Togo

Togolese RepublicRepublique togolaise

republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Togo as the 2006 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 121 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalLome, UTC
Position8 00 N, 1 10 E
Area56,785 sq km
LocationWestern Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana
2006

Every edition of Togo

Populationas each edition published it
5.55 million July 2006 est. · 3.67m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.72% 2006 est. · 3.61% in 1993
Median ageyears
18.3 years 2006 est. · 17.3 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
57.42 years 2006 est. · 56.46 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
4.96 children per woman 2006 est. · 7.2 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
60.63 deaths per 1,000 live births 2006 est. · 112 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$1,600 2005 est. · $400 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
1% 2005 est. · 0% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA, installed as military ruler in 1967, continued to rule well into the 21st century. Despite the facade of multiparty elections instituted in the early 1990s, the government continued to be dominated by President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party has maintained power almost continually since 1967. Togo has come under fire from international organizations for human rights abuses and is plagued by political unrest.

While most bilateral and multilateral aid to Togo remains frozen, the EU initiated a partial resumption of cooperation and development aid to Togo in late 2004 based upon commitments by Togo to expand opportunities for political opposition and liberalize portions of the economy. Upon his death in February 2005, President EYADEMA was succeeded by his son Faure GNASSINGBE. The succession, supported by the military and in contravention of the nation's constitution, was challenged by popular protest and a threat of sanctions from regional leaders. GNASSINGBE succumbed to pressure and in April 2005 held elections that legitimized his succession.

Geography

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana

18 fields

Land useshare of 56,785 sq km

arable land 44.2%permanent crops 2.11%other 53.69% (2005)irrigated 70 sq km (2003)
Area
56,785sq km
land: 54,385 sq kmwater: 2,400 sq kmslightly smaller than West Virginia
Coastline
56km
territorial sea: 30 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Highest point
986m
Mont Agoulowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Land boundaries
1,647km
border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km

Location

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana

Climate

  • tropical;
  • hot, humid in south;
  • semiarid in north

Terrain

  • gently rolling savanna in north;
  • central hills;
  • southern plateau;
  • low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes

Natural resources

phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, 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

20 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2006 est.)

59,870
65 and over2.6%
86,632
1,485,621
15-6455.1%
1,570,117
1,177,141
0-1442.3%
1,169,321
MaleFemale
Population
5,548,702
growth rate: 2.72% (2006 est.)
Note
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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2006 est.)

Birth
37.01Death
9.83Net migration
0

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2006 est.)57.42
55.41 · 59.49Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)60.63
68.17 · 52.87
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)60.9%
75.4% · 46.9%Median age years (2006 est.)18.3
17.8 · 18.7
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Religions

indigenous beliefs 51%Christian 29%Muslim 20%

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:
0.69 male(s)/female
total population:
0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.96 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

10,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk:
very high
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases:
malaria and yellow fever are high risks in some locations
water contact disease:
schistosomiasis
respiratory disease:
meningococcal meningitis (2005)

Nationality

noun:
Togolese (singular and plural)
adjective:
Togolese

Ethnic groups

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 Faure GNASSINGBE (since 6 February 2005); Prime Minister Yawovi AGBOYIBO (since 16 September 2006)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

60.2%
Faure GNASSINGBE 60.2%Emmanuel Akitani BOB 38.3%Nicolas LAWSON 1%Harry OLYMPIO 0.5%election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held NA)

National Assembly, 81 seats, elected 27 October 2002one dot, one seat

RPT 72RSDD 3UDPS 2Juvento 2MOCEP 1independents 1

Country name

conventional long form:
Togolese Republic
conventional short form:
Togo
local long form:
Republique togolaise
local short form:
none
former:
French Togoland

Government type

republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Capital

name:
Lome
geographic coordinates:
6 08 N, 1 13 E
time difference:
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

5 regions (regions, singular - region); Centrale, Kara, Maritime, Plateaux, Savanes

Independence

27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 April (1960)

Constitution

multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the Republic 1 July 1992, adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992

Suffrage

NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch

chief of state:
  • President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 6 February 2005);
  • note - Gnassingbe EYADEMA died on 5 February 2005 and was succeeded by his son, Faure GNASSINGBE;
  • popular elections in April 2005 validated the succession
head of government:
Prime Minister Yawovi AGBOYIBO (since 16 September 2006)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the prime minister
elections:
  • president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits);
  • election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held NA);
  • prime minister appointed by the president
election results:
Faure GNASSINGBE elected president; percent of vote - Faure GNASSINGBE 60.2%, Emmanuel Akitani BOB 38.3%, Nicolas LAWSON 1%, Harry OLYMPIO 0.5%

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 to be held in 2007)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPT 72, RSDD 3, UDPS 2, Juvento 2, MOCEP 1, independents 1

note: two opposition parties boycotted the election, the Union of the Forces for Change and the Action Committee for Renewal

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders

  • Juvento [Monsilia DJATO];
  • Movement of the Believers of Peace and Equality or MOCEP;
  • Rally for the Support for Development and Democracy or RSDD [Harry OLYMPIO];
  • Rally of the Togolese People or RPT [Faure GNASSINGBE];
  • Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU]

International organization participation

ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Akoussoulelou BODJONA
chancery:
2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 234-4212
FAX:
[1] (202) 232-3190

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.

40 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$8.802billion
(2005 est.)official exchange rate: $1.999 billion (2005 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,600
(2005 est.)
Real growth rate
1%
(2005 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

GDP - composition by sector(2003 est.)

agriculture 39.5%industry 20.4%services 40.1% (2003 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

21.1%
Ghana
18.2%
Burkina Faso
France
17.8%
China
13.3%
11.5%
Benin
7.3%
Mali
Cote d'Ivoire
6.5%
5.8%
India
Italy
4.5%
Spain
4.3%
4%
Nigeria
Exports $768 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)Imports $1.047 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)(2005)

Budget

Revenues
$251.3 millionExpenditures
$292.9 million (2005 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

Electricity production
165.9 million (2003)Electricity consumption
654.3 million (2003)Electricity imports
500 million (2003)

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. 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. Togo is working with donors to write a PRGF that could eventually lead to a debt reduction plan.

Labor force

1.302 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:
65%
industry:
5%
services:
30% (1998 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

21.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products

  • coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans, rice, millet, sorghum;
  • livestock;
  • fish

Industries

phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts, textiles, beverages

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

8,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Current account balance

$-199 million (2005 est.)

Exports

$768 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities

reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa

Imports

$1.047 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Debt - external

$2 billion (2005)

Economic aid - recipient

ODA, $80 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code)

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 - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
443,600
(2005)
Fixed lines
58,600
(2005) · country code .tg

Telephone 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
international:
country code - 228; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Symphonie

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)

Television broadcast stations

3 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Internet users

300,000 (2005)

Transportation

8 fields

Merchant marine, 2 ships by typeone square, one ship · (2006)

cargo 1refrigerated cargo 1

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

2,438 to 3,047 m
2

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

914 to 1,523 m
5under 914 m
2

Networkskm

Roadways
7,520Railways
568Waterways
50 (2005)
Roadways: paved: 2,376 km · unpaved: 5,144 km (1999) · Railways: narrow gauge: 568 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) · Waterways: (seasonally on Mono River depending on rainfall)

Airports

9 (2006)

Railways

total:
568 km
narrow gauge:
568 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways

total:
7,520 km
paved:
2,376 km
unpaved:
5,144 km (1999)

Waterways

50 km (seasonally on Mono River depending on rainfall) (2005)

Military

Togolese Armed Forces (FAT): Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie (2005)

5 fields

Military branches

Togolese Armed Forces (FAT): Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie (2005)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49:
1,102,661
females age 18-49:
1,124,463 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49:
696,933
females age 18-49:
707,821 (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues

3 fields

Disputes - international

in 2001 Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint commission continues to resurvey the boundary

Trafficking in persons

current situation:
  • Togo is a source, transit, and destination country for children, women, and men trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation;
  • the majority of victims are children, and trafficking within the country is more prevalent than international trafficking;
  • children are trafficked to work as domestic servants, produce porters, roadside sellers, agricultural laborers, and for sexual exploitation;
  • Togolese women may be trafficked to Europe for forced labor and sexual exploitation
tier rating:
Tier 2 Watch List - Togo is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for failure to show evidence of increased efforts to combat trafficking over the past year, particularly in the areas of prosecution and protection

Illicit drugs

transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money laundering not a significant problem

Central Intelligence Agency. “Togo.” The World Factbook 2006. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/togo/2006.

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