Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP; The Renaissance
Party of Benin or RB [Nicephore SOGLO]
note: as of February 1996, more than 80 political parties were
officially recognized

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA,
ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM,
OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lucien Edgar TONOUKOUIN
chancery : 2737 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656, 6657, 6658
FAX : [1] (202) 265-1996

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John M. YATES
embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou
mailing address: B. P. 2012, Cotonou
telephone : [229] 30-06-50, 30-05-13, 30-17-92
FAX: [229] 30-14-39, 30-19-74

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red
with a vertical green band on the hoist side

Economy

Economy - overview: The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and
dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional
trade. Growth in real output, which had averaged a sound 4% in
1990-95, rose to 5.5% in 1996. Rapid population growth offset much of
this growth in output. Inflation jumped to 55% in 1994 (compared to 3%
in 1993) following the 50% currency devaluation in January 1994, but
has subsided gradually over the past two years, with 14.5% inflation
in 1995 and a target of 4.5% inflation in 1996. Commercial and
transport activities, which make up a large part of GDP, are extremely
vulnerable to developments in Nigeria as evidenced by decreased
reexport trade in 1994 due to a severe contraction in Nigerian demand.
Support by the Paris Club and official bilateral creditors has eased
the external debt situation in recent years. The government, still
burdened with money-losing state enterprises and a bloated civil
service, has been gradually implementing a World Bank supported
structural adjustment program since 1991.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.2 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.5% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,440 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 36.8%
industry: 12.6%
services : 50.6% (1993)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 14.5% (1995)

Labor force: NA

Unemploymen