Cotonou is the most important city of Benin, Porto Novo in the official city, Ganvie “The Venice Of Africa” village built on stakes in the lake a few kilometers north of CotonouBoulevard St. in center of town and like its counterpart in Paris.
Afriqiyah Airways Cotonou Flights
Outbound flights from London to Cotonou are operated twice a week every Thursday and Friday, and the inbound flights are also operated twice a week only i.e every Monday and Tuesday. Afriqiyah Arirways also flies from Cotonou to Douala on Thursday and flies inbound to Cotonou on Monday.
Cotonou is located on the coastal strip between Lake Nokoué and the Atlantic Ocean. The city is cut in two by a canal, the lagoon of Cotonou, dug by the French in 1855. Three bridges are located in this area. The Oueme River flows into the Atlantic Ocean at Cotonou. The city has established transportation infrastructure including air, sea, river (to Porto Novo) and land routes that facilitate trade with its neighbors Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso and Togo. The erosion of the coast has noted for several decades. It worsened in 1961 following the major work undertaken in Benin with the construction of the Nangbéto dam and deep-water port of Cotonou, in Ghana with the Akossombo dam and in Togo at the port of Lomé. Houssou Paul, a pilot project funded by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) revealed that in 40 years, the coast to the east of Cotonou fell by 400 meters.[citation needed] This erosion has led many people to leave their homes built along the coast. The Beninese state has decided to prohibit the pumping of sea and sand for the construction of protective dikes. Top»
Historical background
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 to become the largest harbour in the region. In June 2000, the Cotonou Agreement treaty was signed between the European Union and the group of African, Caribbean and Pacific states (ACP countries) in Cotonou. The Cotonou Agreement replaced the Lomé Convention which had been the basis for ACP-EU development cooperation since 1975. The Cotonou Agreement has a much broader scope, and is aimed at the reduction and eventual eradication of poverty while contributing to sustainable development and to the gradual integration of ACP countries into the world economy. The revised Cotonou Agreement is also concerned with the fight against impunity and promotion of criminal justice through the International Criminal Court. It was signed by 79 ACP countries and the then fifteen Member States of the European Union. It entered into force in 2003 and is the latest agreement in the history of ACP-EU Development Cooperation. Top»
Entertainment
Cotonou is the most important city of Benin. Porto Novo is the official capital, but in economic activity Cotonou takes the first place. It is the place to arrange your visa and onward transport. Although the city itself doesn't boast too many sights it is a lively place and an ideal spot for planning trips to the region. From Cotonou it is 20 minutes to Porto Novo with its museums and royal palace. The slave port of Ouidah with many historical sites and museums is 40 Kms west of Cotonou. To Abomey, the ancient capital of Dahomey it is 100km north. All main roads are paved and in good condition. Top»
Fun Facts
Ganvie, "the Venice of Africa" a village build on stakes in the lake is a few kilometres north of Cotonou. Top»
Quick Facts
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 Savé. 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 is 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. Top»
Did You Know?
The climate is equatorial, alternating with two rainy seasons (April - July and September - October, 800 to 1,200 mm of rain per year) and two dry seasons. From December to January, the city is affected by winds. The annual temperature varies between 18 and 35 °C. Top»
Monday to Friday 7:30- 20:00 Saturday 8:00-19:00 Sunday 9:00-18:00 (Calls may be recorded for quality control)
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