_Infant mortality rate: 119 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

_#_Life expectancy at birth: 49 years male, 52 years female (1991)

_#_Total fertility rate: 7.0 children born/woman (1991)

_#_Nationality: noun--Beninese (sing., pl.); adjective--Beninese

_#_Ethnic divisions: African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important
being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba); Europeans 5,500

_#_Religion: indigenous beliefs 70%, Muslim 15%, Christian 15%

_#_Language: French (official); Fon and Yoruba most common
vernaculars in south; at least six major tribal languages in north

_#_Literacy: 23% (male 32%, female 16%) age 15 and over can
read and write (1990 est.)

_#_Labor force: 1,900,000 (1987); agriculture 60%, transport,
commerce, and public services 38%, industry less than 2%; 49% of
population of working age (1985)

_#_Organized labor: about 75% of wage earners

_*_Government
_#_Long-form name: Republic of Benin

_#_Type: dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms
adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4
April 1991

_#_Capital: Porto-Novo (official), Cotonou (de facto)

_#_Administrative divisions: 6 provinces; Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou,
Mono, Oueme, Zou

_#_Independence: 1 August 1960 (from France; formerly Dahomey)

_#_Constitution: 2 December 1990

_#_Legal system: based on French civil law and customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

_#_National holiday: National Day, 1 August (1990)

_#_Executive branch: president, cabinet

_#_Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee
Nationale)

_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

_#_Leaders:

Chief of State and Head of Government--President Nicephore
SOGLO (since 4 April 1991)

_#_Political parties and leaders: the People's Revolutionary Party
of Benin (PRPB) headed by President Mathieu KEREKOU, chairman of
the Central Committee, was dissolved 30 April 1990;
Alliance of the Democratic Union for the Forces of Progress (UDFP),
Timothee ADANLIN;
Movement for Democracy and Social Progress (MDPS), Jean-Roger AHOYO; and
the Union for Liberty and Development (ULD), Marcellin DEGBE;

Alliance of the National Party for Democracy and Development (PNDD) and
the Democratic Renewal Party (PRD), Pascal Chabi KAO;

Alliance of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the National Union
for Solidarity and Progress (UNSP), Bruno AMOUSSOU;

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