The Togolese school system is based on the French model. It consists of the six-year primary school (with compulsory schooling), the two-tier secondary school and the universities. Unfortunately, the current school situation is extremely inadequate and in need of reform. In addition, there are great inequalities in the use of the already ailing education system.… Read More »
According to the constitution of the IV Republic of 1992, there is equality between women and men, but the practice – as in many areas – is different. Apart from theoretical equality, little has been done in the legal system to reduce the disadvantage of women. Added to this is the still high weighting of… Read More »
According to the Human Development Index – HDI from 2019, Togo ranks 167th out of 188 countries and – as in most rankings – has declined in recent years. Factors such as poverty, inadequate health care and poor education are still characteristic of about two thirds of the population, especially in rural areas. The IMF… Read More »
Alphabetized adults: 63.7% (2018, HDR) Major religions: Trad. Rel. 50%, Christianity 30%, Islam 20% Urban population: 42% (2018, HDR) Life expectancy (female / male): 62/60 years (2018, HDR) Gender Inequality Index: Rank 140 of 162 (2018, HDR) Number of births: 4.38 / woman (2017, estimated) Child mortality (under 5): 73/1000 live births (2018, HDR) Ethnic… Read More »
In March 2019, the government presented the Plan National de Developpement for 2018-2022 (PND). The PND is the continuation of the Stratégie de Croissance accélérée et de Promotion de l’Emploi (SCAPE) – the economic strategy paperfrom 2013 to 2017. It envisages various major projects in the areas of trade and logistics, agriculture and industrial processing.… Read More »
Because of the serious human rights violations of the Eyadema regime, international development cooperation with Togo was suspended for almost 20 years. Eyadema’s son Faure Gnassingbé has ruled the country since 2005. His main goal after taking power was to regain international support for Togo’s development. In 2007 the European Union resumed its cooperation with… Read More »
Foreign trade Since the founding of Popovi / Aného in the 17th century and of Lomé in 1877, the coast of Togo has been part of Atlantic trade, which has shaped the mentality of the south to this day. Regardless of whether cigarettes are sold in detail in the informal sector or whether goods are… Read More »
Energy Togo can only produce part of the electricity it needs itself and is dependent on electricity imports from Ghana and the Ivory Coast. The government has ambitious plans for the country’s energy supply. A nationwide power supply is to be achieved throughout Togo by 2030, 50% of which will be from renewable energies. Currently… Read More »
Agriculture and animal husbandry Agriculture in Togo is dominated by smallholdings. The cultivation takes place in the family association with almost exclusively traditional cultivation methods, without mineral fertilizers or machines, and usually ensures self-sufficiency with basic foodstuffs. The demographic development increases the population pressure on the scarce land resources, which can ultimately only be countered… Read More »
During the German colonial era, Togo was considered a “model colony” that was economically very profitable. It supplied coveted goods such as cotton, peanuts, rubber and coffee. The Germans built several railway lines for the transport of goods, some of which are still in use today. A 300m long jetty in the sea was also… Read More »
Estimated GDP: US $ 5.5 billion (2019) Per capita income (purchasing power parity): 1650 US $ (2019) Human Development Rank (HDI): Rank 167 of 189 (2018) Proportion of poverty (national poverty line): 55.1% (2015) Distribution of income (Gini coefficient): 43.1 (2018, HDR) Economic Transformation Index (BTI): Rank 89 of 137 (2020) Economic situation Although there… Read More »
The economic structure of Togo is still characterized by the disparity resulting from the colonial era between the well-connected south and the north, which is largely based on traditional subsistence farming. Apart from the phosphate deposits (in smaller quantities also limestone, marble and other natural resources), Togo is an agricultural country that is poor in… Read More »
At the beginning of December 2009, Togo received its own domain from Google: Google.tg, with the optionthe language selection of French or Ewé. The International Institute for Sustainable Development published a detailed study on the support of interest groups in a public, internet-supported political dialogue with experiences from Togo. In June 2011 there were around… Read More »
With the national conference that took place in 1991, the media landscape changed suddenly and a large number of media replaced the exclusively state-controlled media. Although a new press law was introduced in 2004, independent reporting has improved significantly under the new President Faure Gnassingbé, but it continues to be threatened by government restrictions. On… Read More »
Human rights The human rights situation in Togo is precarious and in 1993 it was the reason for the break with the international community. Only after reforms under Faure Gnassingbé from 2006 onwards was the civil rights situation improved and freedom of expression and press introduced. Under Eyadema Gnassingbé, there was a climate of fear… Read More »
In the political disputes and power struggles in Togo, since the emergence of the young state, two irreconcilable power blocs seemed to be facing each other: North versus South, the RPT and the UFC, the military and the merchants, the Gnassingbé and Olympio families in permanent clinic. While under Eyadema there was a climate of… Read More »
Parliamentary elections 2013 In the parliamentary elections on July 25, 2013, 26 parties ran. The clear winner was the ruling party UNIR – Union pour la République, which, according to the official result, received 62 out of 91 seats. The opposition Collectif Sauvons le Togo – CST won 19 seats, 6 seats went to the… Read More »
After Eyadema Gnassingbé’s death, the 2005 presidential elections were used to establish his son Faure Gnassingbé as his successor. The elections were very violent, killing over 500 people, injuring thousands and triggering a mass exodus in which around 30-40,000 citizens fled to neighboring Ghana and Benin, which have since returned. In October 2006 an independent… Read More »
Foreign policy issues In the past, Togo’s foreign policy relations were directed towards the European Union, the United Nations and the various African organizations and alliances. Togo has a good and tension-free relationship with all three neighboring countries. After the western donor countries terminated their cooperation in 1993, Togo looked for new partners and intensified… Read More »
Located on the Guinea coast of West Africa, Togo extends as a narrow corridor about 550 km inland and offers an astonishing variety of landscapes and natural spaces in a small area. The more than 40 different peoples live together peacefully, if not always without tension and have preserved their traditional culture. Military The military,… Read More »
Togo has a presidential multi-party system with President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé (UNIR) at the head of the state. He was re-elected for another five years on April 25, 2015. Constitution and separation of powers With the constitution of October 14, 1992, revised on December 30, 2002, the legal framework for a democracy with separation of… Read More »
The term of office The First World War was also fought in the colonies of Africa, including Togo. After just a few days, the Germans had to surrender and Togo was divided into two “occupation zones” lengthwise in roughly equal parts by the British and French administrations. The German colonies were assigned to the League… Read More »
Togo, the artificial segment of a geographical area, owes its shape and its borders to colonial arbitrariness: on the coast a good 50 km wide, it extends as a narrow strip about 550 km to the north, with a width that varies between 45 and 140 km. Togo was a German colony from 1884 to… Read More »
Cities and population The capital is Lomé with about 2 million residents. The population has doubled in recent years, and the suburbs are expanding further and further to the north and south-east. Lomé is also the most important location of the so-called modern sector. Other larger cities are Kara (109 000 Ew.), Sokodé (105 000… Read More »
Due to its proximity to the equator, Togo has a hot, humid tropical climate. In the southern part of the country there are two rainy seasons (April to June and October to November) and one in the north (April to September). During the dry season, the harmattan winds from the Sahara carry many fine dust… Read More »
Togo is the artificial segment of a large landscape and the predominant landscape is the wet savannah. With an area of 56,785 km², Togo ranks 41st of the 54 independent states in Africa and with around 8 million residents, Togo is one of the most densely populated countries in West Africa. History Founded in 1884… Read More »