Page last updated on January 28, 2014
French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA, installed as military ruler in 1967, ruled Togo with a heavy hand for almost four decades. Despite the facade of multi-party elections instituted in the early 1990s, the government was largely dominated by President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party has maintained power almost continually since 1967 and maintains a majority of seats in today's legislature. Upon EYADEMA's death in February 2005, the military installed the president's son, Faure GNASSINGBE, and then engineered his formal election two months later. Democratic gains since then allowed Togo to hold its first relatively free and fair legislative elections in October 2007. After years of political unrest and condemnation from international organizations for human rights abuses, Togo is finally being re-welcomed into the international community. In January 2012, Togo assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2012-13 term.
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana
total: 56,785 sq km
country comparison to the world: 126
land: 54,385 sq km
water: 2,400 sq km
slightly smaller than West Virginia
total: 1,647 km
border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km
territorial sea: 30 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Agou 986 m
phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land
arable land: 44.2%
permanent crops: 3.7%
other: 52.1% (2011)
total: 0.17 cu km/yr (63%/3%/34%)
per capita: 33.46 cu m/yr (2005)
hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts
deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban areas
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna
noun: Togolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Togolese
African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%
French (official, the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)
Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51%
7,154,237 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
0-14 years: 40.8% (male 1,461,606/female 1,453,846)
15-24 years: 20% (male 712,388/female 715,702)
25-54 years: 31.9% (male 1,132,912/female 1,148,103)
55-64 years: 4.2% (male 140,800/female 157,769)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 100,247/female 130,864) (2013 est.)
total dependency ratio: 80.5 %
youth dependency ratio: 75.5 %
elderly dependency ratio: 5 %
potential support ratio: 20.1 (2013)
total: 19.5 years
male: 19.2 years
female: 19.7 years (2013 est.)
2.73% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
34.9 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
7.6 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
urban population: 38% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 3.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
LOME (capital) 1.593 million (2009)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
300 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 40
total: 48.28 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 43
male: 55.03 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 41.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
total population: 63.62 years
country comparison to the world: 178
male: 61.07 years
female: 66.24 years (2013 est.)
4.58 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
8% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 62
0.05 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
0.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)
3.2% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
120,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
7,700 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2013)
4.3% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 169
20.5% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 32
4.6% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 91
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 60.4%
male: 74.1%
female: 48% (2011 est.)
total number: 774,801
percentage: 47 % (2010 est.)
conventional long form: Togolese Republic
conventional short form: Togo
local long form: Republique Togolaise
local short form: none
former: French Togoland
republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
name: Lome
geographic coordinates: 6 07 N, 1 13 E
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
5 regions (regions, singular - region); Centrale, Kara, Maritime, Plateaux, Savanes
27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
Independence Day, 27 April (1960)
several previous; latest adopted 27 September 1992, effective 14 October 1992; amended 2002, last in 2005 (2005)
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 4 May 2005);
head of government: Prime Minister Kwesi Seleagodji AHOOMEY-ZUNU (since 23 July 2012)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 4 March 2010 (next to be held in 2015); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Faure GNASSINGBE reelected president; percent of vote - Faure GNASSINGBE 60.9%, Jean-Pierre FABRE 33.9%, Yawovi AGBOYIBO 3%, other 2.2%
unicameral National Assembly (91 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 25 July 2013 (next to be held in 2018)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UNIR 62, CST 19, Rainbow Alliance 6, UFC 3, independents 1
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (organized into the Criminal Chamber and the Administrative Chamber, each with a chamber president and advisors); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges including the court president)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president appointed by decree of the president of the republic upon the proposal of the Supreme Council of the Magistracy, a 9-member judicial, advisory, and disciplinary body; other judge appointments and judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the National Assembly; judge tenure NA
subordinate courts: Court of Assizes (sessions court); appeals courts; tribunals of first instance (divided into civil, commercial, and correctional chambers; Court of State Security; military tribunal
Action Committee for Renewal or CAR [Yawovi AGBOYIBO]
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (candidate country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNSC (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
chief of mission: Ambassador Limbiye Edawa Kadangha BARIKI (since 14 July 2009)
chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212
FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert E. WHITEHEAD (since 3 May 2012)
embassy: 4332 Blvd. Gnassingbe Eyadema, Cite OUA, Lome
mailing address: B. P. 852, Lome; 2300 Lome Place, Washington, DC 20521-2300
telephone: [228] 2261-5470
FAX: [228] 2261-5501
five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow; a white five-pointed star on a red square is in the upper hoist-side corner; the five horizontal stripes stand for the five different regions of the country; the red square is meant to express the loyalty and patriotism of the people; green symbolizes hope, fertility, and agriculture; yellow represents mineral wealth and faith that hard work and strength will bring prosperity; the star symbolizes life, purity, peace, dignity, and Togo's independence
note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia
name: "Salut a toi, pays de nos aieux" (Hail to Thee, Land of Our Forefathers)
lyrics/music: Alex CASIMIR-DOSSEH
note: adopted 1960, restored 1992; this anthem was replaced by another during one-party rule between 1979 and 1992
This small, sub-Saharan economy depends heavily on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment for a significant share of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of export earnings with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is among the world's largest producers of phosphate and Togo seeks to develop its carbonate phosphate reserves. The government's decade-long effort, supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to implement economic reform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues in line with expenditures has moved slowly. Progress depends on follow through on privatization, increased openness in government financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and continued support from foreign donors. Foreign direct investment inflows have slowed over recent years. Togo completed its IMF Extended Credit Facility in 2011 and reached a HIPC debt relief completion point in 2010 at which 95% of the country's debt was forgiven. Togo continues to work with the IMF on structural reforms.
$6.87 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
$3.766 billion (2012 est.)
5.6% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
$1,100 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 213
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
8.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
household consumption: 87.2%
government consumption: 9.8%
investment in fixed capital: 18.6%
investment in inventories: 0.6%
exports of goods and services: 40.3%
imports of goods and services: -56.5%
agriculture: 28%
industry: 33.7%
services: 38.2% (2012 est.)
coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (manioc), corn, beans, rice, millet, sorghum; livestock; fish
phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts, textiles, beverages
5.2% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
2.595 million (2007)
country comparison to the world: 112
agriculture: 65%
industry: 5%
services: 30% (1998 est.)
lowest 10%: 3.3%
highest 10%: 27.1% (2006)
revenues: $764.1 million
expenditures: $905.3 million (2012 est.)
20.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
-3.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
2.6% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
2.5% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
$1.057 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
$1.534 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
$1.471 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
$-372.2 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
$960.5 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa
India 14.2%, Lebanon 10.6%, Burkina Faso 7.6%, Benin 7.5%, China 6.1%, Niger 5.8%, Netherlands 5.2%, Ghana 4.4% (2012)
$1.604 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products
China 40.4%, Netherlands 7.9%, France 5.4%, UK 5.3% (2012)
$441.6 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
$658.1 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
127.1 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
676.1 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
710 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
85,000 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
21.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
78.8% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 193
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
28,670 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
9,773 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
0 cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 198
1.445 million Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
225,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 127
3.518 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 124
general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile-cellular system
domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional system; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 50 telephones per 100 persons with mobile-cellular use predominating
international: country code - 228; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Symphonie (2010)
2 state-owned TV stations with multiple transmission sites; 5 private TV stations broadcast locally; cable TV service is available; state-owned radio network with multiple stations; several dozen private radio stations and a few community radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters available (2007)
1,168 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 170
356,300 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 123
8 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 162
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2013)
total: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m:
total: 568 km
country comparison to the world: 110
narrow gauge: 568 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)
total: 11,652 km
country comparison to the world: 129
paved: 2,447 km
unpaved: 9,205 km (2007)
50 km (seasonally navigable by small craft on the Mono River depending on rainfall) (2011)
country comparison to the world: 103
total: 61
country comparison to the world: 66
by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 38, carrier 3, chemical tanker 5, container 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 21 (China 1, Lebanon 6, Romania 1, Syria 6, Turkey 4, UAE 1, US 1, Yemen 1) (2010)
major seaport(s): Kpeme, Lome
Togolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Togolaise, FAT): Togolese Army (l'Armee de Terre), Togolese Navy (Forces Naval Togolaises), Togolese Air Force (Force Aerienne Togolaise, TAF), National Gendarmerie (2013)
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 2-year service obligation (2012)
males age 16-49: 1,577,572
females age 16-49: 1,589,715 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 1,104,536
females age 16-49: 1,158,061 (2010 est.)
male: 74,036
female: 73,515 (2010 est.)
NA% (2012)
country comparison to the world: 175
in 2001, Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint commission continues to resurvey the boundary; in 2006, 14,000 Togolese refugees remain in Benin and Ghana out of the 40,000 who fled there in 2005; talks continue between Benin and Togo on funding the Adjrala hydroelectric dam on the Mona River
refugees (country of origin): 17,371 (Ghana); 5,593 (Cote d'Ivoire) (2012)
IDPs: undetermined (2012)