Introduction
Background
From the 11th to the 16th centuries, various ethnic groups settled the Togo region. After World War I, colonial rule over Togo was transferred from Germany to France. French Togoland became Togo upon independence in 1960.
Geography
Area
total: 56,785 sq km
land: 54,385 sq km
water: 2,400 sq km
Climate
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Natural resources
phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land
People and Society
Population
total: 8,917,994
male: 4,395,271
female: 4,522,723 (2024 est.)
Ethnic groups
Adja-Ewe/Mina 42.4%, Kabye/Tem 25.9%, Para-Gourma/Akan 17.1%, Akposso/Akebu 4.1%, Ana-Ife 3.2%, other Togolese 1.7%, foreigners 5.2%, no response 0.4% (2013-14 est.)
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)
Religions
Christian 42.3%, folk religion 36.9%, Muslim 14%, Hindu <1%, Buddhist <1%, Jewish <1%, other <1%, none 6.2% (2020 est.)
Population growth rate
2.41% (2024 est.)
Government
Government type
presidential republic
Capital
name: Lome
Executive branch
chief of state: President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 4 May 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Victoire Tomegah DOGBE (since 28 September 2020)
Legislative branch
description: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (113 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed, party-list proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms); party lists are required to contain equal numbers of men and women
Economy
Economic overview
low-income West African economy; primarily agrarian economy; has a deep-water port; growing international shipping locale; improving privatization and public budgeting transparency; key phosphate mining industry; extremely high rural poverty
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$19.491 billion (2022 est.)
$18.421 billion (2021 est.)
$17.38 billion (2020 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$2,200 (2022 est.)
$2,100 (2021 est.)
$2,100 (2020 est.)
Agricultural products
cassava, yams, maize, oil palm fruit, sorghum, soybeans, beans, rice, vegetables, cotton (2022)
Industries
phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts, textiles, beverages
Exports
$1.722 billion (2020 est.)
$1.665 billion (2019 est.)
$1.703 billion (2018 est.)
Exports - partners
UAE 26%, India 11%, Cote d'Ivoire 11%, South Africa 6%, Burkina Faso 6% (2022)
Exports - commodities
gold, refined petroleum, phosphates, soybeans, plastic products (2022)
Imports
$2.389 billion (2020 est.)
$2.261 billion (2019 est.)
$2.329 billion (2018 est.)
Imports - partners
India 30%, China 16%, South Korea 13%, Nigeria 4%, Taiwan 4% (2022)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, crude petroleum, motorcycles and cycles, garments, rice (2022)
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
623.76 (2022 est.)
554.531 (2021 est.)
575.586 (2020 est.)
585.911 (2019 est.)
555.446 (2018 est.)
Page last updated: Wednesday, May 15, 2024
