Collines (, "hills") is one of the twelve

departments of Benin Benin is divided into 12 Department (subnational entity), departments (French: ''départements''), and subdivided into 77 commune (subnational entity), communes (see Communes of Benin). In 1999, the previous six departments were each split int ...

, located in the centre of the country. The department of Collines was created in 1999 when it was split off from Zou Department. In 2016, the city of Dassa-Zoumé (also called Igbo Idaasha) became the department's capital (formerly Savalou was the capital). , the total population of the department was 717,477, with 353,592 males and 363,885 females. The proportion of women was 50.70%. The total rural population was 72.50%, while the urban population was 27.50%. The total labour force in the department was 213,069, of which 45.30% were women. The proportion of households with no level of education was 57.60%.

Geography

Collines Department borders

Donga Department Donga is one of the twelve departments of Benin; its capital is Djougou, the fourth largest city in the country. The department of Donga was created in 1999 when it was split off from Atakora Department. Donga is subdivided into five communes ...

and

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 ...

to the north,

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

to the east, Plateau Department and Zou Department to the south, and

Togo Togo, officially the Togolese Republic, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to Ghana–Togo border, the west, Benin to Benin–Togo border, the east and Burkina Faso to Burkina Faso–Togo border, the north. It is one of the le ...

to the west. The topography of Collines is characterised by plateaus ranging from above the mean sea level; the plateaus are split by valleys running from north to south, created by the Couffo, Zou and Oueme rivers. The southern regions of Benin receive two seasons of rainfall from March to July and September to November, while the northern regions of the country receive one season of rainfall from May to September. The country receives an average annual rainfall of around .

Settlements

Dassa-Zoumé is the departmental capital; other major settlements include Glazoué, Kilibo, Savalou and Savè.

Demographics

According to Benin's 2013 census, the total population of the department was 717,477, with 353,592 males and 363,885 females. The proportion of women was 50.70%. The total rural population was 72.50%, while the urban population was 27.50%. The proportion of women of childbearing age (15 to 49 years old) was 23.50%. The foreign population was 9,647, representing 1.30% of the total population in the department. The labour force participation rate among foreigners aged 15–64 years was 41.60%. The proportion of women among the foreign population constituted 46.30%. The number of households in the department was 129,159 and the average household size was 5.6. The intercensal growth rate of the population was 2.60%. Among women, the average age at first marriage was 21 and the average age at maternity was 28.2. The synthetic index of fertility of women was 5.1. The average number of families in a house was 1.3 and the average number of persons per room was 1.9. The total labour force in the department was 213,069, of which 45.30% were women. The proportion of households with no level of education was 57.60% and the proportion of households with children attending school was 72.50%. The crude birth rate was 37.6, the general rate of fertility was 160.40 and the gross reproduction rate was 2.50. The main ethnic groups in the department, according to the latest national census, are the Yoruba of the Nagot group at 46.8% and the Yoruba of the Idaasha at 14.9%, followed by the Mahi at 25.7%, or just over a quarter of the region's population, while the Fon represent 13% of the population. Other ethnolinguistic groups in the department include the Aguna, Biali, Ede and Tchumbuli.

Administrative divisions

The department of Collines was created in 1999 when it was split off from Zou Department, with Savalou as its original capital. In 2016, the city of Dassa-Zoumé (also called Igbo Idaasha) became the department's capital. Collines is subdivided into six communes, each centered at one of the principal towns: Bantè, Dassa-Zoumé, Glazoué, Ouèssè, Savalou and Savé. Benin originally had six administrative regions (''départements''), which have now been bifurcated to make 12. Each of the deconcentrated administrative services (''directions départementales'') of the sectoral ministries takes care of two administrative regions. A law passed in 1999 transformed the ''sous-prefectures'', the lowest level of territorial administration, into local governments. Municipalities and communal councils have elected representatives who manage the administration of the regions. The latest elections of the municipal and communal councils were held in June 2015.

References

External links

{{Authority control Departments of Benin States and territories established in 1999 Departments in Yorubaland