Constitution: 3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988);
national convention started on 9 January 1993 to draft a new constitution;
progress has since been stalled
Legal system: has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Prime Minister and Chairman of
the State Peace and Development Council Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23
April 1992); note - the prime minister is both the chief of state and
head of government head of government: Prime Minister and Chairman of
the State Peace and Development Council Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23
April 1992); note - the prime minister is both the chief of state and
head of government cabinet: State Peace and Development Council (SPDC);
military junta, so named 15 November 1997, which initially assumed power
18 September 1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration Council;
the SPDC oversees the cabinet elections: none; the prime minister assumed
power upon resignation of the former prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw
(485 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never convened election
results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NLD 392,
SNLD 23, NUP 10, other 60
Judicial branch: remnants of the British-era legal system are in place,
but there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not
independent of the executive
Political parties and leaders: National League for Democracy or NLD
[AUNG SHWE, chairman, AUNG SAN SUU KYI, general secretary]; National
Unity Party or NUP (proregime) [THA KYAW]; Shan Nationalities League
for Democracy or SNLD [U KHUN TUN OO]; Union Solidarity and Development
Association or USDA (proregime, a social and political organization)
[THAN AUNG, general secretary]; and other smaller parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: All Burma Student Democratic Front
or ABSDF; Kachin Independence Army or KIA; Karen National Union or KNU;
National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB [Dr. SEIN
WIN] consists of individuals legitimately elected to the People's Assembly
but not recognized by the military regime (the group fled to a border
area and joined with insurgents in December 1990 to form a parallel
government); several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or UWSA
International organization participation: ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP,
ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador U
LINN MYAING consulate(s) general: New
[1] (202) 332-9044 chancery:
Diplomatic representation from the US: Permanent Charge d'Affaires
Priscilla A. CLAPP embassy: 96546 telephone: [95] (1) 282055, 282182 FAX:
[95] (1) 280409
Flag description: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side
corner bearing, all in white, 14 five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel
containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 14 administrative
divisions
Economy Burma
Economy - overview: Burma is a resource-rich country that suffers from
abject rural poverty. The military regime took steps in the early 1990s to
liberalize the economy after decades of failure under the "Burmese Way to
Socialism", but those efforts have since stalled. Burma has been unable
to achieve monetary or fiscal stability, resulting in an economy that
suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances - including an official
exchange rate that overvalues the Burmese kyat by more than 100 times
the market rate. In addition, most overseas development assistance
ceased after the junta suppressed the democracy movement in 1988 and
subsequently ignored the results of the 1990 election. Burma is data
poor, and official statistics are often dated and inaccurate. Published
estimates of Burma's foreign trade are greatly understated because of
the size of the black market and border trade - often estimated to be
one to two times the official economy.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $63 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.3% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 42% industry: 17% services:
41% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 25% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 20% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 23.7 million (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 65%, industry 10%, services 25%
(1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5.1% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $7.9 billion expenditures: $12.2 billion, including
capital expenditures of $5.7 billion (FY96/97)
Industries: agricultural processing; knit and woven apparel; wood and
wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials;
pharmaceuticals; fertilizer
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 4.766 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 83.3% hydro: 16.7%
other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 4.432 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts,
sugarcane; hardwood; fish and fish products
Exports: $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: apparel 55%, foodstuffs 18%, wood products 13%,
precious stones 2% (2000)
Exports - partners: US 27%, India 16%, China 7%, Japan 6%, Singapore
6% (2000 est.) note: as narcotics, teak, and gems - or the largely
unrecorded border trade with China and Thailand
Imports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: machinery, transport equipment, construction
materials, food products, textile fabrics, petroleum products
Imports - partners: China 26%, Singapore 23%, South Korea 15%, Japan 10%,
Taiwan 10% (2000 est.)
Debt - external: $6 billion (FY99/00 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $99 million (FY98/99)
Currency: kyat (MMK)
Currency code: MMK
Exchange rates: kyats per US dollar - official rate - 6.8581 (January
2002), 6.7489 (2001), 6.5167 (2000), 6.2858 (1999), 6.3432 (1998),
6.2418 (1997); kyats per US dollar - black market exchange rate - 435
(yearend 2000)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Burma
Telephones - main lines in use: 250,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 8,492 (1997)
Telephone system: general assessment: meets minimum requirements for
local and intercity service for business and government; international
service is good domestic: NA international: satellite earth station -
1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios: 4.2 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1998)
Televisions: 320,000 (2000)
Internet country code: .mm
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 note: as of September 2000, Internet
connections were legal only for the government, tourist offices, and a
few large businesses (2000)
Internet users: 500 (2000)
Transportation Burma
Railways: total: 3,991 km narrow gauge: 3,991 km 1.000-m gauge
(2000 est.)
Highways: total: 28,200 km paved: 3,440 km unpaved: 24,760 km (1996)
Waterways: 12,800 km note: 3,200 km navigable by large commercial vessels
Pipelines: crude oil 1,343 km; natural gas 330 km
Ports and harbors: Bassein, Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein, Myitkyina,
Rangoon, Akyab (Sittwe), Tavoy
Merchant marine: total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 382,386
GRT/582,084 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here
as a flag of convenience: Germany 5, Japan 4 (2002 est.) ships by type:
bulk 9, cargo 21, container 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1
Airports: 80 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m:
2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
Airports - with unpaved runways: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: Heliports: 2
(2001)
Military Burma
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 12,211,144 note:
both sexes liable for military service (2002 est.) females age 15-49:
12,223,069
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 6,502,013
females age 15-49: 6,491,732 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 486,432
females: 470,667 (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $39 million (FY97/98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.1% (FY97/98)
Transnational Issues Burma
Disputes - international: despite renewed border committee talks,
significant differences remain with Thailand over boundary alignment
and the handling of ethnic guerrilla rebels, refugees, smuggling, and
drug trafficking in cross-border region; Burmese attempts to construct a
dam on border stream with Bangladesh in 2001 prompted an armed response
halting construction; Burmese Muslim migration into Bangladesh strains
Bangladesh's meager resources
Illicit drugs: world's largest producer of illicit opium, surpassing
Afghanistan (potential production in 2001 - 865 metric tons, down 21%
due to drought, and to a lesser extent, eradication; cultivation in 2002
- 105,000 hectares, a 3% decline from 2000); surrender of drug warlord
KHUN SA's Mong Tai Army in January 1996 was hailed by Rangoon as a major
counternarcotics success, but lack of government will and ability to take
on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against
money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; major
source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional consumption
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Benin
Introduction
Benin
Background: Dahomey gained its independence from France in 1960; the
name was changed to Benin in 1975. From 1974 to 1989 the country was a
socialist state; free elections were reestablished in 1991.
Geography Benin
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Nigeria and Togo
Geographic coordinates: 9 30 N, 2 15 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 112,620 sq km water: 2,000 sq km land: 110,620 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries: total: 1,989 km border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km,
Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km, Togo 644 km
Coastline: 121 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 NM
Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mont Sokbaro 658 m
Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber
Land use: arable land: 15% permanent crops: 1% other: 84% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 120 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from
December to March
Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water;
poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no
natural harbors, river mouths, or islands
People Benin
Population: 6,787,625 note: estimates for this country explicitly take
into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result
in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population
by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 47.2% (male 1,616,138; female 1,585,463)
15-64 years: 50.5% (male 1,665,439; female 1,764,966) 65 years and over:
2.3% (male 65,877; female 89,742) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.91% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 43.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 14.52 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 88.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 50.61 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 6.14 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 4.1% (2002)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 160,000 (2002)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 37,000 (2002)
Nationality: noun: Beninese (singular and plural) adjective: Beninese
Ethnic groups: African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon,
Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500
Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%
Languages: French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars
in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 37.5% male: 52.2% female: 23.6% (2000)
Government Benin
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Benin conventional
short form: Benin local short form: Benin former: Dahomey local long form:
Republique du Benin
Government 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 is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of
government
Administrative divisions: 12 provinces; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique,
Borgou, Collines, Couffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou
Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: National Day, 1 August (1960)
Constitution: December 1990
Legal system: based on French civil law and customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4
April 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
of government head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4
April 1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
of government cabinet: reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
runoff election held 22 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2006) note:
the four top-ranking contenders following the first-round presidential
elections were: 27.1%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI (National Assembly Speaker)
12.6%, and Bruno AMOUSSOU (Minister of State) 8.6%; the second-round
balloting, originally scheduled for 18 March 2001, was postponed four days
because both SOGOLO and HOUNGBEDJI withdrew alleging electoral fraud; this
left KEREKOU to run against his own Minister of State, AMOUSSOU, in what
was termed a "friendly match" election results: Mathieu KEREKOU reelected
president; percent of vote - Mathieu KEREKOU 84.1%, Bruno AMOUSSOU 15.9%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
(83 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year
terms) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
RB 27, PRD 11, FARD-ALAFIA 10, PSD 9, MADEP 6, E'toile 4, Alliance IPD
4, Car-DUNYA 3, MERCI 2, other 7 elections: last held 30 March 1999
(next to be held NA March 2003)
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle;
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice
Political parties and leaders: African Movement for Democracy and
Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]; Alliance for Democracy and Progress
or ADP [Sylvain Adekpedjou AKINDES]; Alliance of the Social Democratic
Party or PSD and the National Union for Solidarity and Progress or
UNSP [Bruno AMOUSSOU]; Cameleon Alliance or AC [leader NA]; Car-DUNYA
[Saka SALEY]; Communist Party of Benin or PCB [Pascal FANTONDJI, first
secretary]; Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Front
for Renewal and Development or FARD-ALAFIA [Jerome Sakia KINA]; Impulse
for Progress and Democracy or IPD [Bertin BORNA]; Liberal Democrats'
Rally for National Reconstruction-Vivoten or RDL-Vivoten [Severin ADJOVI];
Movement for Citizens' Commitment and Awakening or MERCI [Severin ADJOVI];
New Generation for the Republic or NGR [Paul DOSSOU]; Our Common Cause
or NCC [Francois Odjo TANKPINON]; Party Democratique du Benin or PDB
[Col. Soule DANKORO]; Rally for Democracy and Pan-Africanism or RDP
[Dominique HOYMINOU, Dr. Giles Auguste MINONTIN]; Renaissance Party du
Benin or RB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The Star Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca
LAFIA]; Union for National Democracy and Solidarity or UDS [Adamou N'Diaye
MAMA] note: the Coalition of Democratic Forces, [Gatien HOUNGBEDJI],
an alliance of parties and organizations supporting President KEREKOU
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS,
Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU,
MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE,
UNMIK, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Cyrille Segbe OGUIN FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656
chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Pamela E. BRIDGEWATER embassy: Rue Caporal
B. P. 2012, Cotonou telephone:
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red
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 averaged a stable 5% in the past five years,
but rapid population rise 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. The 2001 privatization policy should continue
in telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of
initial government reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral creditors
have eased the external debt situation.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $6.8 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.4% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,040 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 36% industry: 14% services:
50% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 37% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2001 est.)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $377.4 million expenditures: $561.8 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
Industries: textiles, food processing, chemical production, construction
materials (2001)
Industrial production growth rate: 8.3% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 240 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 16.67% hydro: 83.33%
other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 523.2 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 300 million kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans,
palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001)
Exports: $35.3 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities: cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa
Exports - partners: Brazil, France, Indonesia, Thailand, Morocco,
Portugal, Cote d'Ivoire (2001)
Imports: $437.6 million (c.i.f., 2000)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products
Imports - partners: France, US, China, Cote d'Ivoire, Netherlands,
Japan (2001)
Debt - external: $1.18 billion (2000)
Economic aid - recipient: $342.6 million (2000)
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Currency code: XOF
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US
dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70
(1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the
XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Benin
Telephones - main lines in use: 51,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 55,500 (2000)
Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: fair system of open
wire, microwave radio relay, and cellular connections international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); submarine cable
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)
Radios: 660,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001)
Televisions: 66,000 (2000)
Internet country code: .bj
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2002)
Internet users: 50,000 (2002)
Transportation Benin
Railways: total: 578 km narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2000 est.)
Highways: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways) unpaved: Waterways:
streams navigable along small sections, important only locally
Ports and harbors: Cotonou, Porto-Novo
Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)
Airports: 5 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to
2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2001)
Military Benin
Military branches: Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force),
National Gendarmerie
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,509,760 note:
both sexes are liable for military service (2002 est.) females age
15-49: 1,536,036
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 771,373
females age 15-49: 778,730 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 71,278
females: 70,088 (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $27 million (FY96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.2% (FY96)
Transnational Issues Benin
Disputes - international: Benin and Niger have refered to the ICJ the
dispute over l'Ete and 14 smaller disputed islands in the Niger River,
which has never been delimited; with Nigeria, several villages are in
dispute along the Okpara River and only 35 km of the 436 km boundary
are demarcated; the Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint remains undemarcated;
Benin accuses Togo of moving boundary markers and stationing troops in
its territory; two villages are in dispute with Burkina Faso
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian
trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western Europe
and the US
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Belarus
Introduction
Belarus