Editing Atakora Department (section)

==Administrative divisions==
[[File:Atakora communes.png|thumb|225px|[[Communes of Benin|Communes]] of Atakora]]
The [[Departments of Benin|department]] of Atakora was bifurcated in 1999, when its southern territory was transferred to the newly created [[Donga Department]]. The capital of the department is [[Natitingou]].<ref name=UN/> Atakora is subdivided into nine [[Communes of Benin|communes]], each centred at one of the principal towns: [[Boukoumbé]], [[Cobly]], [[Kérou]], [[Kouandé]], [[Matéri]], [[Natitingou]], [[Pehonko]], [[Tanguiéta]] and [[Toucountouna]].<ref name=UN/>

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.<ref name=UN>{{cite report|url=http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/un/unpan023250.pdf|page=8|title=Republic of Benin, Public Administration and Country profile|access-date=17 November 2016|publisher=Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), United Nations|year=2004|archive-date=22 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181222173156/http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/un/unpan023250.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|title=Local elections in Benin, 2015|url=http://africanelections.org/new_news.php?nid=1189|publisher=African Elections Database|access-date=25 November 2016}}</ref>