Benin (formerly Dahomey) People - 1986

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Population: 4,141,000(July 1986), average annual growth rate 3.1%

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

Infant mortality rate: 45/1,000 (1984)

Life expectancy: 46.9

Literacy: 20%

Labor force: 1.5 million (1982); 70% of labor force employed in agriculture; less than 2% of the labor force work in the industrial sector, and the remainder are employed in transport, commerce, and public services

Organized labor: approximately 75% of wage earners, divided among two major and several minor unions

NOTE: The information regarding Benin (formerly Dahomey) on this page is re-published from the 1986 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Benin (formerly Dahomey) 1986 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Benin (formerly Dahomey) 1986 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.