| Porto-Novo Hogbonou, Adjacé |
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  Porto-Novo
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | Benin |
| Established | 16th century |
| Population (2002) | |
| - Total | 223,552 |
Porto-Novo (also known as Hogbonou and Adjacé (population 223,552 as of a 2002 census) is the official capital of the West African nation of Benin. Benin (bə'nɪn officially the Republic of Benin, and also known as Benin Republic, is a country in Western Africa. West Africa or Western Africa is the Westernmost Region of the African Continent. Benin (bə'nɪn officially the Republic of Benin, and also known as Benin Republic, is a country in Western Africa. It is a port on an inlet of the Gulf of Guinea, in the southeastern portion of the country. The Gulf of Guinea is the part of the Atlantic Ocean southwest of Africa. Porto-Novo is Benin's second largest city, but the city of Cotonou is more important, culturally and politically. Cotonou is the economic capital of Benin, as well as its largest city The region around Porto-Novo produces palm oil, cotton and kapok. Palm oil is an edible plant oil derived from the Fruit of the Arecaceae Elaeis Oil palm. Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp For the children's book see The Great Kapok Tree. Kapok ( Ceiba pentandra) is a tropical Tree of the order Petroleum was discovered off the coast of the city in the 1990s, and has become an important export. Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit
Porto-Novo is located at 6°28' North, 2°36' East (6. 46667, 2. 6). [1]
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History
Porto-Novo was probably founded in the late 16th century by the legendary King Te-Agdanlin of Allada. Allada is a town located in the Atlantique Department of Benin. The city received its name from the Portuguese for "New Port. Portuguese ( or língua portuguesa) is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia (Spain and northern Portugal. " It was originally developed as a port for the slave trade. The history of slavery uncovers many different forms of human exploitation across many cultures throughout history
In 1863, the British, who were active in nearby Nigeria, bombarded the city, which convinced the Kingdom of Porto-Novo to accept French "protection. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. " The neighboring Kingdom of Abomey objected to French involvement in the region, and war broke out between the two states. Abomey is a town in Benin, formerly the capital of the ancient kingdom of Dahomey. In 1883, Porto-Novo was incorporated into the French "colony of Dahomey and its dependencies". In 1900 it became Dahomey's capital city.
The Kings of Porto-Novo continued to rule in the city, both officially and unofficially, until the death of the last King, Alohinto Gbeffa, in 1976. From 1908, they were known as the Chef supérieur.
Many Afro-Brazilians settled in Porto-Novo following their return to Africa after emancipation from slavery in Brazil. Afro-Brazilian, or Black Brazilian, is the term used to racially categorize Brazilian citizens who are black or Multiracial Abolitionism was a political movement of the 18th and 19th century which sought to make Slavery illegal particularly in the United States and British West Indies Brazilian architecture and foods have become important in the city's cultural life.
Demographics
Porto Novo had a population of 234,168 (2005 estimates).
Population Development:
- 1979: 133. 168 (Census)
- 1992: 179. 138 (Census)
- 2000: 210. 400 (Estimate)
- 2002: 223. 552 (Estimate)
- 2005: 234. 168 (Estimate)
Things to see
- The Porto Novo Museum of Ethnography contains a large collection of Yoruba masks, as well as items on the history of the city and of Benin. The Yoruba (Yo•row•ba ( Yorùbá in Yoruba Orthography) are one of the largest ethno-linguistic or Ethnic groups in West Africa
- King Toffa's palace (also known as the Musée Honmé and the Royal Palace), now a museum, shows what life was like for African royalty.
- Jardin Place Jean Bayol is a large plaza which contains a statue of the first King of Porto-Novo.
- The da Silva Museum is a museum of Benin history. It shows what life was like for the returning Afro-Brazilians
- The palais de Gouverneur (governor's palace) is the home of the national legislature.
Other sites of interest include a Brazilian-style church, which is now a mosque, and the Institute of Higher Studies of Benin. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger Stade Municipale and Stade Charles de Gaulle, or Charles de Gaulle Stadium, are the largest football stadiums in the city. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered
Porto-Novo is not far from the cultural and historical living history town of Ouidah. Living history is an activity that incorporates historical tools activities and dress into an interactive presentation that seeks to give observers and participants a sense of Ouidah (also Whydah in English is a city on the Atlantic coast of Benin. It is also near to Nigeria and to Cotonou, and is not far from Pendjari National Park, a natural habitat for many African animal species. The Pendjari National Park Pendjari Online (Parc National de la Pandjari lies in north western Benin, adjoining the Arli National Park in Burkina Faso
Adjogan
Adjogan music is endemic to Porto-Novo. The style of music is played on an alounloun, a stick with metallic rings attached which jingle in time with the beating of the stick. The alounloun is said to descend from the staff of office of King Te-Agdanlin. The music is played to honor the King and his ministers. The music is also played in the city's Roman Catholic churches, but the royal bird crest has been replaced with a cross.
External links
- Official Republic of Benin tourism site for Porto-Novo
- Official Benin government website information about Porto-Novo
- Porto-Novo travel guide from Wikitravel
- porto-novo.biz
- Images of the Central Mosque of Porto-Novo
- Adjogan
- Porto-Novo is at coordinates Coordinates:
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