Бенин Республикасының Моно департаменті

Department of Benin

Mono is one of the twelve departments of Benin, with its capital at Lokossa. It is named for the Mono River which forms much of the border with Togo. The northern areas of the department were split off to create the newly formed Kouffo Department in 1999. Mono is subdivided into six communes, each centred at one of the principal towns, namely, Athiémè, Bopa, Comè, Grand Popo, Houéyogbé and Lokossa. It has an area of
, the total population of the department was 497,243, with 241,554 males and 255,689 females. The proportion of women was 51.40%. The total rural population was 50.30%, while the urban population was 49.70%. The total labour force in the department was 142,220, of which 48.60% were women. The proportion of households with no level of education was 48.70%.

Mono Department is located in the southwest of Benin and borders Kouffo Department to the north, Atlantique Department to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and Togo to the west. It is located in a coastal area that has interconnected lakes and lagoons and elongated coastlines with wide marshes. Lake Ahémé, Benin's second largest lake, lies on the border with the Atlantique Department; smaller lakes in the department include Lake Toho and Lake Togbadji. The southern regions of Benin receive two spells 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 , but Mono Department receives less rainfall. The department has mostly low lying sandy coastal plains towards the Atlantic Ocean, marshes, lagoons and lakes. The highest elevation in the department around the coastal plains is compared to the average above average mean sea level of the country.

Lokossa is the departmental capital; other major settlements include Athiémè, Bopa, Comè, Grand Popo, Houéyogbé, Possotomè and Sè.

Freshwater and seawater fishing is the major profession in the region. Petroleum was discovered in the 1960s in offshore areas, while titanium, low quality iron ore, ilmenite and chromite are the major minerals.

Some territories of Mono were moved to the newly formed department of Kouffo in 1999. Mono is subdivided into six communes, each centered at one of the principal towns: Athiémè, Bopa, Comè, Grand Popo, Houéyogbé and Lokossa. It has an area of
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.