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General Information
Area 112,622 sq km (43,484 sq miles). Population 6,059,000 (official estimate 1999). Population Density 53.8 per sq km. Capital Porto Novo (administrative). Population: 200,000 (1994). (Cotonou is the economic capital with an estimated population of 750,000 in 1994.) Geography Benin is situated in West Africa and is bordered to the east by Nigeria, to the north by Niger and Burkina Faso, and to the west by Togo. Benin stretches 700km (435 miles) from the Bight of Benin to the Niger River. The coastal strip is sandy with coconut palms. Beyond the lagoons of Porto Novo, Nokoue, Ouidah and Grand Popo is a plateau rising gradually to the heights of the Atakora Mountains. From the highlands run two tributaries of the Niger, while southwards the Oum flows down to Nokoue lagoon. Mono River flows into the sea at Grand Popo and forms a frontier with Togo. Government Republic. Gained independence from France in 1960. Head of State and Government: President Mathieu Krkou since 1996. Language The official language is French. However, many ethnic groups have their own languages: Bariba and Fulani are spoken in the north, Fon and Yoruba in the south. Some English is also spoken. Religion 35 per cent Animist/traditional, 35 per cent Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) and the majority of the rest are Muslim. Time GMT + 1. Electricity 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Communications Telephone IDD is available. Country code: 229. Outgoing international code: 00. There is an additional charge for calls made from a coin box. Mobile telephone GSM 900 network. Operators include Libercom, Spacetel-Benin (website: www.spacetelbenin.com) and Telecel Benin. Handsets can be hired locally. Further information can be obtained from the Office des Postes et Tlcommunications du Bnin (website: www.opt.bj). Internet OPT has just launched its own ISP (website: www.opt.bj). Public access is available in Cotonou. Post Airmail takes three to five days to reach Europe. Surface mail letters or parcels take from six to eight weeks. There are good poste restante facilities at most main post offices. Post office hours: Mon-Sat 0800-1400. Press Exclusively in French. The fortnightly Journal Officiel de la Rpublique du Bnin is issued by the government information bureau. La Nation is the daily official newspaper. Other dailies include Le Matinal and Le Point au Quotidien. Radio BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online. |
