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Country name:
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conventional long form:
Republic of Benin
conventional short form: Benin
local long form: Republique du Benin
local short form: Benin
former: Dahomey |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital of Benin:
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name: Porto-Novo
(official capital)
geographic coordinates: 6 29 N, 2 37 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of
Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note: Cotonou (seat of government) |
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Administrative
divisions in Benin:
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12 departments; Alibori,
Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines, Kouffo, Donga,
Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou |
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Independence:
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1 August 1960 (from France)
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National holiday:
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National Day, 1 August
(1960) |
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Constitution:
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adopted by referendum 2
December 1990 |
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Legal system in
Benin:
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based on French civil law
and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction |
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Suffrage in Benin:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch of
Benin:
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chief of state:
President Thomas YAYI Boni (since 6 April 2006); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Thomas YAYI Boni
(since 6 April 2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
president
elections: president elected by popular vote for
a five-year term (eligible for a second term); runoff
election held 19 March 2006 (next to be held in March
2011)
election results: Thomas YAYI Boni elected
president; percent of vote - Thomas YAYI Boni 74.5%,
Adrien HOUNGBEDJI 25.5% |
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Legislative branch of
Benin:
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unicameral National Assembly
or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats; members are elected by
direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 31 March 2007 (next to be
held by March 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - FCBE 35, ADD 20, PRD 10, other and
independents 18 |
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Judicial branch of
Benin:
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Constitutional Court or Cour
Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High
Court of Justice |
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Political parties and
leaders of Beninese:
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Alliance for Dynamic
Democracy or ADD; Alliance of Progress Forces or AFP;
African Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou
FAGBOHOUN]; Benin Renaissance or RB [Rosine SOGLO];
Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI];
Force Cowrie for an Emerging Benin or FCBE; Impulse for
Progress and Democracy or IPD [Theophile NATA]; Key
Force or FC; Movement for Development and Solidarity or
MDS; Movement for Development by the Culture-Salute
Party-Congress of People for Progress Alliance or
Alliance MDC-PS-CPP; New Alliance or NA; Rally for
Democracy and Progress or RDP; The Star Alliance
(Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union of Tomorrow's
Benin or UBF [Bruno AMOUSSOU]
note: approximately 20 additional minor parties
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Political pressure
groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International
organization participation:
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ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS,
Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC,
MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB
(regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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Diplomatic
representation of Benin in the US:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN
chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC
20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656
FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996 |
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Diplomatic
representation from the US to Benin:
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Gayleatha B. BROWN
embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou
mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou
telephone: [229] 21-30-06-50
FAX: [229] 21-30-03-84 |
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Benin Flag
description:
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two equal horizontal bands
of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a vertical green
band on the hoist side |
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Facts
on Government of Benin