Benin Republic is divided into 12 departments (French: départements), which together are subdivided into 77 communes, forming the primary units of local governance.

Departments and Communes of Benin Republic

This configuration emerged from a major administrative reform in 1999, when the country’s previous six departments were each split into two, giving rise to the current twelve.

The departments of Benin are subdivided into 77 communes, which in turn are divided into arrondissements and finally into villages or city districts.

List of Benin’s 12 Departments and 77 Communes

The communes are listed below, by department:

Alibori

1. Banikoara
2. Gogounou
3. Kandi
4. Karimama
5. Malanville
6. Segbana

Atakora

1. Boukoumbé
2. Cobly
3. Kérou
4. Kouandé
5. Matéri
6. Natitingou
7. Pehonko
8. Tanguiéta
9. Toucountouna

Atlantique

1. Abomey-Calavi
2. Allada
3. Kpomassè
4. Ouidah
5. Sô-Ava
6. Toffo
7. Tori-Bossito
8. Zè

Borgou

1. Bembèrèkè
2. Kalalé
3. N’Dali
4. Nikki
5. Parakou
6. Pèrèrè
7. Sinendé
8. Tchaourou

Collines

1. Bantè
2. Dassa-Zoumè
3. Glazoué
4. Ouèssè
5. Savalou
6. Savé

Donga

1. Bassila
2. Copargo
3. Djougou
4. Ouaké

Kouffo

1. Aplahoué
2. Djakotomey
3. Klouékanmè
4. Lalo
5. Toviklin
6. Dogbo-Tota

Littoral

1. Cotonou

Mono

1. Athiémé
2. Bopa
3. Comé
4. Grand-Popo
5. Houéyogbé
6. Lokossa

Ouémé

1. Adjarra
2. Adjohoun
3. Aguégués
4. Akpro-Missérété
5. Avrankou
6. Bonou
7. Dangbo
8. Porto Novo
9. Sèmè-Kpodji

Plateau

1. Ifangni
2. Adja-Ouèrè
3. Kétou
4. Pobè
5. Sakété

Zou

1. Abomey
2. Agbangnizoun
3. Bohicon
4. Cové
5. Djidja
6. Ouinhi
7. Za-Kpota
8. Zangnanado
9. Zogbodomey

Below is a table summarizing each department, with its capital, 2013 population, land area, and, where applicable, the “parent” former department from before the 1999 split.

.	Department	Capital	Population (2013)	Area (km²)	Former Department (pre-1999)
1	Alibori Department	Kandi	868,046	26,242	Former Borgou
2	Atakora Department	Natitingou	769,337	20,499	Former Atakora
3	Atlantique Department	Allada (some sources cite Ouidah)	1,396,548	3,233	Former Atlantique
4	Borgou Department	Parakou	1,202,095	25,856	Former Borgou
5	Collines Department	Dassa-Zoumé (or Savalou, depending on source)	716,558	13,931	Former Zou
6	Donga Department	Djougou	542,605	11,126	Former Atakora
7	Kouffo Department	Aplahoué (or Dogbo-Tota)	741,895	2,404	Former Mono
8	Littoral Department	Cotonou	678,874	79	Former Atlantique
9	Mono Department	Lokossa	495,307	1,605	Former Mono
10	Ouémé Department	Porto-Novo	1,096,850	1,281	Former Ouémé
11	Plateau Department	Pobè (or Sakété)	624,146	3,264	Former Ouémé
12	Zou Department	Abomey	851,623	5,243	Former Zou

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Historical Context: Why and How the Split Happened

• Prior to 1999, Dahomey (now Benin) was administratively divided into six large departments: Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Mono, Ouémé, and Zou.
• On 15 January 1999, a law reorganised internal administration: each of these six departments was bifurcated into two, resulting in the current twelve-department structure.
• The purpose was to improve administrative efficiency and bring government services closer to local populations.
• Although the twelve-department structure was created in 1999, the official capitals for the six newly formed departments were only assigned in 2008.

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Geographical & Demographic Patterns

• There is a noticeable north-south divide in the distribution of population and geography. The southern departments (e.g., Littoral, Atlantique, Ouémé, Zou, Collines) are relatively small in area but tend to have high population density, reflecting the concentration of urban centres and coastal plains.
• In contrast, northern departments (e.g., Alibori, Atakora, Borgou, Donga) cover large land areas, often savanna or semi-arid highlands, and tend to have lower population densities.
• The total land area of Benin is approximately 114,763 km².

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Administrative Significance: Communes, Decentralization, Local Governance

• The 12 departments are subdivided into 77 communes, which are the basic units of local governance.
• The 1999 reform transformed the structure of local administration: many of the former under-prefectures or small administrative units were restructured to function as communes, giving local governments more responsibility.
• Communes are administered by mayors and municipal councils; they are responsible for local services such as waste management, water supply, infrastructure — though some analyses observe that fiscal decentralization remains limited, as many communes still depend heavily on transfers from the central government.

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Why the 1999 Reform Matters

• The split ensured more manageable administrative units: by dividing large, often unwieldy departments into smaller ones, the central government made it easier to deliver public services, respond to local needs, and administer rural and remote zones.
• It allowed better representation of local identities and interests — especially significant in ethnically and geographically diverse regions.
• It enhanced the structure for decentralization and local governance, aligning with broader governance reforms during the 1990s.

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The current division of Benin into 12 departments—established through the 1999 administrative reform—represents a significant reorganization aimed at improving governance, decentralization, and service delivery. The structure reflects both geographical realities (north–south disparities, coastal vs inland) and demographic patterns (dense southern urban centers vs sparsely populated northern savannas). Understanding this administrative framework is essential when studying Benin’s politics, governance, local development, or regional demographics.