Tchaourou (Saworo in Yoruba etymology, meaning ''rattle'') is a commune,

arrondissement An arrondissement (, , ) is any of various administrative divisions of France, Belgium, Haiti, and certain other Francophone countries, as well as the Netherlands. Europe France The 101 French departments are divided into 342 ''arrondissem ...

, and city located in the

Borgou Department Borgou is one of the twelve departments of Benin. Borgou borders the country of Nigeria and the departments of Alibori Department, Alibori, Atakora Department, Atakora, Collines Department, Collines and Donga Department, Donga. The capital of B ...

Benin Benin, officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It was formerly known as Dahomey. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north-west, and Niger to the north-east. The majority of its po ...

, a country in Western Africa, formerly known as

Dahomey The Kingdom of Dahomey () was a West African List of kingdoms in Africa throughout history, kingdom located within present-day Benin that existed from approximately 1600 until 1904. It developed on the Abomey Plateau amongst the Fon people in ...

(until 1975). It is the birthplace of former Beninese president

Yayi Boni Thomas Boni Yayi (born 1 July 1951) is a Beninese banker and politician who was the president of Benin from 2006 to 2016. He took office after winning the 2006 Beninese presidential election, March 2006 presidential election and was re-elected to ...

. It is south of Parakou.

Overview

Tchaourou is a city and commune located in the Borgou Department in northern Benin, West Africa. It is situated about 50 kilometers south of the city of Parakou. The commune covers an area of 7,256 square kilometers, making it the largest in Benin. Tchaourou has a population of over 221,000 people as of the 2013 census, with the city itself home to approximately 106,852 residents. The region is culturally diverse, with a population speaking multiple languages, including Bariba, Fula (Fulfulde), Yoruba, Otamari, and Yom Lokpa. It is notably the birthplace of former President Yayi Boni, which has contributed to its prominence in national politics. Economically, Tchaourou is primarily based on agriculture, with fertile lands supporting the cultivation of crops such as cotton, maize, and millet. Livestock farming also plays a role in the local economy. The commune has been focusing on infrastructure development, particularly in areas like transportation, education, and healthcare, to improve the quality of life for its residents. Tchaourou experiences a tropical savanna climate, with distinct wet and dry seasons that significantly influence the agricultural activities in the area.

Climate

Demographics

Les chasseurs de Tchaorou dans le centre Benin

The main languages of Tchaourou are Bariba, Fula (; ), Yoruba, Otamari and

Yom Lokpa Yom () is a Biblical Hebrew word which occurs in the Hebrew Bible. The word means "day" in both modern Hebrew, Modern and Biblical Hebrew. Overview Although ''yom'' is commonly rendered as day in English translations, the word can be used in diff ...

Administration

The commune is divided administratively into 7 arrondissements, in 5 quarters and 31 villages.

References

{{Yoruba topics Communes of Benin Communes in Yorubaland 5. The World Bank. "Benin - Rural Development." World Bank - Rural Development 6. Cissé, A. (2014). Yayi Boni: A Political Biography. Presses Universitaires d'Afrique.