women among the foreign population constituted 47.90%. The number of households in the department was 107,599 and the average household size was 7.2. The intercensal growth rate of the population was 3.10%. Among women, the average age at first marriage was 19.1 and the average age at maternity was 27.8. The synthetic index of fertility of women was 5.6. The average number of families in a house was 1.6 and the average number of persons per room was 1.7. The total labour force in the department was 170,333, of which 27.20% were women. The proportion of households with no level of education was 72.80% and the proportion of households with children attending school was 42.70%. The crude birth rate was 39.0, the general rate of fertility was 179.20 and the gross reproduction rate was 2.80. The main ethnolinguistic groups in the Department are the Tammari (also known as the Betammaribe, or Somba), Waama and Dendi people. Other groups include the Bariba, Biali, Chakosi (also known as Anufo), Gurma, Lama, Mbelime, Nateni, Ngangam, Notre, Miyobe and Yom. Administrative divisions The 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. Atakora is subdivided into nine communes, each centred at one of the principal towns: Boukoumbé, Cobly, Kérou, Kouandé, Matéri, Natitingou, Pehonko, Tanguiéta and Toucountouna. 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 Departments of Benin