PORTO-NOVO

city, capital of Benin (formerly Dahomey), on the Gulf of Guinea, western Africa. Situated on a coastal lagoon at the extreme southeastern part of the country, it was probably founded in the late 16th century as the centre of the kingdom of Porto Novo and flourished as a result of slave trade with the Portuguese. The ruins of some old African palaces remain, and there are many colonial-style buildings, including the old Portuguese cathedral. The city is the administrative capital of the government of Benin. Government buildings include the national archives and the library. Porto-Novo is connected by road and rail to the nation's main industrial centre at Cotonou and by road to Lagos, Nigeria. It has been somewhat bypassed for commercial and industrial development since the building of a railway to the interior and the improvement of deepwater harbour facilities in Cotonou. Numerous African artisans and guilds are in the city. Pop. (1982 est.) 208,258.