Part 97

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; minor money-laundering center ______________________________________________________________________

BENIN

@Benin:Geography

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 land: 110,620 sq km water: 2,000 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: Mount Tanekas 641 m

Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 31% other: 48% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 100 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north in winter

Environment - current issues: recent droughts have severely affected marginal agriculture in north; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: no natural harbors

@Benin:People

Population: 5,902,178 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 48% (male 1,420,335; female 1,411,160) 15-64 years: 50% (male 1,401,360; female 1,530,626) 65 years and over : 2% (male 60,704; female 77,993) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.31% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 46.28 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 13.14 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)