It formerly covered an area of 20,328 km² and in 2013 had an estimated population of 283,769.

However in 2005 it was reduced in size to create the new Koumpentoum department.

The department has one only urban commune, that of Tambacounda.

The rest of the department is divided into three arrondissements, which in turn are divided into rural districts (communautés rurales):

This Senegal location article is a stub.