AfricaBeninOuémé
Porto-Novo
Ouémé, Benin · Africa
About Porto-Novo
Porto-Novo sits on the route: 15 minutes from Missérété.
Porto-Novo is in Ouémé, Benin, with about 260,000 people. The nearest town is Missérété, about 7 km away.
Porto-Novo (Portuguese for 'New Port', pronounced [ˈpoɾtu ˈnovu]; French: [pɔʁtɔnɔvo]; Yoruba: Àjàṣẹ́; Fon: Xɔ̀gbónù; also known as Hogbonu and Ajashe) is the capital and second-largest city of Benin. The commune covers an area of 52 square kilometres (20 sq mi) and as of 2013 had a population of 264,320 people.
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1863, following British bombardment, Porto-Novo accepted French protection, and by 1900, it became the capital of French Dahomey. After Benin's independence in 1960, Porto-Novo retained its status as the official capital, while Cotonou emerged as the economic and administrative hub.
Situated on an inlet of the Gulf of Guinea, in the southeastern portion of the country, the city was originally developed as a port for the transatlantic slave trade led by the Portuguese Empire. It is Benin's second-largest city, and although it is the official capital, where the national legislature sits, the larger city of Cotonou is the seat of government, where most of the government buildings are situated and government departments operate.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Porto-Novo?
Porto-Novo is in Ouémé, Benin, about 7 km from Missérété.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 264,320
- Continent
- Africa
- Country
- Benin
- Region
- Ouémé
- Timezone
- Africa/Porto-Novo
- Coordinates
- 6.4965, 2.6036
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When to drive here
Year-round
Tropical latitude: plan around the wet season rather than temperature.
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