Togo
Togolese RepublicRepublique Togolaise
republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
Togo as the 2003 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 115 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA, installed as military ruler in 1967, is Africa's longest-serving head of state. Despite the facade of multiparty elections instituted in the early 1990s, the government continues to be dominated by President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party has maintained power almost continually since 1967. In addition, Togo has come under fire from international organizations for human rights abuses and is plagued by political unrest. Most bilateral and multilateral aid to Togo remains frozen.
Geography
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana
18 fieldsLand useshare of 56,785 sq km
Terrain
- gently rolling savanna in north;
- central hills;
- southern plateau;
- low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes
Natural hazards
hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues
- 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
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna
People
19 fieldsNote
Per 1,000 population(2003 est.)
Male · female
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 44.5% (male 1,211,252; female 1,203,564)
- 15-64 years:
- 53% (male 1,404,763; female 1,473,360)
- 65 years and over:
- 2.5% (male 57,535; female 78,825) (2003 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.95 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.73 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Ethnic groups
native African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%
Languages
French (official and 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)
Government
Republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule; President Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA (since 14 April 1967); Prime Minister Koffi SAMA (since 29 June 2002)
18 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
National Assembly, 81 seats, elected 27 October 2002one dot, one seat
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Togolese Republic
- conventional short form:
- Togo
- local short form:
- none
- former:
- French Togoland
- local long form:
- Republique Togolaise
Administrative divisions
5 regions (regions, singular - region); De La Kara, Des Plateaux, Des Savanes, Centrale, Maritime
Constitution
multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the Republic 1 July 1992; adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA (since 14 April 1967)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Koffi SAMA (since 29 June 2002)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the prime minister
- elections:
- president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
- election last held 1 June 2003 (next to be held NA June 2008);
- prime minister appointed by the president
- election results:
- Gnassingbe EYADEMA reelected president; percent of vote - Gnassingbe EYADEMA 57.2%, Emmanuel Akitani BOB 34.1%, Yawovi AGBOYIBO 5.2%, Maurice Dahuku PERE 2.3%, Edem KODJO 1.0%
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
- elections:
- last held 27 October 2002 (next NA 2007)
note: two opposition parties boycotted the election, the Union of the Forces for Change, and the Action Committee for Renewal
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPT 72, RSD 3, UDPS 2, Juvento 2, MOCEP 1, independents 1
Political parties and leaders
- Juvento [Monsilia DJATO];
- Movement of the Believers of Peace and Equality or MOCEP [leader NA];
- Rally for the Support for Development and Democracy or RSDD [Hanay OLYMPIO];
- Rally of the Togolese People or RPT [President Gnassingbe EYADEMA];
- Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU]
note: Rally of the Togolese People or RPT, led by President EYADEMA, was the only party until the formation of multiple parties was legalized 12 April 1991
International organization participation
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Akoussoulelou BODJONA
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 232-3190
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 234-4212
- chancery:
- 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Gregory ENGLE
- embassy:
- Angle Rue Kouenou and Rue 15 Beniglato, Lome
- mailing address:
- B. P. 852, Lome
- telephone:
- [228] 221 29 91 through 221 29 94
- FAX:
- [228] 221 79 52
Flag description
- five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow;
- there is a white five-pointed star on a red square in the upper hoist-side corner;
- uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy
This small sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment for 65% of the labor force.
36 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2001 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
This small sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment for 65% 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 the world's fourth-largest producer of phosphate, but production fell an estimated 22% in 2002 due to power shortages and the cost of developing new deposits. 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 following through on privatization, increased openness in government financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and continued support from foreign donors.
Agriculture - products
- coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans, rice, millet, sorghum;
- livestock;
- fish
Currency
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone system
- 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; cellular system has capacity of 10,000 telephones
- international:
- satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Symphonie
Transportation
8 fieldsMerchant marine, 2 ships by typeone square, one ship · ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,918 GRT/3,852 DWT
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Military
Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie
5 fieldsTransnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
in 2001 Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint commission presently resurveying the boundary
Illicit drugs
transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money laundering not a significant problem
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Togo.” The World Factbook 2003. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/togo/2003.