Africa · capital city
What Is the Capital of Benin?
Porto-Novo · Cotonou
Benin has 2 capitals: Porto-Novo (constitutional capital) and Cotonou (seat of government). About 285,000 people live in the Porto-Novo urban area — 1.9% of the country's population.
285,000
Urban area population
UTC+1
Time zone
6.48°N
Latitude · 2.62°E
Yes
Largest city
Porto-Novo at a glance
Why several capitals?
Porto-Novo is the constitutional capital. Cotonou is the seat of government.
Name origin
The name Porto-Novo is Portuguese for "new port"; Cotonou means "mouth of the river of death" in the native Fon language.
Time zone
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). No daylight saving time.
Coordinates
6 29 N, 2 37 E · IANA time zone Africa/Lagos
Location of Benin
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo
Largest cities in Benin
1
Porto-Novo Capital
285,0002
Abomey-Calavi
1.3 million3
Cotonou
722,000Urban-area population · CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Capitals of neighbouring countries
Capitals closest to Porto-Novo
Lome, Togo — 160 km
Accra, Ghana — 330 km
Abuja, Nigeria — 614 km
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea — 747 km
Niamey, Niger — 784 km
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso — 796 km
Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe — 822 km
Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire — 871 km
Straight-line distance between capitals.
Frequently asked questions about Porto-Novo
What is the capital of Benin?
Benin has 2 capitals: Porto-Novo (constitutional capital) and Cotonou (seat of government). About 285,000 people live in the Porto-Novo urban area — 1.9% of the country's population.
Is Porto-Novo the largest city in Benin?
Yes — Porto-Novo is also the largest urban area of Benin (285,000).
What time zone is Porto-Novo in?
Porto-Novo is on UTC+1 — UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). There is no daylight saving time.
Where does the name Porto-Novo come from?
The name Porto-Novo is Portuguese for "new port"; Cotonou means "mouth of the river of death" in the native Fon language.
Which capital is closest to Porto-Novo?
Among the capitals of neighbouring countries, Lome (Togo) is the closest, 160 km away in a straight line.
Data: CIA World Factbook (public domain); population: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0).