Parakou is the largest city in northern
Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north ...
, with an estimated population of around 206,667 people, and capital of the
Borgou Department
Borgou is one of the twelve departments of Benin. Borgou borders the country of Nigeria and the departments of Alibori, Atakora, Collines and Donga. The capital of Borgou is Parakou. The department of Borgou was bifurcated in 1999, with its ...
. Administratively the commune of Parakou makes up one of Benin's 77 communes. Since 2015, its mayor is Souradjou Adamou Karimou.
History
The city was founded in the 16th century by traders.
Economy
Parakou lies on the main north-south highway
RNIE 2
RNIE 2 is a national highway of Benin. It is Benin's main north–south highway which runs the entire 785 km down the centre of the country from the Niger River to Cotonou. The RNIE 2 crosses the RNIE 4 at Bohicon east of Abomey.
Cities and ...
and at the end of a railway to
Cotonou
Cotonou (; fon, Kútɔ̀nú) is a city in Benin. Its official population count was 679,012 inhabitants in 2012; however, over two million people live in the larger urban area.
The urban area continues to expand, notably toward the west. The ci ...
.
Markets
This has made it an important
market town
A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rural ...
, with major industries including cotton and textiles, peanut oil manufacture and brewing. The town grew initially from revenue generated from passing merchants that took goods from the region across the
Sahara
, photo = Sahara real color.jpg
, photo_caption = The Sahara taken by Apollo 17 astronauts, 1972
, map =
, map_image =
, location =
, country =
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, ...
and the
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
to Europe.
[Butler, Stuart (2019) ''Bradt Travel Guide - Benin'', pgs. 177-180] Parakou later became well known in the
slave trade
Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
.
Later traders concentrated on cotton and Parakou remains the hub of the Beninese cotton trade to this day, with considerable interest from Europe.
![Parakouinternationalmarket](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/Parakouinternationalmarket.jpg)
There are several markets trading, notably the largest, Grand Marché Azeke which one of the largest in Benin, an international market spanning over a block. This market has a large covered hall overlapping onto the streets with stalls, with 500 and 1000 vendors. The market sells an enormous range of goods from items of
pottery
Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other ceramic materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. Major types include earthenware, stoneware and por ...
including vases and bowls, to cotton textiles, cassettes and CD's of local and international artists, local spices, fruits, gasaru/wagasi (cow's milk cheese) and kitchen utensils.
Another market, located several blocks north, is called the "Marché Kobo Kobo", which lies across the street from the French Cultural Centre.
Marché Kobo Kobo is known for its clothing retailing, primarily second hand goods, and in another section livestock.
The Marché Depot is located near Parakou Railway Station around numerous hotels and sells mostly food but also calabashes and baskets. There is also the Marché Guema, located next to Guema Church on the northern road to
Malanville
Malanville is a city, arrondissement and commune in the Alibori Department of northeastern Benin, located across the River Niger from Niger. It is known as a centre of cross-border trade and has a major market. Malanville is also a centre for rice ...
in the Albarika quarter of the city. The market was founded by the
Somba people of the
Atacora
Atakora is the northwesternmost department of Benin. Externally it borders Togo to the west and Burkina Faso to the north; internally it borders the departments of Alibori, Borgou and Donga. Major towns in the Atakora include Natitingou and Tan ...
, and takes place every Sunday at 10 am. The market consists of a collection of grass huts, and specialises in beef and pork and local millet beer known as
choukachou
Choukachou or chouk is a Beninese type of millet beer. It is widely consumed in northern Benin and the city of Parakou is an important centre for brewing. The beer is transported to southern Benin, Cotonou
Cotonou (; fon, Kútɔ̀nú) is a city ...
or simply "chouk".
Inland Port
Parakou is the site of a proposed
inland port
An inland port is a port on an inland waterway, such as a river, lake, or canal, which may or may not be connected to the sea. The term "inland port" is also used to refer to a dry port.
Examples
The United States Army Corps of Engineers publ ...
.
The dry port is a multi-modal platform located 3 km from the centre of Parakou, close to the railway. It gives the
Backbone Project a strategic position for imports and exports to neighbouring countries, notably Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Togo.
Demographics
![Parakouroundabout](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Parakouroundabout.jpg)
The name, Parakou, is derived from a Dendi word meaning "the city of everyone", named for the city's diversity of ethnicities.
As a market town attracting many people as a trading and stop-off point, Parakou has a large mix of African ethnicities, including fula,
Dendi,
Somba,
Fon,
Mina,
Bariba,
Djerma,
Yoruba
The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...
(of the Nago tribe),
Hausa
Hausa may refer to:
* Hausa people, an ethnic group of West Africa
* Hausa language, spoken in West Africa
* Hausa Kingdoms, a historical collection of Hausa city-states
* Hausa (horse) or Dongola horse, an African breed of riding horse
See also
* ...
,
Kabrais,
Warma, and
Tuareg
The Tuareg people (; also spelled Twareg or Touareg; endonym: ''Imuhaɣ/Imušaɣ/Imašeɣăn/Imajeɣăn'') are a large Berber ethnic group that principally inhabit the Sahara in a vast area stretching from far southwestern Libya to southern A ...
.
In 1979 the city was reported as having 60,915 people and according to the official census of 1992, Parakou had a population of 103,577. In the last 15–20 years the population of Parakou has nearly doubled with 149,819 recorded in 2002 and with the most recent census in 2013, the population was 255,478.
Climate
Culture
![Parakoupleinairmuseum](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Parakoupleinairmuseum.jpg)
The city has a museum, the
Musée en Plein Air de Parakou
Musée en Plein Air de Parakou is a museum located approximately south of the centre of the city Parakou, Benin in the suburbs. The museum consists of five circular complexes representing the traditional housing of the local Batanou peoples. The ...
.
Administration
Parakou is one of the 77 official
communes of Benin
The departments of Benin are subdivided into 77 communes, which in turn are divided into arrondissements and finally into villages or city districts. Prior to 1999 provinces were broken down into 84 districts, titled either urban or rural. Bef ...
. The mayor of the commune and city as of 2008 is
Samou Seidou Adambi
Samou Seidou Adambi is a Beninese politician. He is the Minister of Energy, Water and Mines of Benin. He is the former mayor of the commune and city of Parakou. .
Villages
The commune of Parakou contains the following villages:
Amawihon,
Bakaga
Bakaga is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a countr ...
,
Bakounkparou
Bakounkparou is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a ...
,
Bakounourou
Bakounourou is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin. It is located south of the city centre.
External linksSatellite map at Maplandia
Populated places in the Borgou Department
Commune of Pa ...
,
Baperou
Baperou is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin. It is located south-west of the city centre on the RNIE 2
RNIE 2 is a national highway of Benin. It is Benin's main north–south highway which ru ...
,
Bereyadou
Bereyadou is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin. It is located south-west of the city centre on the RNIE 2 highway.
External linksSatellite map at Maplandia
Populated places in the Borgou ...
,
Borarou
Borarou is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a count ...
,
Darou Kourarou,
Debregourou,
Dokparou
Dokparou is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a coun ...
,
Douerou
Douerou is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a count ...
,
Forane Kparou,
Gagbebou
Gagbebou is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a coun ...
,
Ganou
Ganou is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country ...
,
Ga Yakabou,
Gommboko
Gommboko is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a coun ...
,
Gorobani
Gorobani is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a coun ...
,
Gouforou
Gouforou is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a coun ...
,
Goutere
Goutere is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a count ...
,
Guema,
Guererou,
Guinrerou
Guinrerou is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin. It is located west of Parakou city centre along the RNIE 6
RNIE 6 is a national highway of Benin located in the east of the country.
Cities a ...
,
Kaborokpo
Kaborokpo is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a cou ...
,
Kabro
Kabro is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin. It is located west of Parakou city centre.
External linksSatellite map at Maplandia
Populated places in the Borgou Department
Commune of Parak ...
,
Karobouarou,
Kipare,
Konkoma
Konkoma is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a count ...
,
Koumerou,
Kperou Guera
Kperou Guera is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a ...
,
Moundouro
Moundouro is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a cou ...
,
Nekinparo
Nekinparo is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin. It is located south of Parakou city centre along the RNIE 2
RNIE 2 is a national highway of Benin. It is Benin's main north–south highway whic ...
,
Nikikperou
Nikikperou is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a co ...
,
Ouroungourou,
Pepekino,
Pepepeterou,
Sanro
Sanro is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a countr ...
,
Senouorou
Senouorou is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a cou ...
,
Sokoumeno
Sokoumeno is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a cou ...
,
Sokouno
Sokouno is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin. It is located south-east of Parakou city centre on the RNIE 6
RNIE 6 is a national highway of Benin located in the east of the country.
Cities ...
,
Sonoumo
Sonoumo is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a coun ...
,
Sourou,
Suinrou,
Tabayorourou,
Tankaro
Tankaro is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a coun ...
,
Tankaro Ga,
Teougourou Gando
Teougourou Gando is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, ...
,
Tian
''Tiān'' () is one of the oldest Chinese terms for heaven and a key concept in Chinese mythology, Chinese philosophy, philosophy, and Chinese folk religion, religion. During the Shang dynasty (17th―11th century BCE), the Chinese referred to ...
,
Tinekonparou,
Tora
Tora or TORA may refer to:
People
* Tora (given name), female given name
* Tora (surname)
* Tora people of Arabia and northern Africa
* Torá language, an extinct language once spoken in Brazil
Places
* Tora, Benin, in Borgou Department
* Tora, ...
,
Tourou
Tourou is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin. It is located west of Parakou city centre on the RNIE 6
RNIE 6 is a national highway of Benin located in the east of the country.
Cities and to ...
,
Wansirou,
Weria
Weria is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin. It is located east of Parakou city centre.
External linksSatellite map at Maplandia
Populated places in the Borgou Department
Commune of Para ...
,
Wore,
Worora
Worora is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin. It is located west of Parakou city centre along the RNIE 6
RNIE 6 is a national highway of Benin located in the east of the country.
Cities an ...
,
Yakassirou
Yakassirou is a village in the commune of Parakou in the Borgou Department of central-eastern Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a co ...
Education
The
University of Parakou was founded in 2001.
Places of worship
![ParakouMosque](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/ParakouMosque.jpg)
Among the
places of worship
A place of worship is a specially designed structure or space where individuals or a group of people such as a congregation come to perform acts of devotion, veneration, or religious study. A building constructed or used for this purpose is somet ...
, most predominant are
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
mosques. There are also several
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
denominations represented:
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Parakou
The Archdiocese of Parakou ( la, Archidioecesis Parakuensis) is the Metropolitan See for the ecclesiastical province of Parakou in Benin.
History
* 13 May 1948: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Parakou from the Apostolic Prefecture of Ni ...
(
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
),
Protestant Methodist Church in Benin The Protestant Methodist Church in Benin was founded by Methodist missionary and colonial official in West Africa, Thomas Birch Freeman in 1843. He was sent by the Methodist Missionary Society in London. Freeman was the son of a freed slave.
The ...
(
World Methodist Council
The World Methodist Council (WMC), founded in 1881, is a consultative body and association of churches in the Methodist tradition. It comprises 80 member denominations in 138 countries which together represent an estimated 80 million people; this ...
),
Union of Baptist Churches of Benin
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
(
Baptist World Alliance
The Baptist World Alliance (BWA) is the largest international Baptist organization with an estimated 51 million people in 2022 with 246 member bodies in 128 countries and territories. A voluntary association of Baptist churches, the BWA account ...
),
Living Faith Church Worldwide
Living Faith Church Worldwide (also known as Winners' Chapel) is an Evangelical charismatic Christian denomination and a megachurch. The headquarters is located in Ota, Nigeria. The organization has since become a global network of churches w ...
,
Redeemed Christian Church of God
The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) is a Pentecostal megachurch and denomination founded in Lagos, Nigeria. The General overseer (most senior pastor) is Enoch Adeboye, ordained in 1981. The church in Lagos had an average church attendanc ...
and the
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God (AG), officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 144 autonomous self-governing national groupings of churches that together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination."Assemblies of God". ...
.
Transport
![Parakouroad](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Parakouroad.jpg)
Parakou Railway Station is the last railway station on the Parakou-
Cotonou
Cotonou (; fon, Kútɔ̀nú) is a city in Benin. Its official population count was 679,012 inhabitants in 2012; however, over two million people live in the larger urban area.
The urban area continues to expand, notably toward the west. The ci ...
railway, however at present it is not open to passenger transportation.
Both the national highways
RNIE 2
RNIE 2 is a national highway of Benin. It is Benin's main north–south highway which runs the entire 785 km down the centre of the country from the Niger River to Cotonou. The RNIE 2 crosses the RNIE 4 at Bohicon east of Abomey.
Cities and ...
and
RNIE 6
RNIE 6 is a national highway of Benin located in the east of the country.
Cities and towns
* Nikki
* Pèrèrè
*Parakou
Parakou is the largest city in northern Benin, with an estimated population of around 206,667 people, and capital of the ...
pass through Parakou. The city is also served by
Parakou Airport.
The government has proposed extending the railway to
Dosso in Niger.
Sport
The main football clubs are
Dynamo Unacob FC de Parakou and
Buffles du Borgou FC
Les Buffles Football Club du Borgou, famously known as Les Buffles du Borgou, is a Beninese professional football club based in Parakou, that competes in the Benin Premier League.
History
The club was founded on 1976 in Paraku under the name o ...
which play in the
Benin Premier League
The Benin Premier League, also called ''Championnat National du Bénin'' in French, is the highest football division in Benin. The league was held in 1969 for the first time. Currently, the initial round is a double round-robin tournament, with 36 ...
, the highest division of Beninese football.
Notable people
*
Hubert Maga
Coutoucou Hubert Maga (August 10, 1916 – May 8, 2000) was a politician from Dahomey (now known as Benin).Dahomey was renamed Benin in 1975. Se''New York Times'' obituary He arose on a political scene where one's power was dictated by what regi ...
- First President of
Dahomey
The Kingdom of Dahomey () was a West African kingdom located within present-day Benin that existed from approximately 1600 until 1904. Dahomey developed on the Abomey Plateau amongst the Fon people in the early 17th century and became a region ...
(the former name of Benin).
*
Steve Mounié
Steve Michel Mounié (born 29 September 1994) is a Beninese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Brest, whom he captains, and the Benin national team.
Club career Montpellier
Mounié is a Montpellier HSC youth acade ...
- Professional footballer who played in England for
Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town Association Football Club is a professional football club based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England, which compete in the . The team have played home games at the Kirklees Stadium since moving from Leeds Road in 1994. The ...
in the
Premier League
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Foo ...
and has been capped by
Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north ...
at senior international level.
See also
*
Railway stations in Benin
There has been continuous provision of rail transport in Benin since 1906. Railway stations in Benin include:
Maps
UN Map Benin Operational
* Cotonou - (0 km) port
* Porto Novo - national capital; Cement in Africa, cement factory
* Bo ...
*
West Africa Regional Rail Integration
The West Africa Regional Rail Integration is a proposal to connect up isolated railway networks in West Africa.
Overview
In 2009, USTDA approved funding of $750,000 for a feasibility study grant to assist the Union économique et monétaire oue ...
References
Bibliography
* .
*
{{Authority control
Communes of Benin
Populated places in Benin