Togo

Country Summary

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

8,703,961 (2023 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

2.45% (2023 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 (91 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)

$18.369 billion (2021 est.)
$17.451 billion (2020 est.)
$17.15 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita

$2,100 (2021 est.)
$2,100 (2020 est.)
$2,100 (2019 est.)

Agricultural products

cassava, maize, yams, sorghum, beans, oil palm fruit, rice, vegetables, cotton, groundnuts

Industries

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

Remittances

8.59% of GDP (2020 est.)
7.04% of GDP (2019 est.)
6.34% of GDP (2018 est.)

Exports

$1.722 billion (2020 est.)
$1.665 billion (2019 est.)
$1.703 billion (2018 est.)

Exports - partners

India 16%, Benin 15%, Burkina Faso 6%, France 6%, Morocco 5% (2019)

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum, crude petroleum, electricity, calcium phosphates, cotton (2019)

Imports

$2.389 billion (2020 est.)
$2.261 billion (2019 est.)
$2.329 billion (2018 est.)

Imports - partners

China 18%, South Korea 13%, India 11%, Belgium 10%, Netherlands 8%, United States 5% (2019)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, motorcycles, crude petroleum, rice, broadcasting equipment (2019)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
554.531 (2021 est.)
575.586 (2020 est.)
585.911 (2019 est.)
555.446 (2018 est.)
580.657 (2017 est.)


Page last updated: Tuesday, December 19, 2023