no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentary federal government
Independence date
Religions
Christian 42.8% (Catholic 27.1%, Celestial 5%, Methodist 3.2%, other Protestant 2.2%, other 5.3%), Muslim 24.4%, Vodoun 17.3%, other 15.5% (2002 census)
Sunni Muslim
Languages
French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)
Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
Exports
External Debt
Exchange Rate
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo
Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia
Area
112,622 km sq
637,657 km sq
Coastline
121 km
3,025 km
Climate
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), moderate temperatures in north and hot in south; southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons
