Language
French is the official language. Other widely-spoken languages include Fon, Fulani, Mine, Yoruba and Massi.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population

2009	8.9 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009)
2007	8.8 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006	8.6 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2005	8.5 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2004	8.2 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2003	8.0 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2002	7.7 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2001	7.5 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2000	7.2 million	U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
22.0 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)

Ethnic groups
Fon (47 percent) is the biggest ethnic group. Others include the Yoruba, Adja and Bariba.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Around 70 percent practice traditional African religions, 15 percent are Muslim and 15 percent are Roman Catholic.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population

2007	40.9 percent	U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006	40.5 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2005	40.1 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2004	39.7 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2003	39.4 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2002	39.0 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2001	38.7 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2000	38.4 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1956
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
No data available (2007)

Percentage of population under 15

2005	44.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	44.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	44.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	45.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	45.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	46.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Time zone
GMT +1

Climate description
Equatorial in the south, very humid in coastal areas, dry and rainy seasons; the north is tropical with extreme temperatures. Deforestation and other environmental problems have become worse because of a considerable decrease in rainfall.

Currency
CFA Franc

Telephone dialling code
(+) 229

Driving (left/right)
Right

Average life expectancy

2005	55.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	54.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	54.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	50.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	50.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	53.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male

2005	54.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	53.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	53.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	48.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	48.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	52.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female

2005	56.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	55.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	54.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	53.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	53.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	55.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality

2007	78 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	88 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	89 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	90 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	91 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	93 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	94 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	98 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five

2007	123 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	148 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	150 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	152 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006

Births attended by skilled personnel

1997-2005	66 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1996-2004	66 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003	66 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	66 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001	66 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000	60 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Maternal mortality

2005	840 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000	850 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)

2005	163	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	163	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	162	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	161	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	159	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	158	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)

2000-2007	23 percent	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2000-2006	23 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
1996-2005	23 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
1996-2004	23 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
1995-2003	23 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	23 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001	23 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000	29 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of undernourished population

2003-2005	19 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2008
2002-2004average	12 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average	14 percent	FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water

2006	65 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	67 percent	UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002	68 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	63 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Population with access to improved sanitation

2006	30 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	33 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2006
2002	32 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005

Literacy - average

2004	34.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	33.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	39.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	38.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	37.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male

2004	47.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	46.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	54.8 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	53.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	52.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female

2004	23.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	22.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	25.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	24.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	23.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones

2008	13 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	13 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	10 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	10 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	10 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	9 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	9 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	9 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	8 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Cellular telephone subscribers

2008	397 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	227 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	130 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	76 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	60 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	32 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	31 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	18 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	8 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Internet users

2008	17 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	17 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	14 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	12 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	11 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	9 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	7 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	3 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	2 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)

2008	96 (joint)	Transparency International 2008
2007	118 (joint)	Transparency International 2007
2006	121 (joint)	Transparency International
2005	88 (joint)	Transparency International
2004	77 (joint)	Transparency International
2003	Not ranked
2002	Not ranked
2001	Not ranked
2000	Not ranked

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
No (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
No data available percent (1990-2001)

GNI per capita, Atlas method

2007	570 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	530 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	510 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	450 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	370 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	330 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	320 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	340 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP

2007	5.4 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	4.6 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	4.3 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	4.0 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	3.6 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	2.8 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	2.4 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	2.3 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Annual GDP growth

2006	4.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	2.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	3.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	3.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	4.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	5.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000	5.8 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation

2007	2.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	3.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	2.8 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	0.3 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	1.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	7.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	3.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	3.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
3.1 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
29.0 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Physicians

2000-2004	4 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004average	6 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1990-2004	4 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003average	10 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2003	10 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002	10 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)

2007	1.2 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2006	1.2 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2005	1.3 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2004	1.3 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2003	1.3 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008

Malaria
Risk from P.falciparum throughout the year in the whole country. P. falciparum resistance to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine reported.
Source: WHO

TB cases

2007	91 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2006	90 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2005	89 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2004	88 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2003	87 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2002	86 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2001	86 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2000	85 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009

Number of refugees originating here

2008	318	UNHCR
2007	265	UNHCR
2006	215	Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005	411	UNHCR
2004	309	UNHCR
2003	282	UNHCR
2002	232	UNHCR
2001	55	UNHCR
2000	54	UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here

2008	6933	UNHCR
2007	7621	UNHCR
2006	10797	UNHCR
2005	30294	UNHCR
2004	4802	UNHCR
2003	5034	UNHCR
2002	5021	UNHCR
2001	4799	UNHCR
2000	4296	UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate

No data available

Landmine casualties per year

2004	0	Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003	0	Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (1997)
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military
No data available percent

Percentage of GDP spent on education

2002-2005	3.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2002-2004	3.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2000-2002	3.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1999-2001	3.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000	3.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health

2004	2.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004	1.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002	2.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001	2.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000	1.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003