Benin. Ballpoint Pens, Rollerball Pens,Cartridges, Fountain Pens.

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The territory became a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960, as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006 and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and independent. YAYI has begun a high profile fight against corruption and has strongly promoted accelerating Benin's economic growth. Location Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo   Geographic Coordinates 9 30 N, 2 15 E Area - comparative slightly smaller than Pennsylvania Coast line 121 km Climate tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north Terrain Benin mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains Natural Resources Benin small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber Irrigated land 120 sq km (2003) Total Renewable Water Resources 25.8 cu km (2001) Natural Hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to March Environment Currentissues inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification Geography Note sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural harbors, river mouths, or islands Population Benin 9,056,010 Population growth rate 2.944% (2010 est.) Birth Rate 38.67 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) Death Rate 9.23 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) Netmigration Rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) Total Fertility Rate 5.4 children born/woman (2010 est.) Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate 1.2% (2007 est.) Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids 64,000 (2007 est.) Hiv/Aids Deaths Fon and related 39.2%, Adja and related 15.2%, Yoruba and related 12.3%, Bariba and related 9.2%, Peulh and related 7%, Ottamari and related 6.1%, Yoa-Lokpa and related 4%, Dendi and related 2.5%, other 1.6% (includes Europeans), unspecified 2.9% (2002 census) Religions Christian 42.8% (Catholic 27.1%, Celestial 5%, Methodist 3.2%, other Protestant 2.2%, other 5.3%), Muslim 24.4%, Vodoun 17.3%, other 15.5% (2002 census) Languages French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north) Education Expenditures 4.4% of GDP (2004) Government Type republic Administrative Divisions 12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou Independence 1 August 1960 (from France) National Holiday National Day, 1 August (1960) Constitution adopted by referendum 2 December 1990 Legal System based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage 18 years of age; universal Legislative Branch unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) Political Partie Sand Leaders Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders 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, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO International Organization Participation two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green band on the hoist side; green symbolizes hope and revival, yellow wealth, and red courage Flag Description The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade. Growth in real output has averaged around 4% in the past three years, but rapid population growth has offset much of this increase. Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to raise growth, 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 G-8 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. Economy Overview $13.25 billion (2009 est.) GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) $6.476 billion (2009 est.) GDP (Official Exchange Rate) 2.5% (2009 est.) GDP Real Growth Rate $1,500 (2009 est.) GDP Per Capita (PPP) 3.662 million (2007 est.) Labor Force NA% est.) Unemployment Rate 37.4% (2007 est.) Population Below Poverty Line 36.5 (2003) Distribution Of Family Income 18.2% of GDP (2009 est.) Unvestment Gross Fixed 4% (2009 est.) Inflation Rrate 4.75% (31 December 2008) Central Bank Discount Rate NA% Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate $NA (31 December 2008) Stock Of Money $NA (31 December 2008) Stock Of Quasi Money $NA (31 December 2008) Stock Of Domestic Credit $NA Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, cashews; livestock Agriculture - Products textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement Industries 2.8% (2009 est.) Industrial Production Growth Rate 124 million kWh (2007 est.) Electricity Production 597 million kWh (2007 est.) Electricity Consumption 0 kWh (2008 est.) Electricity Exports 588 million kWh (2007 est.) Electricity Imports 0 bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil Production 21,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil Consumption 8,770 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil Exports 28,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil Imports 8 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) Oil Proved Reserves 0 cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Production 0 cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Consumption 0 cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Exports 0 cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Imports 1.133 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) Natural Gas Proved Reserves -$514 million (2009 est.) Current Account Balance $1.024 billion (2009 est.) Exports cotton, cashews, shea butter, textiles, palm products, seafood Exports Commodities China 15.2%, India 13.6%, Japan 8.3%, Niger 4.8%, US 4.5%, Nigeria 4.2% (2008) Exports Partners $1.543 billion (2009 est.) Imports foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products Imports Commodities China 36.1%, US 13.3%, Thailand 6.6%, France 6.5%, Malaysia 6.2% (2008) Imports Partners $1.061 billion (31 December 2009 est.) Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold $1.2 billion (2007) Debt - External Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 481.35 (2009), 447.81 (2008), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005) Radio Broadcast Stations 3.625 million (2008) Television Broadcast Stations AM 1, FM 34, shortwave 1 (2007) Internet Country Code 6 (2007) Airports 160,000 (2008) Military Service Age and Obligation 21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; in practice, volunteers may be taken at the age of 18; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18 months (2006)

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