      ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,

       ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,

       Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,

       MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

       UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional),

       WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

      Diplomatic representation in the US:

      chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232–6656 FAX: [1] (202) 265–1996

      Diplomatic representation from the US:

      chief of mission: Ambassador Gayleatha B. BROWN embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou telephone: [229] 21–30-06–50 FAX: [229] 21–30-03–84

      Flag description:

      two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) 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 has averaged around 5% in the past seven years, but rapid population growth has 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. Specific projects to improve the business climate by reforms to the land tenure system, the commercial justice system, and the financial sector were included in Benin's $307 million Millennium Challenge Account grant signed in February 2006. The 2001 privatization policy continues in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture though the government annulled the privatization of Benin's state cotton company in November 2007 after the discovery of irregularities in the bidding process. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have eased the external debt situation, with Benin benefiting from a G8 debt reduction announced in July 2005, while pressing for more rapid structural reforms. An insufficient electrical supply continues to adversely affect Benin's economic growth though the government recently has taken steps to increase domestic power production.

      GDP (purchasing power parity):

      $12 billion (2007 est.)

      GDP (official exchange rate):

      $5.433 billion (2007 est.)

      GDP - real growth rate:

      4.5% (2007 est.)

      GDP - per capita (PPP):

      $1,400 (2007 est.)

      GDP - composition by sector:

      agriculture: 33.2% industry: 14.5% services: 52.3% (2007 est.)

      Labor force:

      5.38 million (2007 est.)

      Unemployment rate:

      NA%

      Population below poverty line:

      37.4% (2007 est.)

      Household income or consumption by percentage share:

      lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 29% (2003)

      Distribution of family income - Gini index:

      36.5 (2003)

      Investment (gross fixed):

      19.3% of GDP (2007 est.)

      Budget:

      revenues: $959.2 million expenditures: $1.211 billion (2007 est.)

      Fiscal year:

      calendar year

      Inflation rate (consumer prices):

      1.3% (2007 est.)

      Central bank discount rate:

      4.25% (31 December 2007)

      Commercial bank prime lending rate:

      NA

      Stock of money:

      $1.324 billion (31 December 2007)

      Stock of quasi money:

      $627.2 million (31 December 2007)

      Stock of domestic credit:

      $520.6 million (31 December 2007)

      Agriculture - products:

      cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, cashews; livestock

      Industries:

      textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement

      Industrial production growth rate:

      4.5% (2007 est.)

      Electricity - production:

      120 million kWh (2006 est.)

      Electricity - consumption:

      595 million kWh (2006 est.)

      Electricity - exports:

      0 kWh (2007 est.)

      Electricity - imports:

      590 million kWh (2006 est.)

      Electricity - production by source:

      fossil fuel: 14.2% hydro: 85.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

      Oil СКАЧАТЬ