Togo

Togolese RepublicRepublique Togolaise

presidential republic

Togo as the 2016 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 162 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
7.76 million July 2016 est. · 3.67m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.66% 2016 est. · 3.61% in 1993
Median ageyears
19.7 years 2016 est. · 17.3 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
65 years 2016 est. · 56.46 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
4.43 children per woman 2016 est. · 7.2 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
43.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 2016 est. · 112 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$1,500 2015 est. · $400 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
5.3% 2015 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 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 been in power almost continually since 1967 and its successor, the Union for the Republic, 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.

Geography

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

18 fields
Area
56,785sq km
land: 54,385 sq kmwater: 2,400 sq kmcountry comparison to the world: 126slightly smaller than West Virginia
Coastline
56km
territorial sea: 30 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Highest point
986m
Mont Agoumean elevation: 236 melevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Land boundaries
1,880km
border countries (3): Benin 651 km, Burkina Faso 131 km, Ghana 1,098 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

Land use

agricultural land:
67.4%;
  • arable land 45.2%;
  • permanent crops 3.8%;
  • permanent pasture 18.4%
forest:
4.9%
other:
27.7% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land

70 sq km (2012)

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

37 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2016 est.)

112,845
65 and over3.37%
148,223
156,249
55-644.27%
175,089
1,255,524
25-5432.58%
1,271,804
749,002
15-2419.34%
751,571
1,573,363
0-1440.44%
1,563,267
MaleFemaleDependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 81.8% · youth dependency ratio: 76.8% · elderly dependency ratio: 5% · potential support ratio: 19.9% (2015 est.)
Population
7,756,937
country comparison to the world: 100growth rate: 2.66% (2016 est.)country comparison to the world: 15
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 (July 2016 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2016 est.)

Birth
33.7Death
7.1Net migration
0

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2016 est.)65
62.3 · 67.7Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)43.7
50.1 · 37
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2015 est.)66.5%
78.3% · 55.3%Median age years (2016 est.)19.7
19.4 · 20
MaleFemaleLife expectancy country comparison to the world: 177 · Infant mortality country comparison to the world: 45 · Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write · Median age country comparison to the world: 193

Religions

Christian 29%Muslim 20%indigenous beliefs 51%
Urban population
40%of total population
(2015)rate of urbanization: 3.83% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)Major urban areas - population: LOME (capital) 956,000 (2015)
Improved drinking water
63.1%of population
urban: 91.4% of populationrural: 44.2% of populationurban: 8.6% of populationrural: 55.8% of populationtotal: 36.9% of population (2015 est.)
Improved sanitation
11.6%of population
urban: 24.7% of populationrural: 2.9% of populationurban: 75.3% of populationrural: 97.1% of populationtotal: 88.4% of population (2015 est.)
Maternal mortality rate
368deaths/100,000 live births
(2015 est.)country comparison to the world: 40Mother's mean age at first birth: 21note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2013/14 est.)

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)

Demographic profile

Togo’s population is estimated to have grown to four times its size between 1960 and 2010. With nearly 60% of its populace under the age of 25 and a high annual growth rate attributed largely to high fertility, Togo’s population is likely to continue to expand for the foreseeable future.

Reducing fertility, boosting job creation, and improving education will be essential to reducing the country’s high poverty rate. In 2008, Togo eliminated primary school enrollment fees, leading to higher enrollment but increased pressure on limited classroom space, teachers, and materials.

Togo has a good chance of achieving universal primary education, but educational quality, the underrepresentation of girls, and the low rate of enrollment in secondary and tertiary schools remain concerns.

Togo is both a country of emigration and asylum. In the early 1990s, southern Togo suffered from the economic decline of the phosphate sector and ethnic and political repression at the hands of dictator Gnassingbe EYADEMA and his northern, Kabye-dominated administration. The turmoil led 300,000 to 350,000 predominantly southern Togolese to flee to Benin and Ghana, with most not returning home until relative stability was restored in 1997.

In 2005, another outflow of 40,000 Togolese to Benin and Ghana occurred when violence broke out between the opposition and security forces over the disputed election of EYADEMA’s son Faure GNASSINGBE to the presidency. About half of the refugees reluctantly returned home in 2006, many still fearing for their safety. Despite ethnic tensions and periods of political unrest, Togo in 2016 was home to more than 18,000 refugees from Ghana.

Sex ratio

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:
0.76 male(s)/female
total population:
0.98 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.43 children born/woman (2016 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Health expenditures

5.2% of GDP (2014) country comparison to the world: 45

Physicians density

0.05 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Hospital bed density

0.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

2.4% (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 26

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

106,300 (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

HIV/AIDS - deaths

5,100 (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Major infectious diseases

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 (2016)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

6.4% (2014) country comparison to the world: 169

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

16.2% (2014) country comparison to the world: 41

Education expenditures

4.8% of GDP (2014) country comparison to the world: 91

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total:
12 years
male:
NA
female:
NA (2011)

Child labor - children ages 5-14

total number:
774,801
percentage:
47% (2010 est.)

Government

Presidential republic; President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 4 May 2005); Prime Minister Komi KLASSOU (since 5 June 2015)

22 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

58.8%
Faure GNASSINGBE (UNIR) 58.8%Jean-Pierre FABRE (ANC) 35.2%Tchaboure GOGUE 4%other 2%election last held on 25 April 2015 (next to be held in 2020)

National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale, 91 seats, elected 25 July 2013one dot, one seat

UNIR 62CST 19Rainbow Alliance 6UFC 3independent 1

Percent of vote

UNIR 46.7%CST 28.9%Rainbow Alliance 10.8%UFC 7.7%independent 0.8%other 5.1%

Country name

conventional long form:
Togolese Republic
conventional short form:
Togo
local long form:
Republique Togolaise
local short form:
none
former:
French Togoland
etymology:
  • derived from the Ewe words "to" (water) and "go" (shore) to give the sense of "by the water";
  • originally, this designation applied to the town of Togo (now Togoville) on the northern shore of Lake Togo, but the name was eventually extended to the entire nation

Government type

presidential republic

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

  • several previous;
  • latest adopted 27 September 1992, effective 14 October 1992;
  • amended 2002, 2007 (2016)

International law organization participation

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Togo
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
5 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 4 May 2005)
head of government:
Prime Minister Komi KLASSOU (since 5 June 2015)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
elections/appointments:
  • president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (no term limits);
  • election last held on 25 April 2015 (next to be held in 2020);
  • prime minister appointed by the president
election results:
Faure GNASSINGBE reelected president; percent of vote - Faure GNASSINGBE (UNIR) 58.8%, Jean-Pierre FABRE (ANC) 35.2%, Tchaboure GOGUE 4%, other 2%

Legislative branch

description:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (91 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)
elections:
last held on 25 July 2013 (next to be held in 2018)
election results:
  • percent of vote by party - UNIR 46.7%, CST 28.9%, Rainbow Alliance 10.8%, UFC 7.7%, independent 0.8%, other 5.1%;
  • seats by party - UNIR 62, CST 19, Rainbow Alliance 6, UFC 3, independent 1

Judicial branch

highest court(s):
  • Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (organized into criminal and administrative chambers, 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);
  • Appeal Court;
  • tribunals of first instance (divided into civil, commercial, and correctional chambers; Court of State Security; military tribunal

Political parties and leaders

Action Committee for Renewal or CAR [Dodji APEVON]; Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA [Brigitte ADJAMAGBO-JOHNSON]; National Alliance for Change or ANC [Jean-Pierre FABRE]; Pan-African Patriotic Convergence or CPP [Edem KODJO]; Rainbow Alliance (a coalition including CAR and CDPA) [Brigitte ADJAMAGBO-JOHNSON]; Save Togo Collective or CST (a coalition including: ANC and PSR) [Ata Messan Zeus AJAVON; Socialist Pact for Renewal or PSR [Abi TCHESSA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU]; Union of Forces for Change or UFC [Gilchrist OLYMPIO]; Union for the Republic or UNIR [Faure GNASSINGBE]

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Yokoudema KADOKALIH (since 26 October 2015)
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 R. GILMORE (since December 2015)
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

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 symbol(s)

lion; national colors: green, yellow, red, white

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 depends heavily on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment for a significant share of the labor force.

38 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$10.85billion
(2015 est.) · $10.3 billion (2014 est.) · $9.775 billion (2013 est.)note: data are in 2015 US dollarscountry comparison to the world: 156official exchange rate: $4.165 billion (2015 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,500
(2015 est.) · $1,400 (2014 est.) · $1,400 (2013 est.)note: data are in 2015 US dollarscountry comparison to the world: 215
Real growth rate
5.3%
(2015 est.) · 5.4% (2014 est.) · 5.4% (2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 37industrial production growth: 9.1% (2015 est.)country comparison to the world: 14
Inflation, consumer prices
1.8%
(2015 est.) · 0.2% (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 117

GDP - composition, by sector of origin(2015 est.)

agriculture 28.5%industry 20.9%services 50.6% (2015 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

11.3%
China
22.9%
Belgium
20.3%
14.6%
India
4.8%
Netherlands
11.9%
11.3%
Burkina Faso
9.6%
Benin
9%
Ghana
8.3%
Lebanon
France
6.6%
6.1%
Nigeria
5.9%
Niger
Singapore
4.4%
Exports $1.246 billion (2015 est.)Imports $1.881 billion (2015 est.)(2015)

By end use% of GDP

Household consumption
113.2%Government consumption
16.7%Fixed capital
21.8%Inventories
0%Exports
54.1%Imports
-105.8% (2015 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$1.061 billionExpenditures
$1.3 billion (2015 est.)

Economy - overview

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 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. Togo completed its IMF Extended Credit Facility in 2011 and reached a Heavily Indebted Poor Country 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. Progress depends on follow through on privatization, increased openness in government financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and continued support from foreign donors.

Togo’s 2015 economic growth remained steady at 5.4%, largely driven by infusions of foreign aid, infrastructure investment in the port and mineral sectors, and improvements in the business climate. Foreign direct investment inflows have slowed in recent years.

Gross national saving

15.8% of GDP (2015 est.) · 11.2% of GDP (2014 est.) · 10% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Agriculture - products

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

Industries

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

Labor force

2.595 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

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)

Taxes and other revenues

25.5% of GDP (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5.7% of GDP (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 178

Public debt

67.3% of GDP (2015 est.) · 59.6% of GDP (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Fiscal year

calendar year

Central bank discount rate

2.5% (31 December 2010) · 4.25% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 110

Stock of narrow money

$1.14 billion (31 December 2015 est.) · $1.036 billion (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Stock of broad money

$2.017 billion (31 December 2015 est.) · $2.025 billion (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Stock of domestic credit

$1.65 billion (31 December 2015 est.) · $1.642 billion (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Current account balance

-$523 million (2015 est.) · -$592 million (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Exports

$1.246 billion (2015 est.) · $1.326 billion (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Exports - commodities

reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa

Imports

$1.881 billion (2015 est.) · $2.212 billion (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 167

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$574 million (31 December 2015 est.) · $507 million (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Debt - external

$1.034 billion (31 December 2015 est.) · $995.2 million (31 December 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 591.45 (2015 est.) · 494.42 (2014 est.) · 494.42 (2013 est.) · 510.53 (2012 est.) · 471.87 (2011 est.)

Energy

24 fields

Electrification% of population · (2013)

35%Urban
21%Rural
27%Total
population without electricity: 5,000,000

Installed generating capacity, 86,000 kW(2014 est.)

Fossil fuels 21.7% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)Hydroelectric plants 78.3% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)Nuclear fuels 0% · Other renewable sources 0%
Electricity production
100 million (2014 est.)Electricity consumption
1.1 billion (2014 est.)Electricity imports
1.1 billion (2014 est.)Refined petroleum imports
12,280 (2013 est.)Refined petroleum consumption
13,000 (2014 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 197

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2016 es) country comparison to the world: 199

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 es) country comparison to the world: 200

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

1.8 million Mt (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Communications

6 fields

Per 100 inhabitants(July 2015 est.)

62Mobile cellular
7.1%Internet users, % of population
1Fixed lines
Mobile cellular
4.657 million
(July 2015 est.)
Internet users
538,000
(July 2015 est.)
Fixed lines
52,690
(July 2015 est.) · 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 60 telephones per 100 persons with mobile-cellular use predominating
international:
country code - 228; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Symphonie (2015)

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)

Transportation

10 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 lengthpaved only

2,438 to 3,047 m
2

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

914 to 1,523 m
4under 914 m
2

Networkskm

Roadways
11,652Railways
568Waterways
50 (2011)
Roadways: paved: 2,447 km · unpaved: 9,205 km (2007) · Railways: narrow gauge: 568 km 1.000-m gauge (2014) · Waterways: (seasonally navigable by small craft on the Mono River depending on rainfall)

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers:
1; inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 8
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:
769,904
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:
0 mt-km (2015)

Airports

8 (2013) country comparison to the world: 163

Railways

total:
568 km
narrow gauge:
568 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)

country comparison to the world: 112

Roadways

total:
11,652 km
paved:
2,447 km
unpaved:
9,205 km (2007)

country comparison to the world: 129

Waterways

50 km (seasonally navigable by small craft on the Mono River depending on rainfall) (2011) country comparison to the world: 102

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Kpeme, Lome

Military and Security

3 fields

Military branches

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)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 2-year service obligation (2012)

Military expenditures

NA% (2012) · 1.6% of GDP (2011)

Transnational Issues

3 fields

Disputes - international

  • in 2001, Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint commission continues to resurvey the boundary;
  • 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): 18,476 (Ghana) (2015)

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 2016. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/togo/2016.