Benin is the African country whose official capital is Porto-Novo while Cotonou is its largest city and main economic center.
Porto-Novo lies near the Gulf of Guinea and serves as Benin’s constitutional capital. Cotonou, about 30 kilometres to the west, is the country’s largest city, principal port and seat of many government institutions. This division between official capital and dominant urban center can lead readers to identify Cotonou as the capital.
Porto-Novo developed as a major regional trading settlement and retains important links to the histories of the Gbe-speaking peoples and the former Kingdom of Porto-Novo. Cotonou grew especially as a modern coastal commercial hub. Both cities are part of Benin’s densely settled southeastern corridor.
Benin was formerly known as Dahomey until 1975. The country borders Togo, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Niger, and its southern coastline opens onto the Gulf of Guinea.