Benin: Fact file
| Country Name | Republic of Benin |
| Area | 112 622 sq km |
| Capital | Porto-Novo |
| Major cities & towns | Cotonou, Parakou |
| Boundaries | Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria and Togo |
| Population | 8 177 000, 2004 (UNDP 2006) |
| Pop growth | 2.9%, 2004-15 (UNDP 2006) |
| Urbanisation | 39.7%, 2004 (UNDP 2006) |
| Life Expectancy | Female 55.0 yrs, male 53.5 yrs, 2004 (UNDP 2006) |
| Infant mortality | 90/1000, 2004 (UNDP 2006) |
| HIV/AIDS prevalence | 1.8%, 2006 (UNAIDS 2006) |
| Adult literacy rate | Female 23.3%, male 47.9%, 2004 (UNDP 2006) |
| Legal System | Based on French civil law and customary law |
| Independence | 01 August 1960 (from France) |
| GDP | US$4.493 billion, 2006 est (IMF 2006) |
| GDP per capita | US$587.648, 2006 est (IMF 2006) |
| GDP growth | 4.5%, 2006 est (IMF 2006) |
| Exports | Cotton, Crude oil, Palm products, cocoa |
| Currency | 1 West African CFA franc = 100 centimes |
| Unemployment | No Data |
| Inflation rate | 3%, 2006 est (IMF 2006) |
| External debt ratio | 22.1% of GDP, 2006 (IMF 2007) |
| Ethnic groups | Fon 42%, Adja 16%, Yoruba 12%, Bariba, 9%, Bêtamaribê 6%, Peuhl 6%, Other African 9% (Floquet & van den Akker 2000) |
| Languages | French (official), Fon 42%, Adja 16%, Yoruba 12%, Bariba, 9%, Bêtamaribê 6%, Peuhl 6%, Other African 9% (Floquet & van den Akker 2000) |
| Religion | African Traditional Religions 51.5%, Christian 28.0% (Roman Catholics 20.8%), Muslims 20.0%, other 0.5% (Religious Freedom 2001) |
References
FLOQUET, A & VAN DEN AKKER, E 2000 "Ethnic groups and settlement patterns in Benin" IN Graef, F, Lawrence, P & von Oppen, M (Eds), Adapted Farming in West Africa: Issues, Potentials and Perspectives, Verlag Ulrich E. Grauer, Stuttgart, [www] http://www.troz.uni-hohenheim.de/research/sfb308/FRcont/FloquetAkker.pdf [PDF document, opens new window].
IMF 2007 Regional Economic Outlook: Sub-Saharan Africa, [www] http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/reo/2007/AFR/ENG/sreo0407.pdf, 100 [PDF document, opens new window].
IMF 2006 World Economic Outlook Database, [www] http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2006/02/data/index.aspx [opens new window].
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM UNDATED "Nation profile: Botswana", [www] http://religiousfreedom.lib.virginia.edu/nationprofiles/Botswana/rbodies.html [opens new window].
UNAIDS 2006 "Benin" IN Countries, [www] http://www.unaids.org/en/Regions_Countries/Countries/benin.asp [opens in window].
UNDP 2006 "Benin", IN Human Development Report 2006, [www] http://hdr.undp.org/hdr2006/statistics/countries/data_sheets/cty_ds_BEN.html [opens new window].