Borgou [bɔʁ.ɡu] is one of the twelve departments of Benin. Borgou borders the country of Nigeria and the departments of Alibori, Atakora, Collines and Donga. The capital of Borgou is Parakou. The department of Borgou was bifurcated in 1999, with its northern territory transferred to the newly created Alibori Department.
According to the 2013 census, the total population of the department was 1,214,249, with 607,013 males and 607,236 females. The proportion of women was 50.00%. The total rural population was 56.40%, while the urban population was 43.60%. The total labour force in the department was 271,652, of which 25.20% were women. The proportion of households with no level of education was 64.30%.
Borgou borders Alibori Department to the north, Nigeria to the east, Collines Department to the south, and Donga Department and Atakora Department to the west. Geographically, the department is part of the larger Borg(o)u region divided by the Benin–Nigeria border, with 130,000 square kilometres (50,000 sq mi) in Benin and 52,000 square kilometres (20,000 sq mi) in Nigeria.
Prefect of Borgou department
Mr. Djibril Mama Cissé
The University of Parakou (UP) is a university in Parakou, in the northern region of Benin. It is the second public university in the Republic of Benin, following the University of Abomey-Calavi.
Founded on 18 September 2001 as an autonomous national institution (decree n°2001-365), the University of Parakou is a public, scientific, technical, and cultural university with legal personality and financial autonomy.
