2024 Edition Primary

Background

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 trading center for enslaved people, and the surrounding region took on the name of "The Slave Coast." In 1884, Germany declared the area a protectorate called Togoland, which included present-day Togo. After World War I, colonial 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, EYADEMA largely dominated the government. His Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party has been in power almost continually since 1967, with its successor, the Union for the Republic, maintaining a majority of seats in today's legislature. Upon EYADEMA's death in 2005, the military installed his son, Faure GNASSINGBE, as president and then engineered his formal election two months later. Togo held its first relatively free and fair legislative elections in 2007. Since then, GNASSINGBE has started the country along a gradual path to democratic reform. Togo has held multiple presidential and legislative elections, and in 2019, the country held its first local elections in 32 years. Despite those positive moves, political reconciliation has moved slowly, and the country experiences periodic outbursts of protests from frustrated citizens, leading to violence between security forces and protesters. Constitutional changes in 2019 to institute a runoff system in presidential elections and to establish term limits have done little to reduce the resentment many Togolese feel after more than 50 years of one-family rule. GNASSINGBE became eligible for his current fourth term and one additional fifth term under the new rules. The next presidential election is set for 2025. 

Area

land

54,385 sq km

total

56,785 sq km

water

2,400 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Climate

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Coastline

56 km

Elevation

highest point

Mont Agou 986 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

236 m

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 1 10 E

Geography - note

the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna

Irrigated land

70 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Benin 651 km; Burkina Faso 131 km; Ghana 1,098 km

total

1,880 km

Land use

agricultural land

67.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 45.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 3.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 18.4% (2018 est.)

forest

4.9% (2018 est.)

other

27.7% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Volta (410,991 sq km)

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

30 nm; note: the US does not recognize this claim

Natural hazards

hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts

Natural resources

phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

Population distribution

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

Terrain

gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes

Age structure

0-14 years

38.7% (male 1,749,533/female 1,699,084)

15-64 years

57% (male 2,486,142/female 2,597,914)

65 years and over

4.3% (2024 est.) (male 159,596/female 225,725)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

1.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

30.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

2.6% (2017 est.)

women married by age 15

6.4%

women married by age 18

24.8%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

15.2% (2017)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

23.9% (2017)

Current health expenditure

6% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

62% (2023 est.)

Death rate

5.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

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 December 2022 was home to almost 8,400 refugees from Ghana.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.5

potential support ratio

18.3 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

76.5

youth dependency ratio

71

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 60.3% of population

improved: total

total: 74.6% of population

improved: urban

urban: 93.8% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 39.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 25.4% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 6.2% of population

Education expenditures

4% of GDP (2020 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.)

note

note: Togo has an estimated 37 ethnic groups

Gross reproduction rate

2.03 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

female

33.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

43 deaths/1,000 live births

total

38.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

French (official, language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (in the north)

Life expectancy at birth

female

74.7 years

male

69.5 years

total population

72.1 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

55.1% (2019)

male

80%

total population

66.5%

Major urban areas - population

1.982 million LOME (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

399 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

21.4 years

male

19.9 years

total

20.7 years (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

25 years (2017 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29

Nationality

adjective

Togolese

noun

Togolese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-1.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.4% (2016)

Physician density

0.08 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

female

4,522,723 (2024 est.)

male

4,395,271

total

8,917,994

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

2.41% (2024 est.)

Religions

Christian 42.3%, folk religion 36.9%, Muslim 14%, Hindu <1%, Buddhist <1%, Jewish <1%, other <1%, none 6.2% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 18.3% of population

improved: total

total: 45.5% of population

improved: urban

urban: 81.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 81.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 54.5% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 18.1% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

12 years (2017)

male

14 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.71 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

1.2% (2020 est.)

male

12.3% (2020 est.)

total

6.8% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.13 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.6% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

44.5% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

5 regions (regions, singular - region); Centrale, Kara, Maritime, Plateaux, Savanes

Capital

etymology

Lome comes from "alotime" which in the native Ewe language means "among the alo plants"; alo trees dominated the city's original founding site

geographic coordinates

6 07 N, 1 13 E

name

Lome

time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the president of the republic or supported by at least one fifth of the National Assembly membership; passage requires four-fifths majority vote by the Assembly; a referendum is required if approved by only two-thirds majority of the Assembly or if requested by the president; constitutional articles on the republican and secular form of government cannot be amended; amended 2002, 2007, last in 2024 (reported as a revision)

history

several previous; latest adopted 27 September 1992, effective 14 October 1992; revised 6 May 2024

Country name

conventional long form

Togolese Republic

conventional short form

Togo

etymology

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

former

French Togoland

local long form

République Togolaise

local short form

none

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Elizabeth FITZSIMMONS (since 26 April 2022)

email address and website

consularLome@state.govhttps://tg.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Boulevard Eyadema, B.P. 852, Lome

FAX

[228] 2261-5501

mailing address

2300 Lome Place, Washington, DC 20521-2300

telephone

[228] 2261-5470

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Frédéric Edem HEGBE (since 24 April 2017)

email address and website

embassyoftogo@hotmail.comhttps://embassyoftogousa.com/

FAX

[1] (202) 232-3190

telephone

[1] (202) 234-4212

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

chief of state

President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 4 May 2005)

election results

2020: Faure GNASSINGBE reelected president; percent of vote - Faure GNASSINGBE (UNIR) 70.8%, Agbeyome KODJO (MPDD) 19.5%, Jean-Pierre FABRE (ANC) 4.7%, other 5%2015: Faure GNASSINGBE reelected president; percent of vote - Faure GNASSINGBE (UNIR) 58.8%, Jean-Pierre FABRE (ANC) 35.2%, Tchaboure GOGUE (ADDI) 4%, other 2%  

elections/appointments

president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 22 February 2020 (next to be held in 2025); prime minister appointed by the presidentnote- on 21 May 2024 the Prime Minister and her cabinet resigned. The President requested they continue serving during the government transition.

head of government

Prime Minister Victoire TOMEGAH Dogbé (since 25 September 2020) 

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, while 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

note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

International law organization participation

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

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AIIB, 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, 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

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 judicial 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

Legal system

customary law system

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)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UNIR 108, ADDI 2, ANC 1, DMP 1, FDR 1 composition - men 92, women 21, percentage of women elected 18.6%

elections

last held on 29 April 2024 (next election April 2029)

note

note: party lists are required to contain equal numbers of men and women

National anthem

lyrics/music

Alex CASIMIR-DOSSEH

name

"Salut a toi, pays de nos aieux" (Hail to Thee, Land of Our Forefathers)

note

note: adopted 1960, restored 1992; this anthem was replaced by another during one-party rule between 1979 and 1992

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Koutammakou; the Land of the Batammariba

total World Heritage Sites

1 (cultural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 April (1960)

National symbol(s)

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

Political parties

Action Committee for Renewal or CAR Alliance of Democrats for Integral Development or ADDI Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA Democratic Forces for the Republic or FDR National Alliance for Change or ANC New Togolese Commitment Pan-African National Party or PNP Pan-African Patriotic Convergence or CPP Patriotic Movement for Democracy and Development or MPDD Socialist Pact for Renewal or PSR The Togolese Party Union of Forces for Change or UFC Union for the Republic or UNIR 

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

cassava, yams, maize, oil palm fruit, sorghum, soybeans, beans, rice, vegetables, cotton (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

expenditures

$1.32 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$1.434 billion (2022 est.)

Credit ratings

Moody's rating

B3 (2019)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

B (2019)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2018

-$184.852 million (2018 est.)

Current account balance 2019

-$55.444 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$20.738 million (2020 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$1.462 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

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

Exchange rates

Currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

585.911 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

575.586 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

554.531 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

623.76 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

606.57 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$1.703 billion (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$1.665 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$1.722 billion (2020 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

gold, refined petroleum, phosphates, soybeans, plastic products (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

UAE 26%, India 11%, Cote d'Ivoire 11%, South Africa 6%, Burkina Faso 6% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

23.9% (2023 est.)

government consumption

12.6% (2023 est.)

household consumption

78.1% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-37.5% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

23% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

18.1% (2023 est.)

industry

20.2% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

51.7% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$9.171 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

37.9 (2021 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

29.6% (2021 est.)

lowest 10%

2.8% (2021 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2018

$2.329 billion (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$2.261 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$2.389 billion (2020 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, crude petroleum, motorcycles and cycles, garments, rice (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

India 30%, China 16%, South Korea 13%, Nigeria 4%, Taiwan 4% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

6.74% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

1.7% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

4.19% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

7.97% (2022 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

3.166 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

45.5% (2018 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

Public debt 2017

75.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$22.881 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$24.199 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$25.75 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

5.99% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

5.76% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

6.41% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$2,600 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$2,700 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$2,800 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

6.67% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

6.81% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

6.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$42.6 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$77.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

14.19% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

2.29% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

2.07% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

2.05% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

2.6% (2023 est.)

male

4.1% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

3.3% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

257,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

256,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

1.793 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

2.306 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

108,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

108,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

1.562 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

796.563 million kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

309,000 kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

121.682 million kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

25%

electrification - total population

57.2% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

96.5%

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

74.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

18.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

6.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

4.077 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

131.373 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

131.373 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

12,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

0.6 (2020 est.)

total

52,706 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

1 state-owned TV station with multiple transmission sites; five private TV stations broadcast locally; cable TV service is available; state-owned radio network with two stations (in Lome and Kara); several dozen private radio stations and a few community radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters available (2019)

Internet country code

.tg

Internet users

percent of population

35% (2021 est.)

total

3.01 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line less than 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular is 74 telephones per 100 persons (2022)

general assessment

include radio, television, fixed and mobile telephones, and the Internet (2022)

international

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)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2022 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

66,000 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

74 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

6.564 million (2022 est.)

Airports

7 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

5V

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 1, container ship 10, general cargo 250, oil tanker 56, other 80

total

397 (2023)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

10.89 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

566,295 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

8

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

Pipelines

62 km gas

Ports

key ports

Kpeme, Lome

medium

1

ports with oil terminals

2

total ports

2 (2024)

very small

1

Railways

narrow gauge

568 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

total

568 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

1,794 km

total

9,951 km

unpaved

8,157 km

urban

1,783 km (2018)

Waterways

50 km (2011) (seasonally navigable by small craft on the Mono River depending on rainfall)

Military - note

since its creation in 1963, the Togolese military has had a history of involvement in the country’s politics with assassinations, coups, influence, and a crackdown in 2005 that killed hundreds of civilians; over the past decade, however, it has made some efforts to reform and professionalize, including increasing its role in UN peacekeeping activities, participating in multinational exercises, and receiving training from foreign partners, including France and the US; in addition, Togo has established a regional peacekeeping training center for military and police in Lomethe FAT’s primary concerns are terrorism and maritime security; in recent years, it has increased operations in the northern border region of the country to boost border security and prevent terrorist infiltrations from Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), a coalition of al-Qa'ida-affiliated militant groups based in Mali that also operates in neighboring Burkina Faso; in 2022, the Togolese Government declared a state of emergency in the north due to the threat from JNIM following an attack on a Togolese military post that killed several soldiers; northern Togo has also had problems with banditry, as well as arms, drugs, fuel, and gold smuggling, which has aggravated local disputes and provided terrorist groups with financial resources; the Navy and Air Force have increased focus on combating piracy and smuggling in the Gulf of Guinea (2024)

Military and security forces

Togolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Togolaise, FAT): Togolese Army (l'Armee de Terre), Togolese Navy (Forces Naval Togolaises), Togolese Air Force (Armee de l’Air), National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale Togolaise or GNT)Ministry of Security and Civil Protection: National Police Directorate (Direction de la Police Nationale) (2024)

note

note: the Police Directorate and GNT are responsible for law enforcement and maintenance of order within the country; the GNT is also responsible for migration and border enforcement; the GNT falls under the Ministry of the Armed Forces but also reports to the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection on many matters involving law enforcement and internal security; in 2022, the Ministry of the Armed Forces was made part of the Office of the Presidency

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimated 15,000 active-duty personnel, including approximately 3,000 Gendarmerie (2023)

note

note: in January 2022, the Togolese Government announced its intent to boost the size of the FAT to more than 20,000 by 2025

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the FAT has a small inventory of mostly older equipment originating from a variety of countries, including Brazil, Russia/former Soviet Union, Turkey, the US, and some European nations, particularly France (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

2.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

2.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

2.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for military service for men and women; 24-month service obligation; no conscription (2023)

note

note: as of 2022, about 7% of the military's personnel were women

Illicit drugs

transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money laundering not a significant problem

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

9,846 (Burkina Faso), 8,436 (Ghana) (2023)

Terrorist group(s)

Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM)

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

3 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

3.06 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

35.66 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Environment - current issues

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

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

67.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 45.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 3.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 18.4% (2018 est.)

forest

4.9% (2018 est.)

other

27.7% (2018 est.)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Volta (410,991 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

3.96% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

14.7 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

80 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

140 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.6% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

44.5% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

1,109,030 tons (2014 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

22,181 tons (2012 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

2% (2012 est.)