Parakou

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title: "Parakou" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["parakou", "communes-of-benin", "populated-places-in-the-borgou-department"] topic_path: "general/parakou" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parakou" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
nameParakou
settlement_typeCity and commune
image_skylinePlace de la municipalité 10.jpg
image_captionCentral Parakou, 2019
pushpin_mapBenin
pushpin_label_positionbottom
pushpin_mapsize240
pushpin_map_captionLocation in Benin
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_name
subdivision_type1Department
subdivision_name1Borgou Department
leader_title1Mayor
leader_name1Inoussa Chabi Zimé
unit_prefMetric
area_total_km2441
population_as_of2012
population_footnotes
population_total206667
population_density_km2auto
population_blank1_titleEthnicities
timezoneWAT
utc_offset+1
coordinates
elevation_m324
::

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Parakou is the largest city in northern Benin, and the third-largest city in the country, with an estimated population of 206,667 people, and capital of the Borgou Department. Administratively, the commune of Parakou makes one of Benin's 77 communes.

History

The city was founded in the 16th century by traders. In the 18th century Parakou, like much of the surrounding region, came under the rule of princes from Nikki. The defeat of the Nikki-led invasion of Ilorin in 1837 and death of its king gave Parakou and the other vassals an opportunity to seize more control over trade and increase their political independence. The Anglo-French Convention of 1898 divided the Borgu federation in two. Parakou became the main administrative center of the half that was joined to French Dahomey.

Economy

Parakou lies on the main north-south highway RNIE 2 and at the end of a railway to Cotonou.

Markets

This has made it an important market town, 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 and the Mediterranean to Europe. Parakou later became well known in the slave trade. Later traders concentrated on cotton and Parakou remains the hub of the Beninese cotton trade to this day, with considerable interest from Europe. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/Parakouinternationalmarket.jpg" caption="The Grand Marché Arzeke international market"] ::

There are several markets trading, notably the largest, Grand Marché Arzeke 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 between 500 and 1000 vendors. The market sells an enormous range of goods from items of pottery 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 in the Albarika quarter of the city. The market was founded by the Somba people of the Atacora, 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 or simply "chouk".

Inland Port

Parakou is the site of a proposed inland port.

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

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Parakouroundabout.jpg" caption="A roundabout in Parakou"] ::

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 (of the Nago tribe), Hausa, Kabrais, Warma, and Tuareg.

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

| width = auto | metric first = yes | single line = yes | location = Parakou (1991–2020) | Jan high C = 35.0 | Feb high C = 36.9 | Mar high C = 37.4 | Apr high C = 35.6 | May high C = 33.3 | Jun high C = 31.2 | Jul high C = 29.7 | Aug high C = 28.8 | Sep high C = 30.0 | Oct high C = 31.8 | Nov high C = 34.6 | Dec high C = 34.8 | year high C = 33.3 | Jan mean C = 27.5 | Feb mean C = 29.6 | Mar mean C = 30.7 | Apr mean C = 29.7 | May mean C = 28.2 | Jun mean C = 26.7 | Jul mean C = 25.7 | Aug mean C = 25.2 | Sep mean C = 25.7 | Oct mean C = 26.8 | Nov mean C = 28.0 | Dec mean C = 27.4 | year mean C = 27.6 | Jan low C = 19.9 | Feb low C = 22.3 | Mar low C = 24.0 | Apr low C = 23.8 | May low C = 23.0 | Jun low C = 22.1 | Jul low C = 21.8 | Aug low C = 21.5 | Sep low C = 21.4 | Oct low C = 21.7 | Nov low C = 21.4 | Dec low C = 20.0 | year low C = 21.9 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 4.9 | Feb precipitation mm = 8.0 | Mar precipitation mm = 33.6 | Apr precipitation mm = 83.2 | May precipitation mm = 133.8 | Jun precipitation mm = 157.5 | Jul precipitation mm = 188.8 | Aug precipitation mm = 212 | Sep precipitation mm = 221.5 | Oct precipitation mm = 111.9 | Nov precipitation mm = 6.9 | Dec precipitation mm = 1.9 | year precipitation mm = 1164.0

| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm | Jan precipitation days = 1 | Feb precipitation days = 1 | Mar precipitation days = 3 | Apr precipitation days = 7 | May precipitation days = 11 | Jun precipitation days = 13 | Jul precipitation days = 16 | Aug precipitation days = 18 | Sep precipitation days = 19 | Oct precipitation days = 11 | Nov precipitation days = 1 | Dec precipitation days = 0 | year precipitation days = 101 | Jan humidity = 33.2 | Feb humidity = 38.7 | Mar humidity = 51.9 | Apr humidity = 64.3 | May humidity = 72.0 | Jun humidity = 76.4 | Jul humidity = 79.5 | Aug humidity = 81.8 | Sep humidity = 80.0 | Oct humidity = 75.3 | Nov humidity = 57.2 | Dec humidity = 39.9 | year humidity =

| Jan sun = 251.5 | Feb sun = 233.2 | Mar sun = 234.8 | Apr sun = 230.9 | May sun = 229.1 | Jun sun = 190.0 | Jul sun = 144.8 | Aug sun = 119.6 | Sep sun = 148.7 | Oct sun = 208.7 | Nov sun = 250.2 | Dec sun = 259.9 | year sun = 2501.4 | source = NOAA{{cite web |url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/Benin/CSV/Parakou_65330.csv |title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Parakou |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date = January 4, 2024}}

Culture

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Parakoupleinairmuseum.jpg" caption="The Musée en Plein Air de Parakou"] ::

The city has a museum, the Musée en Plein Air de Parakou.

Wagasi is a type of cow’s-milk cheese which is mainly made in Parakou.

Administration

Parakou is one of the 77 official communes of Benin. The mayor of the commune and city as of 2008 is Samou Seidou Adambi.

Villages

The commune of Parakou contains the following villages:

Amawihon, Bakaga, Bakounkparou, Bakounourou, Baperou, Bereyadou, Borarou, Darou Kourarou, Debregourou, Dokparou, Douerou, Forane Kparou, Gagbebou, Ganou, Ga Yakabou, Gommboko, Gorobani, Gouforou, Goutere, Guema, Guererou, Guinrerou, Kaborokpo, Kabro, Karobouarou, Kipare, Konkoma, Koumerou, Kperou Guera, Moundouro, Nekinparo, Nikikperou, Ouroungourou, Pepekino, Pepepeterou, Sanro, Senouorou, Sokoumeno, Sokouno, Sonoumo, Sourou, Suinrou, Tabayorourou, Tankaro, Tankaro Ga, Teougourou Gando, Tian, Tinekonparou, Tora, Tourou, Wansirou, Weria, Wore, Worora, Yakassirou

Education

Parakou is home to one university, the University of Parakou, founded in 2001.

Places of worship

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/ParakouMosque.jpg" caption="Parakou Mosque"] ::

Among the places of worship, most predominant are Muslim mosques. There are also several Christian denominations represented: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Parakou (Catholic Church), Protestant Methodist Church in Benin (World Methodist Council), Union of Baptist Churches of Benin (Baptist World Alliance), Living Faith Church Worldwide, Redeemed Christian Church of God and the Assemblies of God.

Transport

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Parakouroad.jpg" caption="The [[RNIE 6]] road leading out of Parakou"] ::

Parakou Railway Station is the last railway station on the Parakou-Cotonou railway, however at present it is not open to passenger transportation. Both the national highways RNIE 2 and RNIE 6 pass through Parakou. The city is also served by Parakou Airport. The government has proposed extending the railway to Dosso in Niger.{{cite web|url=http://www.railwaysafrica.com/blog/2010/10/extending-from-benin-to-niger/ |access-date=2010-10-17 |title=EXTENDING FROM BENIN TO NIGER |publisher = Railways Africa }}

Sport

The main football clubs are Dynamo Unacob FC de Parakou and Buffles du Borgou FC which play in the Benin Premier League, the highest division of Beninese football.

Notable people

References

Bibliography

  • .

References

  1. "World Gazetteer". World Gazetteer.
  2. Mathurin C. Houngnikpo, Samuel Decalo, ''Historical Dictionary of Benin'', Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2013, p. 281
  3. (1994). "Borgu and Economic Transformation 1700-1900: The Wangara Factor". African Economic History.
  4. Butler, Stuart (2019) ''Bradt Travel Guide - Benin'', pgs. 177-180
  5. {{Harvnb. Butler. 2006
  6. "Parakou". Benintourism.com.
  7. [https://epinedorsale.com/EN/ Inland Port]
  8. In {{langx. ff. Fulɓe; in {{langx. fr. Peul or {{lang. fr. Peulh.
  9. (July 2021). "Benin: largest cities and towns and statistics of their population". World Gazeteer.
  10. "Parakou". Maplandia World Gazetteer.
  11. "Université de Parakou - Historique".
  12. J. Gordon Melton, Martin Baumann, ‘‘Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices’’, ABC-CLIO, USA, 2010, p. 338
  13. {{Harvnb. Matthews. 1966
  14. "Index Ma-Mam".
  15. {{NFT player. 74949

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parakoucommunes-of-beninpopulated-places-in-the-borgou-department