Cotonou

The economic capital, the entry point for every traveler

Role	Economic capital, the country's largest city and commercial powerhouse — though Porto-Novo remains the official capital
Department	Littoral
Population	Roughly 700,000–800,000 within city limits (the wider metro area, including Abomey-Calavi, tops 1.5 million)

Getting there

Cadjèhoun International Airport — the point of arrival for nearly all international visitors.

Don't miss

• Dantokpa Market (one of the largest in West Africa)
• The Route des Pêches and its beaches (Fidjrossè)
• The red-and-white Sacred Heart Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame)
• Lively neighborhoods like Ganhi or Akpakpa, and a growing street-art scene of large-scale murals

Good to know

The Autonomous Port of Cotonou handles the bulk of the country's trade on its own and serves as a maritime gateway for Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali — a key point for the site's "Business & Opportunities" section.

For local businesses

Cotonou is home to most of the country's internationally branded hotels (chains like Sofitel, Novotel, Azalaï, Golden Tulip), nearly all of the country's travel agency and car rental headquarters, and serves as the logistical starting point for almost every tour circuit.