Everything about Cotonou totally explained
Cotonou is the economic capital of
Benin, as well as its largest city. Its official population count was 761,137 inhabitants in 2006; however, some estimates indicate its population may be as high as 1.2 million. The population in 1960 was only 70,000. The urban area continues to expand, notably towards the west. The city lies in the southeast of the country, between the
Atlantic Ocean and
Nokoué Lake, located at 6°22' North, 2°26' East (6.36667, 2.4333).
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In addition to being Benin's largest city, it houses many of its government and diplomatic services; thus, it's Benin's
de facto capital, even though the official capital is
Porto-Novo. The city is best known as a major
port, thanks to the
Autonomous Port of Cotonou; it's also home to an
airport and a
railway that links to
Parakou. Other features of Cotonou include
Cotonou Friendship Stadium,
Cotonou Cathedral,
Cotonou Central Mosque and the 20-hectare
Dantokpa Market, which includes a
fetish market and has a commercial turnover of over a billion
CFA Francs a day. The
National University of Benin is located in Cotonou. Another familiar feature of the city is the
motorcycle-
taxis known as
Zémidjans.
History
The name 'Cotonou' means 'the mouth of the river of death' in the
Fon language. At the beginning of the
19th century, Cotonou (then spelled Kotonou) was merely a small fishing village. Originally dominated by the Kingdom of
Dahomey, in
1851 the
French made a treaty with the Dahomean King
Ghezo that allowed them to establish a trading post at Cotonou. During the reign of
Glele, his successor (1858-89), the territory was ceded to
France by a treaty signed on
May 19,
1868. In
1883, the French navy occupied the city to prevent
British conquest of the area. After Glele's death in 1889, his son
Behanzin tried, unsuccessfully, to challenge the treaty. From then on, the town developed quickly.
Demographic evolution
- 1979: 320,348 (Census)
- 1992: 536,827 (Census)
- 2002: 665,100 (Estimate)
- 2005: 690,584 (Estimate)
Transportation and economy
The Autonomous Port of Cotonou is one of the largest ports in West Africa. The city is connected to
Parakou in the north of the country by the Benin-Niger railway.
Cotonou International Airport provides service to the capitals of the region and to France, as well as the major cities of Benin: Parakou,
Kandi,
Natitingou,
Djougou, and
Savè. There are also road connections to several neighboring countries: Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Niger, and
Togo.
Because of these connections, Cotonou has become a crossroads of West African commerce, with much trade moving here from
Abidjan because of the
Ivorian Civil War. The city is a so-called 'market town,' enabling trade with the countries of the African interior, such as
Mali,
Burkina Faso, and
Niger. In addition to the port, there's a
free trade zone in the interior of the city for use by the landlocked Saharan states. However, the city is rife with corruption and illegal trade, especially with neighboring
Nigeria. It can be considered the economic capital as it houses two-thirds of Benin's industries and is the headquarters of the nation's major enterprises and banks.
Important manufactured goods include
palm oil and
cake,
brewing,
textiles, and
cement.
Motor vehicles and
bicycles are assembled, and there are also
sawmills in the city.
Petroleum products,
bauxite, and
iron are major exports. There are also offshore platforms drilling for
oil. The city is also a center for the automotive trade, with European brands being sold from vast open-air parking lots.
In Missebo area, Cotonou is a textile market of African Print mainly handled by Indian wholesalers and retailers.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Cotonou'.
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