Ponoarele is a commune situated in Mehedinți County within the Oltenia region of Romania. It serves as a local administrative division consisting of several distinct rural settlements.
The commune is composed of fifteen villages: Băluța, Bârâiacu, Brânzeni, Buicani, Ceptureni, Cracu Muntelui, Delureni, Gărdăneasa, Gheorghești, Ludu, Ponoarele, Proitești, Răiculești, Șipotu, and Valea Ursului.