Porto-Novo

Porto-Novo, population 179,138 (1992), is the official capital of Benin. It is a port on Porto-Novo Lagoon, an arm of the Gulf of Guinea. Porto-Novo is Benin's second largest city, but it is less important commercially and industrially than Cotonou. The city is the center of an agricultural region whose chief product is palm oil. It also exports cotton and kapok. Porto-Novo is located at 6°28' North, 2°36' East (6.46667, 2.6). http://earth-info.nga.mil/gns/html/cntry_files.html

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Porto-Novo was probably founded in the late 16th century by the Gun people. It got its name from the Portuguese, meaning "New Port", who built a trading post there in the 17th century in order to ship African slaves to the Americas. The Kingdom of Porto-Novo accepted French "protection" in 1863 in order to fend off British encroachment. However, the neighboring Kingdom of Abomey resented the French presence, and war broke out. In 1883 the French navy landed at Porto-Novo and Cotonou, and Porto-Novo was incorporated into the French colony of Dahomey. In 1900 it was made Dahomey's capital.

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Features of the city include the Institute of Higher Studies of Benin, the Porto Novo Museum of Ethnography and King Toffa's palace.

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1992: 1992 was a leap year starting on Wednesday....

Capital: :This article concerns places that serve as centers of government and politics. For alternative meanings see capital (disambiguation)...

Benin: The Republic of Benin is a nation of western Africa, formerly known as Dahomey. It has a small coast line with the Bight of Benin in the south, borders Togo in the west, Nigeria in the east, and Burkina Faso and Niger in the north....

Porto-Novo related Images and Photos (experimental)

Women in Costume at Easter Day Parade Porto Novo Oueme Benin	Porto Fino	Porto Ramos	Porto Pitters
Porto Sandeman	Porto Ramos Pinto	Porto Ramos-Pinto	Porto Ramos Pinto
Rangers- Novo	Porto Mediterranio I	Porto Mediterranio IV	Sandeman Porto and Sherry