Bakel department is one of the 46 departments of Senegal and one of the four making up the Tambacounda region in the east of the country.

The department had an area of 22,378 km² and population estimate at 215,680 in 2005.

However, in 2008 the department was split to form the new department of Goudiry, so the area was reduced to estimated 6,290 km².

The department has three urban communes; Bakel, Diawara, and Kidira.

The rest of the department is divided administratively into three arrondissements which in turn are divided into rural communities (communautés rurales): [2]