Flights
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Western Africa · Country dossier
Benin
Republic of Benin
CapitalPorto-Novo
CurrencyWest African CFA franc (XOF)
PowerType C / E · 220 V
LanguagesFrench
Benin, with its capital in Porto-Novo, is in Western Africa and home to about 13.2M people. French is spoken, and the currency is the West African CFA franc (XOF). Most international arrivals come through Cotonou Cadjehoun International Airport (COO).
- Region
- Africa · Western Africa
- Population
- 13.2M (13,224,860)
- Area
- 112,622 km²
Right now in Porto-Novo
Local time in Porto-Novo — Africa/Porto-Novo
Weather in Porto-Novo
Before you go
Partner links · how we choose Where to stay
Booking.com
Hotels, apartments and guesthouses in Porto-Novo and beyond, many with free cancellation.
Find a stay on Booking.com (partner link) Airport transfers
Welcome Pickups
Pre-booked, fixed-price transfer from COO to your stay.
Book a transfer on Welcome Pickups (partner link)Get set up
Partner links · how we choose eSIM
Airalo
Get data in Benin the moment you land — install the eSIM before you fly.
Get an eSIM on Airalo (partner link) Travel insurance
SafetyWing
Travel medical cover you can start while already abroad.
Check cover on SafetyWing (partner link) VPN
NordVPN
Keep banking and email private on hotel and airport Wi-Fi.
Protect your connection on NordVPN (partner link)7-day forecast for Porto-Novo
Upcoming public holidays
National holidays in Benin over the next 12 months. See the full calendar.
Practical facts
- Languages
- French
- Calling code
- +229
- Internet domain
- .bj
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF)
- Time zones
- Africa/Porto-Novo
Power
Plug types: Type C, Type E
Voltage 220 V · Frequency 50 Hz
Check your charger’s label — most phone and laptop chargers accept 100–240 V and only need a plug adapter. Adapter guide.
Airports in Benin
Bordering countries
Know before you go
Source: Wikipedia — Benin, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.