Alibori is the largest of Benin's twelve departments and occupies the country's northernmost territory. Covering about 25,683 km², it stretches across a sparsely populated portion of northern Benin and includes both agricultural land and riverine areas.
Location and borders
Alibori lies at the north of Benin and shares international frontiers with three countries: to the northwest and west with Burkina Faso, to the north with Niger, and along part of its eastern edge with Nigeria. The Niger River runs near the department's eastern side and is an important geographic feature for communities there.
Administrative divisions
The department is organized into six communes, each named for its principal town. These communes are:
- Banikoara
- Gogounou
- Kandi
- Karimama
- Malanville
- Ségbana
History and capital
Alibori was created in 1999 when it was separated from the larger Borgou department as part of a nationwide administrative reorganization. The departmental capital is Kandi, which was established in that role in 2008.
Population
The most commonly cited population figure for Alibori comes from early 2000s counts: in 2003 the department recorded 355,950 inhabitants. More recent national censuses have reported higher totals for the region; consult the latest census data for current population estimates.