The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and
dependent on subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional
trade. Growth in real output has averaged a sound 4% in 1990-95 and 5%
in 1996-99. Rapid population growth has offset much of this growth in
output. Inflation has subsided over the past three years. Commercial
and transport activities, which make up a large part of GDP, are
vulnerable to developments in Nigeria, particularly fuel shortages.
The Paris Club and bilateral creditors have 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 structural adjustment program since 1991.

purchasing power parity - $8.1 billion (1999 est.)

5% (1999 est.)

purchasing power parity - $1,300 (1999 est.)

agriculture: 34%
industry: 14%
services: 52% (1997)

33% (1995 est.)

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

3% (1999 est.)

NA

NA%

revenues: $299 million
expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of $14
million (1995 est.)

textiles, cigarettes; beverages, food; construction
materials, petroleum

NA%

6 million kWh (1998)

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)

276 million kWh (1998)

0 kWh (1998)

270 million kWh (1998)

corn, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans,
rice, cotton, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, livestock

$396 million (f.o.b., 1999)

cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa

Brazil 32%, Libya, Indonesia, Spain (1998)

$566 million (f.o.b., 1999)

foodstuffs, tobacco, petroleum products,
capital goods

France 22%, China 16%, UK, Netherlands (1998)

$1.6 billion (1997 est.)

$281.2 million (1995)

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100
centimes

CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 647.25 (January 2000),
615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15
(1995)
note: from 1 January 1999, the CFAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of
655.957 CFA francs per euro

calendar year