Togo

Togolese RepublicRepublique togolaise

republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Togo as the 2007 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 123 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
2007

Every edition of Togo

Populationas each edition published it
5.7 million July 2007 est. · 3.67m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.718% 2007 est. · 3.61% in 1993
Median ageyears
18.4 years 2007 est. · 17.3 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
57.86 years 2007 est. · 56.46 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
4.9 children per woman 2007 est. · 7.2 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
59.12 deaths per 1,000 live births 2007 est. · 112 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$1,700 2006 est. · $400 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
2% 2006 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 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. Legislative elections are scheduled for June 2007.

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, Whaling
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 · (2007 est.)

61,658
65 and over2.7%
91,179
1,535,855
15-6455.3%
1,617,631
1,201,840
0-1442%
1,193,416
MaleFemale
Population
5,701,579
growth rate: 2.718% (2007 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 2007 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2007 est.)

Birth
36.83Death
9.65Net migration
0

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2007 est.)57.86
55.81 · 59.96Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)59.12
66.56 · 51.46
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)60.9%
75.4% · 46.9%Median age years (2007 est.)18.4
18 · 18.9
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Religions

Christian 29%Muslim 20%indigenous beliefs 51%

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.007 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.949 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.676 male(s)/female
total population:
0.965 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.9 children born/woman (2007 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 (2007)

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 by 2010)

National Assembly, 81 seats, elected 14 October 2007one dot, one seat

RPT 50UFC 27CAR 4

Percent of vote

RPT 39.4%UFC 37.0%CAR 8.2%independents 2.5%other 12.9%

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 by 2010);
  • 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 on 14 October 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
election results:
percent of vote by party - RPT 39.4%, UFC 37.0%, CAR 8.2%, independents 2.5%, other 12.9%; seats by party - RPT 50, UFC 27, CAR 4

Judicial branch

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

Political parties and leaders

  • Action Committee for Renewal or CAR [Yawovi AGBOYIBO];
  • Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA;
  • Democratic Party for Renewal or PDR;
  • Juvento [Monsilia DJATO];
  • Movement of the Believers of Peace and Equality or MOCEP;
  • Pan-African Patriotic Convergence or CPP;
  • Rally for the Support for Development and Democracy or RSDD [Harry OLYMPIO];
  • Rally of the Togolese People or RPT [Faure GNASSINGBE];
  • Socialist Pact for Renewal or PSR;
  • Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU];
  • Union of Forces for a Change or UFC [Gilchrist OLYMPIO]

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant)
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 David B. DUNN
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.

42 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$9.29billion
(2006 est.)official exchange rate: $2.089 billion (2006 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,700
(2006 est.)
Real growth rate
2%
(2006 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

GDP - composition by sector(2003 est.)

agriculture 40%industry 25%services 35% (2003 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

China
29.8%
16.7%
Ghana
14.4%
Burkina Faso
UK
10.9%
9.1%
Benin
France
8.9%
6.1%
Belgium
5.8%
4.6%
Netherlands
6%
5.8%
Mali
5.4%
Germany
4.6%
India
US
4.6%
Estonia
4.2%
Exports $612 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)Imports $1.04 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)(2006)

Budget

Revenues
$392.3 millionExpenditures
$452.3 million (2006 est.)

Electricity

Electricity production
176 million (2005)Electricity consumption
576 million (2005)Electricity imports
486 million (2005)

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 Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (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)

21.8% of GDP (2006 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 (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption

14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Current account balance

$-134 million (2006 est.)

Exports

$612 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa

Imports

$1.04 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Economic aid - recipient

ODA, $86.71 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$2 billion (2005)

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 - 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
708,000
(2006)
Fixed lines
82,100
(2006) · 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), 1 Symphonie

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)

Television broadcast stations

3 (plus 2 repeaters) (1997)

Internet users

320,000 (2006)

Transportation

8 fields

Merchant marine, 2 ships by typeone square, one ship · (2007)

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
4under 914 m
3

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 (2006) · Waterways: (seasonally on Mono River depending on rainfall)

Airports

9 (2007)

Railways

total:
568 km
narrow gauge:
568 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)

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 selective compulsory and voluntary military service; 2-year service obligation (2006)

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;
  • in 2006 14,000 Togolese refugees remain in Benin and Ghana out of the 40,000 who fled there in 2005

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin):
8,000 (Ghana)
IDPs:
1,500 (2006)

Illicit drugs

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

Central Intelligence Agency. “Togo.” The World Factbook 2007. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/togo/2007.

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