NON MEMBER COUNTRIES
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Order the complete Burkina
Faso file in French
GEOGRAPHICAL SITUATION : Limited to the south by the Atlantic Ocean, to the east by Nigeria, to the north by Burkina Faso and Niger, to the west by Togo. AREA : 43 479 sq miles CLIMATE : 2 climatic zones are to be distinguished
: CAPITAL : POPULATION : 6.2 million inhabitants (1999) MAIN CITIES : LANGUAGES - ETHNICAL GROUPS - RELIGIONS : HEALTH - EDUCATION :
POLITICAL DATA : President of the
Republic : Mr. Mathieu KEREKOU INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS : The Republic of Benin
is a member of several regional and international organizations, among
which : ZONE FRANC, ASECNA, MAISON DE L'AFRIQUE, OHADA, ONU, BRVM, UEMOA,
OUA… FINANCIAL BACKERS : BAD, BOAD, BCEAO, WORLD BANK, AFD,… ECONOMY AND FINANCE : CURRENCY : Franc CFA (1 € = 655.96
FCFA)
LIVE-STOCK : Benin's live-stock comprises 1 402 000 beef, 1 755 000 sheep and goats, 234 000 hogs; poultry-farming numbers 9 716 000 heads. FISHING : With more than 600,000 fishermen, fishing remains a crafts industry and represents 2% of the GNP and 5% of the production of animal protein consumed in Benin.
MINING : Benin's mining potential lies in
28 deposits and over one hundred serious mineralization indices, among
which : gold, limestone, kaolin, marble, precious stones, iron, phosphates.
The ENERGY potential is derived from oil (1,700 barrels per day), electricity...
FOOD PROCESSING : The Société des
Industries Alimentaires SOCIA-BENIN (Society of Food Industries) has
been created for the production, transformation and trading of all food
products under all its forms, and for the acquisition and management of
all industrial and commercial companies dealing with food and agricultural
produce. TEXTILE INDUSTRY : COTEB and SITEX have become profitable
again following the devaluation of the CFA franc. The State is pursuing
its progressive disengagement.
The PORT of Cotonou regained
importance Since 1990; its main advantage is a favourable geographical
situation, placing it within short distances of Niger, Burkina Faso,
Mali and Nigeria.
The BANKING SECTOR, which started its restructuring in 1989, comprises important establishments such as : BIBE - BANK OF AFRICA - CREDIT LYONNAIS - ECOBANK BENIN - FINANCIAL BANK BENIN - CONTINENTAL BANK. The INSURANCE market potential, evaluated to more than 5 billion FCFA, is underexploited.
PRIVATIZATIONS - TELECOMMUNICATIONS - COMMERCE - TOURISM - HISTORY AND CIVILIZATION - ADDRESS BOOK… TO FIND OUT MORE Order the complete Benin file in French
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PRESENTATION
Ethnical groups : Fon (66%), Bariba (10%), Yoruba (9%)…
AGRICULTURE is Benin's main economic sector. Agriculture
employs 64% of the country's work force, and is up to 95% privately
held. Subsistence agriculture currently ensures self-sufficiency of
the population. Subsistence crops (corn, sorghum, fonio, millet, rice)
provide the greatest part of the cereals consumed in Benin. Manioc,
yam and sweet potato production is increasing steadily. Cotton, oil
palm-trees, and to a lesser degree, peanuts, cocoa, coffee and tobacco
crops are mainly exported.
FOREST : It covers more than
65% of the territory, and it the first victim of abusive felling. Over
5 million tons of timber, the equivalent of 247,000 acres, are consumed
each year as fuel.
The RAILROAD : 477 miles of
railroad with 3 main lines :