The second largest city in Benin. Despite its size, the city does not feel as lively and crowded as Porto Novo or Cotonou due to more open spaces and wider streets. The city is industrious with most of its economy focusing on cotton, textiles and peanut oil. There are a number of worthwhile things to see in Parakou including the open-air museum which shows traditional Bariba architecture and the market specialising in a traditional kind of beer.