Parakou Population 2026

Parakou has a population of 255,478, making it the #4 biggest city in 🇧🇯 Benin, located in Borgou. Roughly 1.7% of Benin's population lives here. It is about 2.7× smaller than Cotonou, the country's biggest city.

Location of Parakou (capital Porto-Novo shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

255,478

Rank in Benin

Coordinates

9.34°N, 2.63°E

~369 m elevation · Africa/Porto-Novo

Distance to capital (Porto-Novo)

316 km

196 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Borgou

City	Population	Rank in Benin
Nikki	66,109	#10
Tchaourou	43,862	#19
Kalalé	35,513	#29
Sinendé	35,267	#30
Bembèrèkè	31,176	#33
Ndali	23,264	#49
Pèrèrè	15,927	#64

Cities near Parakou

Tchaourou43,862 people · ~50 km away
Ndali23,264 people · ~59 km away
Pèrèrè15,927 people · ~64 km away
Nikki66,109 people · ~92 km away
Ouessé15,658 people · ~97 km away
Bembèrèkè31,176 people · ~99 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Parakou?

Parakou has a population of 255,478 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #4 biggest city in Benin.

What region is Parakou in?

Parakou is located in Borgou, Benin.

Is Parakou the capital of Benin?

No, the capital of Benin is Porto-Novo, about 316 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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