Togo

Togolese RepublicRepublique Togolaise

republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Togo as the 2012 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 153 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
Populationas each edition published it
6.96 million July 2012 est. · 3.67m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.748% 2012 est. · 3.61% in 1993
Median ageyears
19.4 years 2012 est. · 17.3 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
63.17 years 2012 est. · 56.46 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
4.64 children per woman 2012 est. · 7.2 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
49.87 deaths per 1,000 live births 2012 est. · 112 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$1,100 2012 est. · $400 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
5% 2012 est. · 0% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

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 multiparty 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.

Geography

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

20 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
country comparison to the world: 126land: 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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total:
0.17 cu km/yr (53%/2%/45%)
per capita:
28 cu m/yr (2000)

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 and Society

30 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2012 est.)

96,386
65 and over3.2%
125,559
1,931,586
15-6456%
1,966,298
1,424,148
0-1440.8%
1,417,072
MaleFemale
Population
6,961,049
(July 2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 101growth rate: 2.748% (2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 20
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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected

Per 1,000 population

Birth
35.26 (2012 est.)Death
7.78 (July 2012 est.)Net migration
0 (2012 est.)

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2012 est.)63.17
60.64 · 65.77Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)49.87
56.72 · 42.82Literacy (2003 est.)60.9%
75.4% · 46.9%
TotalMale · femaleMedian age years (2012 est.)19.4
19.1 · 19.6School life expectancy years (2007)10
11 · 8
MaleFemaleLife expectancy country comparison to the world: 176 · Infant mortality country comparison to the world: 43 · Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Religions

Christian 29%Muslim 20%indigenous beliefs 51%
Urban population
43%of total population
(2010)rate of urbanization: 3.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)Major cities - population: LOME (capital) 1.593 million (2009)
Improved sanitation
12%of population
improved: urban: 24% of populationrural: 3% of populationunimproved: urban: 76% of populationrural: 97% of populationtotal: 88% of population
Maternal mortality rate
300deaths/100,000 live births
(2010)country comparison to the world: 39
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
20.5%
(2008)country comparison to the world: 34

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, 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)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.77 male(s)/female
total population:
0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.64 children born/woman (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Health expenditures

5.9% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 111

Physicians density

0.053 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Hospital bed density

0.85 beds/1,000 population (2005)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

3.2% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

120,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

HIV/AIDS - deaths

7,700 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

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
water contact disease:
schistosomiasis
respiratory disease:
meningococcal meningitis
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 (2009)

Education expenditures

4.6% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 78

Government

Republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule; President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 4 May 2005); Prime Minister Kwesi AHOOMEY-ZUNU (since 23 July 2012)

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

60.9%
Faure GNASSINGBE 60.9%Jean-Pierre FABRE 33.9%Yawovi AGBOYIBO 3%other 2.2%election last held on 4 March 2010 (next to be held in 2015)

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 07 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

adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 4 May 2005);
head of government:
Prime Minister Kwesi AHOOMEY-ZUNU (since 23 July 2012)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
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%

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held on 14 October 2007 (next to be held in October 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

  • Constitutional Court;
  • High Court of Justice;
  • Supreme Court or Cour Supreme;
  • Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel;
  • Court of Audits

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;
  • National Alliance for Change or ANC [Jean-Pierre FABRE];
  • 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 Change or UFC [Gilchrist OLYMPIO]

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Kadangha Limbiya BARIKI
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 Robert E. WHITEHEAD
embassy:
4332 Blvd. Gnassingbe Eyadema, Cite OUA, Lome
mailing address:
B. P. 852, Lome; 2300 Lome Place, Washington, DC 20512-2300
telephone:
[228] 261-5470
FAX:
[228] 261-5501

Flag description

  • 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

National anthem

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

Economy

This small, sub-Saharan economy suffers from anemic economic growth and depends heavily on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment for a significant share of the labor force.

35 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$6.899billion
(2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 160$6.569 billion (2011 est.) · $6.264 billion (2010 est.)note: data are in 2012 US dollarsofficial exchange rate: $3.624 billion (2012 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,100
(2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 212$1,100 (2011 est.) · $1,000 (2010 est.)note: data are in 2012 US dollars
Real growth rate
5%
(2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 564.9% (2011 est.) · 4% (2010 est.)industrial production growth: 2.5% (2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 114
Inflation, consumer prices
2.8%
(2012 est.)country comparison to the world: 703.6% (2011 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2012 est.)

agriculture 45.7%industry 21.4%services 33% (2012 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

10.7%
China
32.5%
France
8.7%
8.3%
Burkina Faso
8.3%
India
6.2%
8.2%
Benin
Belgium
7.9%
6.3%
Niger
5.7%
Germany
US
5.1%
4.8%
Ghana
4.7%
Indonesia
UK
4.6%
Exports $893.8 million (2012 est.)Imports $1.492 billion (2012 est.)(2011)

Budget

Revenues
$729.6 millionExpenditures
$872.2 million (2012 est.)

Economy - overview

This small, sub-Saharan economy suffers from anemic economic growth and 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.

Labor force

2.595 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 110

Labor force - by occupation

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

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
3.3%
highest 10%:
27.1% (2006)

Investment (gross fixed)

25.4% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Taxes and other revenues

20.1% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3.9% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Central bank discount rate

2.5% (31 December 2010 est.) · 4.25% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 90

Stock of narrow money

$954.5 million (31 December 2012 est.) · $981.9 million (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Stock of broad money

$1.534 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $1.635 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Stock of domestic credit

$1.119 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $1.193 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Agriculture - products

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

Current account balance

-$418.4 million (2012 est.) · -$302.7 million (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Exports

$893.8 million (2012 est.) · $928.7 million (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Exports - commodities

reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa

Imports

$1.492 billion (2012 est.) · $1.455 billion (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$678 million (31 December 2012 est.) · $774.3 million (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Debt - external

$NA (31 December 2010); $1.64 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 514.1 (2012 est.) · 471.87 (2011 est.) · 495.28 (2010 est.) · 472.19 (2009) · 447.81 (2008)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Energy

23 fields

Installed generating capacity, 85,000 kW(2009 est.)

Fossil fuels 21.2% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)Hydroelectric plants 78.8% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)Nuclear fuels 0% · Other renewable sources 0%
Electricity production
123 million (2009 est.)Electricity consumption
651 million (2009 est.)Electricity imports
683 million (2009 est.)Refined petroleum imports
6,829 (2008 est.)Refined petroleum consumption
28,670 (2011 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

3.166 million Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Communications

7 fields
Mobile cellular
3.105 million
(2011)
Internet users
1,168
(2012)
Fixed lines
240,000
(2011) · 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;
  • 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

Broadcast media

  • 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)

Internet users

356,300 (2009) country comparison to the world: 123

Transportation

8 fields

Merchant marine, 61 ships by typeone square, one ship

bulk carrier 6cargo 38carrier 3chemical tanker 5container 3passenger/cargo 1petroleum tanker 3refrigerated cargo 1roll on/roll off 1foreign-owned: 21 (China 1, Lebanon 6, Romania 1, Syria 6, Turkey 4, UAE 1, US 1, Yemen 1) (2010)

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m
2

Networkskm

Roadways
7,520Railways
568Waterways
50 (2011)
Roadways: paved: 2,376 km · unpaved: 5,144 km (2000) · Railways: narrow gauge: 568 km 1.000-m gauge (2008) · Waterways: (seasonally navigable by small craft on the Mono River depending on rainfall)

Airports

8 (2012) country comparison to the world: 163

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2; 2,438 to 3,047 m:; 2 (2012)

Railways

total:
568 km

country comparison to the world: 110

narrow gauge:
568 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways

total:
7,520 km

country comparison to the world: 146

paved:
2,376 km
unpaved:
5,144 km (2000)

Waterways

50 km (seasonally navigable by small craft on the Mono River depending on rainfall) (2011) country comparison to the world: 103

Military

Togolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Togolaise, FAT): Ground Forces, Togolese Navy (Marine du Togo), Togolese Air Force (Force Aerienne Togolaise, TAF), National Gendarmerie (2011)

6 fields
Military expenditures
1.6%of GDP
(2005 est.)country comparison to the world: 91

Military branches

Togolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Togolaise, FAT): Ground Forces, Togolese Navy (Marine du Togo), Togolese Air Force (Force Aerienne Togolaise, TAF), National Gendarmerie (2011)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 2-year service obligation (2006)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49:
1,577,572
females age 16-49:
1,589,715 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49:
1,104,536
females age 16-49:
1,158,061 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male:
74,036
female:
73,515 (2010 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;
  • talks continue between Benin and Togo on funding the Adjrala hydroelectric dam on the Mona River

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin):
13,676 (Ghana); 5,151 (Cote d'Ivoire) (2011)
IDPs:
undetermined (2012)

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 2012. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/togo/2012.