Atlantique Department, Administrative department in southern Benin.
Atlantique Department is an administrative region in southern Benin that stretches across flat coastal areas featuring swamps, lagoons, and inland lakes. The territory consists of eight communes with varying geographic characteristics and serves as a major administrative zone between the Atlantic shoreline and the interior.
The department emerged from southern Benin's administrative boundaries and underwent major reorganization in 1999 when portions were separated. This change created the new Littoral Department and redefined the current territorial limits and administrative structure.
Multiple ethnic groups inhabit the region and maintain their traditions through crafts, music, and local celebrations that shape community life. You can witness these practices in villages and markets where people gather, work, and share their customs in everyday spaces.
The region comprises eight separate communes, each with its own centers and administrative facilities, with Ouidah serving as the administrative center. Visitors should be flexible in their plans and aware that each commune has different local conditions and infrastructure development.
The region holds significant underwater geological resources including petroleum and various minerals that were discovered during surveys in the 1960s. These natural deposits have economic importance for the area yet remain unknown to most visitors passing through.
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