People

Population: 6 100 799 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:

0-15 years: 48% (male 1 465 067; female 1 455 852)

15-64 years: 50% (male 1 455 224; female 1 582 880)

65 years and over: 2% (male 61 523; female 80 253) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.31% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 45.82 births/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 12.77 deaths/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1 000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 100.22 deaths/1 000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 53.61 years

male: 51.56 years

female: 55.72 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.48 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Beninese (singular and plural)

adjective: Beninese

Ethnic groups: African 99% (42 ethnic groups most important being Fon Adja Yoruba Bariba) Europeans 5 500

Religions: indigenous beliefs 70% Muslim 15% Christian 15%

Languages: French (official) Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south) tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 37%

male: 48.7%

female: 25.8% (1995 est.)