TOEFL Test Centers in Benin

EDU February 16, 2019

Benin Overview

Benin, Republic in West Africa, on the Gulf of Guinea. Benin is one of the least developed countries in the world. The main source of income for the residents (over 50 different ethnic groups) is agriculture. The main port and largest city in the country is Cotonou (818,100 residents).

History: A kingdom had existed in what is now Benin since around 1600. Occupied by the French in 1894, the country became a French colony in 1904 as Dahomey. It has been independent since 1960. In 1975 the »People’s Republic of Benin« was proclaimed. In 1989/90 the country returned to the multi-party system. In 1990 a new constitution was adopted by referendum and the name of the state was changed to “République du Bénin”.

Country facts

• Official name: Republic of Benin
• License plate: BJ
• ISO-3166: BJ, BEN (204)
• Internet domain:.bj
• Currency: CFA franc
• Area: 114 760 km²
• Population (2019): 11.8 million
• Capital: Porto Novo
• Official language (s): French
• Form of government: Presidential Republic
• Seat of government: Cotonou
• Administrative division: 12 departments
• Head of State: President Patrice Talon (since April 6, 2016)
• Religion (s) (2013): Christians (26% Catholics, 14% Protestants, 10% other Christians), 28% Muslims, followers of traditional African religions (12% Voodoo), 6% non-denominational, other / not specified
• Time zone: Central European Time
• National holiday: August 1st

Location and infrastructure

• Location (geographical): West Africa
• Position (coordinates): between 6 ° 15 ‘and 12 ° 30’ north latitude and 0 ° 45 ‘and 4 ° east longitude
• Climate: Tropical savanna climate
• Highest mountain: Mt.Sokbaro (658 m)
• Road network (2006): 1,400 km (paved), 14,600 km (unpaved)
• Railway network (2014): 438 km

Population

• Annual population growth (2020): 3.4%
• Birth rate (2020): 42.1 per 1000 inh.
• Death rate (2020): 8.4 per 1000 residents.
• Average age (2020): 17 years
• Average life expectancy (2020): 61.4 years (men 59.6; women 63.3)
• Age structure (2020): 45.6% younger than 15 years, 2.4% older than 65 years
• Literacy rate (15 year olds and older) (2018): 42.4%
• Mobile phone contracts (pre-paid and post-paid) (2018): 82 per 100 residents
• Internet users (2017): 20 per 100 residents

Economy

• GDP per capita (2019): US $ 1,217
• Total GDP (2019): $ 14 billion
• GNI per capita (2019): US $ 1,250
• Education expenditure (2018): 4.0% of GDP
• Military expenditure (2019): 0.7% of GDP
• Unemployment rate (15 years and older) (2019): 2.2%

History

After the adoption of a constitution confirmed by referendum in 1990, the name of the state was changed to République du Bénin. The previous Prime Minister and former employee of the World Bank Nicéphore Soglo (* 1934), who comes from the south of the country (Abomey), prevailed in the 1991 presidential elections against the dictator Kérékou, who has ruled from the north of the country since 1972, and led within A change to market economy and democratic structures in a very short time. In 1996, however, Kérékou won the election against Soglo; he was also head of government from 1998 and was confirmed in office in the presidential elections in March 2001. Da Kérékou After two terms in office according to the constitution, the former president of the West African Development Bank, Thomas Boni Yayi, was elected as the new president with 74.5% of the vote.

Parliamentary elections were held on March 31, 2007, the fifth free elections since 1990. With 35 of the 83 seats in parliament, the FCBE alliance, which supports the president, became the strongest force. President Thomas Boni Yayi narrowly escaped an attack on March 15, 2007 during an election campaign, the perpetrator of which remained unknown. In the presidential elections on March 13, 2011, he was confirmed in office with 53.1% of the votes. The candidate of the opposition coalition L’Union fait la Nation (UN), Adrien Houngbédji (* 1942), received 35.6% of the vote. The balloting originally planned for February 27, 2011 had been postponed twice. The opposition’s doubts about the complete registration of voters led to internal political tensions. In the parliamentary elections on April 30, 2011, 41 of the 83 seats went to the FCBE. The UN won 30 seats. In November 2011, Benin received a visit from Pope Benedict XVI. There he signed the final document of the Vatican Synod of Bishops on Africa. According to the authorities, an attempted coup against President T. Boni Yayi was thwarted in March 2013. Growing dissatisfaction with his politics led to the formation of the »Mercredi Rouge« protest movement in the summer of 2013. In 2014/15, Benin took part in measures to combat the Boko Haram militia. The ruling FCBE suffered losses in the parliamentary elections on April 26, 2015, but remained the strongest political force with 33 seats. The opposition UN suffered heavy losses and only managed to win 13 seats. In the election campaign it was, inter alia. a possible constitutional amendment that would allow the president a third term. On June 18, 2015, T. Boni Yayi appointed the new cabinet. At the same time, he appointed the economist Lionel Zinsou (* 1954) as Prime Minister with special responsibility for the country’s economic development. In the runoff election for president on March 20, 2016, Zinsou lost to entrepreneur P. Talon. who received around 65.4% of the votes. The independent candidate Talon, who was sworn in as president on April 6, 2016, supported T. Boni Yayi in the 2006 and 2011 elections, but then fell out with him (allegation of a plot to commit murder against the president) and in 2012–15 French exile.