Lake Nokoue is a lake in southern Benin. It is 20 km wde and 11 km. long is located at north of Cotonou. On the western edge is the famous water town of Gavie. Lake is an important site for the birds.
Ganvie is a lake village, lying in Nokoue, near Cotonou. With a population of around 20,000 people, it is probably the largest lake village in Africaand as such is very popular with tourists. The village was established in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries by the Tofino people, established on the lake because the Dan-Homey's religion forbade the Fon warriors from entering water, therefore the lagoon was a safe territory for other tribes.
Originally based on farming, the village's main industries other than tourism are now fishing and fish- farming.
This village was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative list on Oct. 1996 in cultural category.
