Life expectancy at birth: 48 years male, 52 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 7.1 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Beninese (sing., pl.); adjective—Beninese
Ethnic divisions: 99% African (42 ethnic groups, most important being
Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba); 5,500 Europeans
Religion: 70% indigenous beliefs, 15% Muslim, 15% Christian
Language: French (official); Fon and Yoruba most common vernaculars in south; at least six major tribal languages in north
Literacy: 25.9%
Labor force: 1,900,000 (1987); 60% agriculture, 38% transport, commerce, and public services, less than 2% industry; 49% of population of working age (1985)
Organized labor: about 75% of wage earners
- Government
Long-form name: Republic of Benin