| Sassandra Department | |
| Native Name: | Département de Sassandra |
| Native Name Lang: | fr |
| Settlement Type: | Department |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Mapsize: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Ivory Coast |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | District |
| Subdivision Name1: | Bas-Sassandra |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Name2: | Gbôklé |
| Seat Type: | Departmental seat |
| Seat: | Sassandra |
| Established Date: | Established as a first-level subdivision |
| Established Title: | 1969 |
| Established Date1: | Divided to create Soubré Dept |
| Established Title1: | 1980 |
| Established Date2: | Divided to create San-Pédro and Tabou Depts |
| Established Title2: | 1988 |
| Established Date3: | Converted to a second-level subdivision |
| Established Title3: | 1997 |
| Established Date4: | Divided to create Guéyo Dept |
| Established Title4: | 2008 |
| Established Date5: | Converted to a third-level subdivision |
| Established Title5: | 2011 |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] |
| Leader Title: | Prefect |
| Leader Name: | Ernest Boni Koffi |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Area Total Km2: | 4340 |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population Total: | 353228 |
| Population As Of: | 2021 census |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | GMT |
| Utc Offset: | +0 |
Sassandra Department is a department of Gbôklé Region in Bas-Sassandra District, Ivory Coast. In 2021, its population was 353,228 and its seat is the settlement of Sassandra. The sub-prefectures of the department are Dakpadou, Grihiri, Lobakuya, Médon, Sago, and Sassandra.
Sassandra Department was created in 1969 as one of the 24 new departments that were created to take the place of the six departments that were being abolished. It was created by taking territory from both Centre-Ouest Department and Sud Department. Using current boundaries as a reference, from 1969 to 1980 the department occupied the same territory as Bas-Sassandra District, with the exception of Fresco Department (ie, all of Nawa, San-Pédro, and Gbôklé Regions save Fresco Department).
In 1980, Sassandra Department was divided to create Soubré Department.[3] What remained was divided into three parts in 1988 in order to create San-Pédro and Tabou Departments.[3]
In 1997, regions were introduced as new first-level subdivisions of Ivory Coast; as a result, all departments were converted into second-level subdivisions. Sassandra Department was included in Bas-Sassandra Region.
Sassandra Department was divided a third time in 2008 when Guéyo Department was created from it.[3] [4]
In 2011, districts were introduced as new first-level subdivisions of Ivory Coast. At the same time, regions were reorganised and became second-level subdivisions and all departments were converted into third-level subdivisions. At this time, Sassandra Department became part of Gbôklé Region in Bas-Sassandra District.
In 2014, the population of the sub-prefecture of Sassandra was 72,221.[5]
The villages of the sub-prefecture of Sassandra and their population in 2014 are:[5]