{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "From the 11th to the 16th centuries, various ethnic groups settled the Togo region. From the 16th to the 18th centuries, the coastal region became a major slave trading center and the surrounding region took on the name of \"The Slave Coast.\" In 1884, Germany declared a region including present-day Togo as a protectorate called Togoland. After World War I, rule over Togo was transferred to France. French Togoland became Togo upon independence 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. Since 2007, President GNASSINGBE has started the country along a gradual path to democratic reform. Togo has since held multiple presidential and legislative elections deemed generally free and fair by international observers. Despite those positive moves, political reconciliation has moved slowly, and the country experiences periodic outbursts of violent protest by frustrated citizens. Recent constitutional changes to institute a runoff system in presidential elections and establish term limits has done little to reduce the resentment many Togolese feel after over 50 years of one-family rule." } }, "Geography": { "Location": { "text": "Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana" }, "Geographic coordinates": { "text": "8 00 N, 1 10 E" }, "Map references": { "text": "Africa" }, "Area": { "total": { "text": "56,785 sq km" }, "land": { "text": "54,385 sq km" }, "water": { "text": "2,400 sq km" } }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "slightly smaller than West Virginia" }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "1,880 km" }, "border countries": { "text": "Benin 651 km, Burkina Faso 131 km, Ghana 1098 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "56 km" }, "Maritime claims": { "territorial sea": { "text": "30 nm; note: the US does not recognize this claim" }, "exclusive economic zone": { "text": "200 nm" } }, "Climate": { "text": "tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north" }, "Terrain": { "text": "gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes" }, "Elevation": { "mean elevation": { "text": "236 m" }, "lowest point": { "text": "Atlantic Ocean 0 m" }, "highest point": { "text": "Mont Agou 986 m" } }, "Natural resources": { "text": "phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "67.4% (2011 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 45.2% (2011 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 3.8% (2011 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 18.4% (2011 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "4.9% (2011 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "27.7% (2011 est.)" } }, "Irrigated land": { "text": "70 sq km (2012)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "one of the more densely populated African nations with most of the population residing in rural communities, density is highest in the south on or near the Atlantic coast as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Natural hazards": { "text": "hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; very little rain forest still present and what remains is highly degraded; desertification; water pollution presents health hazards and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban areas" }, "Environment - international agreements": { "party to": { "text": "Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling" }, "signed, but not ratified": { "text": "none of the selected agreements" } }, "Geography - note": { "text": "the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "text": "8,283,189 (July 2021 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
" }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Togolese (singular and plural)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Togolese" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "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 .4% (2013-14 est.)", "note": "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 September 2017 was home to more than 9,600 refugees from Ghana.
" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { "text": "39.73% (male 1,716,667/female 1,703,230)" }, "15-24 years": { "text": "19.03% (male 817,093/female 820,971)" }, "25-54 years": { "text": "33.26% (male 1,423,554/female 1,439,380)" }, "55-64 years": { "text": "4.42% (male 179,779/female 200,392)" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "3.57% (male 132,304/female 175,074) (2020 est.)" } }, "Dependency ratios": { "total dependency ratio": { "text": "77.1" }, "youth dependency ratio": { "text": "72" }, "elderly dependency ratio": { "text": "5.1" }, "potential support ratio": { "text": "19.4 (2020 est.)" } }, "Median age": { "total": { "text": "20 years" }, "male": { "text": "19.7 years" }, "female": { "text": "20.3 years (2020 est.)" } }, "Population growth rate": { "text": "2.51% (2021 est.)" }, "Birth rate": { "text": "32.34 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)" }, "Death rate": { "text": "5.39 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)" }, "Net migration rate": { "text": "-1.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "one of the more densely populated African nations with most of the population residing in rural communities, density is highest in the south on or near the Atlantic coast as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "42.8% of total population (2020)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "3.76% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)" } }, "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "1.828 million LOME (capital) (2020)" }, "Sex ratio": { "at birth": { "text": "1.03 male(s)/female" }, "0-14 years": { "text": "1.01 male(s)/female" }, "15-24 years": { "text": "1 male(s)/female" }, "25-54 years": { "text": "0.99 male(s)/female" }, "55-64 years": { "text": "0.9 male(s)/female" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "0.76 male(s)/female" }, "total population": { "text": "0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.)" } }, "Mother's mean age at first birth": { "text": "21 years (2013/14 est.)", "note": "note: median age at first birth among women 25-29
" }, "Maternal mortality rate": { "text": "396 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)" }, "Infant mortality rate": { "total": { "text": "42.64 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "male": { "text": "47.4 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "female": { "text": "37.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)" } }, "Life expectancy at birth": { "total population": { "text": "70.99 years" }, "male": { "text": "68.37 years" }, "female": { "text": "73.69 years (2021 est.)" } }, "Total fertility rate": { "text": "4.28 children born/woman (2021 est.)" }, "Contraceptive prevalence rate": { "text": "23.9% (2017)" }, "Drinking water source": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 92.3% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 56% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 70.9% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 7.7% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 44% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 29.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { "text": "6.2% (2017)" }, "Physicians density": { "text": "0.03 physicians/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Hospital bed density": { "text": "0.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 80.4% of population (2015 est.)" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 16.2% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 41.6% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 19.6% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 83.8% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 57.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "2.3% (2019 est.)" }, "HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS": { "text": "120,000 (2019 est.)" }, "HIV/AIDS - deaths": { "text": "3,000 (2019 est.)" }, "Major infectious diseases": { "degree of risk": { "text": "very high (2020)" }, "food or waterborne diseases": { "text": "bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever" }, "vectorborne diseases": { "text": "malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever" }, "water contact diseases": { "text": "schistosomiasis" }, "animal contact diseases": { "text": "rabies" }, "respiratory diseases": { "text": "meningococcal meningitis" } }, "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "8.4% (2016)" }, "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": { "text": "15.2% (2017)" }, "Education expenditures": { "text": "5.4% of GDP (2018)" }, "Literacy": { "definition": { "text": "age 15 and over can read and write" }, "total population": { "text": "63.7%" }, "male": { "text": "77.3%" }, "female": { "text": "51.2% (2015)" } }, "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": { "total": { "text": "13 years" }, "male": { "text": "14 years NA" }, "female": { "text": "12 years NA (2017)" } }, "Unemployment, youth ages 15-24": { "total": { "text": "3.9%" }, "male": { "text": "3.7%" }, "female": { "text": "4.1% (2015 est.)" } } }, "Government": { "Country name": { "conventional long form": { "text": "Togolese Republic" }, "conventional short form": { "text": "Togo" }, "local long form": { "text": "Republique Togolaise" }, "local short form": { "text": "none" }, "former": { "text": "French Togoland" }, "etymology": { "text": "derived from the Ewe words \"to\" (river) and \"godo\" (on the other side) to give the sense of \"on the other side of the river\"; originally, this designation applied to the town of Togodo (now Togoville) on the northern shore of Lake Togo, but the name was eventually extended to the entire nation" } }, "Government type": { "text": "presidential republic" }, "Capital": { "name": { "text": "Lome" }, "geographic coordinates": { "text": "6 07 N, 1 13 E" }, "time difference": { "text": "UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "note": "note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia
" }, "National symbol(s)": { "text": "lion; national colors: green, yellow, red, white" }, "National anthem": { "name": { "text": "\"Salut a toi, pays de nos aieux\" (Hail to Thee, Land of Our Forefathers)" }, "lyrics/music": { "text": "Alex CASIMIR-DOSSEH" }, "note": "note: adopted 1960, restored 1992; this anthem was replaced by another during one-party rule between 1979 and 1992
" } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "Togo has enjoyed a period of steady economic growth fueled by political stability and a concerted effort by the government to modernize the country’s commercial infrastructure, but discontent with President Faure GNASSINGBE has led to a rapid rise in protests, creating downside risks. The country completed an ambitious large-scale infrastructure improvement program, including new principal roads, a new airport terminal, and a new seaport. The economy depends heavily on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, providing employment for around 60% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton and other agricultural products generate about 20% 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, which provide more than 20% of export earnings.
Supported by the World Bank and the IMF, the government's decade-long effort 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, and in January 2017, the IMF signed an Extended Credit Facility arrangement consisting of a three-year $238 million loan package. Progress depends on follow through on privatization, increased transparency in government financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and continued support from foreign donors.
Togo’s 2017 economic growth probably remained steady at 5.0%, largely driven by infusions of foreign aid, infrastructure investment in its port and mineral industry, and improvements in the business climate. Foreign direct investment inflows have slowed in recent years.
" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "Real GDP growth rate 2017": { "text": "4.4% (2017 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2016": { "text": "5.1% (2016 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2015": { "text": "5.7% (2015 est.)" } }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019": { "text": "0.6% (2019 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018": { "text": "0.9% (2018 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017": { "text": "-0.9% (2017 est.)" } }, "Credit ratings": { "Moody's rating": { "text": "B3 (2019)" }, "Standard & Poors rating": { "text": "B (2019)" } }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019": { "text": "$12.904 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018": { "text": "$12.25 billion (2018 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017": { "text": "$11.674 billion (2017 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars
" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$5.232 billion (2018 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2019": { "text": "$1,597 (2019 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2018": { "text": "$1,553 (2018 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2017": { "text": "$1,517 (2017 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars
" }, "Gross national saving": { "Gross national saving 2017": { "text": "16.1% of GDP (2017 est.)" }, "Gross national saving 2016": { "text": "21.8% of GDP (2016 est.)" }, "Gross national saving 2015": { "text": "21.2% of GDP (2015 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "28.8% (2017 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "21.8% (2017 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "49.8% (2017 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "household consumption": { "text": "84.5% (2017 est.)" }, "government consumption": { "text": "11.4% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "23.4% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in inventories": { "text": "-1.4% (2017 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "43.1% (2017 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-61% (2017 est.)" } }, "Ease of Doing Business Index scores": { "Overall Ease of Doing Business score 2020": { "text": "63.7 (2020)" } }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "cassava, maize, yams, sorghum, beans, oil palm fruit, rice, vegetables, cotton, groundnuts" }, "Industries": { "text": "phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts, textiles, beverages" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "5% (2017 est.)" }, "Labor force": { "text": "2.595 million (2007 est.)" }, "Labor force - by occupation": { "agriculture": { "text": "65%" }, "industry": { "text": "5%" }, "services": { "text": "30% (1998 est.)" } }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2016": { "text": "6.9% (2016 est.)" } }, "Population below poverty line": { "text": "55.1% (2015 est.)" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": { "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015": { "text": "43.1 (2015 est.)" } }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "3.3%" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "27.1% (2006)" } }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "1.023 billion (2017 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "1.203 billion (2017 est.)" } }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "21.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": { "text": "-3.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2017": { "text": "75.7% of GDP (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt 2016": { "text": "81.6% of GDP (2016 est.)" } }, "Fiscal year": { "text": "calendar year" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2017": { "text": "-$383 million (2017 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2016": { "text": "-$416 million (2016 est.)" } }, "Exports": { "Exports 2018": { "text": "$1.862 billion (2018 est.)" }, "Exports 2017": { "text": "$1.881 billion (2017 est.)" } }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "Benin 16.7%, Burkina Faso 15.2%, Niger 8.9%, India 7.3%, Mali 6.7%, Ghana 5.5%, Cote dIvoire 5.4%, Nigeria 4.1% (2017)" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2018": { "text": "$2.911 billion (2018 est.)" }, "Imports 2017": { "text": "$2.789 billion (2017 est.)" } }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "China 27.5%, France 9.1%, Netherlands 4.4%, Japan 4.3% (2017)" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017": { "text": "$77.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016": { "text": "$42.6 million (31 December 2016 est.)" } }, "Debt - external": { "Debt - external 31 December 2017": { "text": "$1.442 billion (31 December 2017 est.)" }, "Debt - external 31 December 2016": { "text": "$1.22 billion (31 December 2016 est.)" } }, "Exchange rates": { "currency": { "text": "Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2017": { "text": "617.4 (2017 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2016": { "text": "593.01 (2016 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2015": { "text": "593.01 (2015 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2014": { "text": "591.45 (2014 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2013": { "text": "494.42 (2013 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "43% (2019)" }, "electrification - urban areas": { "text": "77% (2019)" }, "electrification - rural areas": { "text": "19% (2019)" } }, "Electricity - production": { "text": "232.6 million kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - consumption": { "text": "1.261 billion kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - exports": { "text": "0 kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - imports": { "text": "1.14 billion kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - installed generating capacity": { "text": "230,000 kW (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - from fossil fuels": { "text": "70% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - from nuclear fuels": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Electricity - from hydroelectric plants": { "text": "29% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Electricity - from other renewable sources": { "text": "1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Crude oil - production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2018 est.)" }, "Crude oil - exports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Crude oil - imports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Crude oil - proved reserves": { "text": "0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - consumption": { "text": "15,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - exports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - imports": { "text": "13,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Natural gas - production": { "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - consumption": { "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - exports": { "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - imports": { "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - proved reserves": { "text": "0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)" }, "Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy": { "text": "2.651 million Mt (2017 est.)" } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "45,311" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "less than 1 (2019 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "6,477,816" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "77.2 (2019 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "system based on a network of microwave radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile-cellular system; telecoms supply 8% of GDP; 3 mobile operators; 12% of residents have access to the Internet; mobile subscribers and mobile broadband both increasing (2020)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line less than 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular 77 telephones per 100 persons with mobile-cellular use predominating (2019)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 228; landing point for the WACS submarine cable, linking countries along the west coast of Africa with each other and with Portugal; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Symphonie (2020)" }, "note": "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)": { "text": "9,556 (Ghana) (2020)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money laundering not a significant problem" } } }