Togo

Introduction

Background

French Togoland became Togo 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 not reduced the resentment many Togolese feel after over 50 years of one-family rule.

Geography

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 1 10 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 56,785 sq km
land: 54,385 sq km
water: 2,400 sq km
country comparison to the world: 127

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries

total: 1,880 km
border countries (3): Benin 651 km, Burkina Faso 131 km, Ghana 1098 km

Coastline

56 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 30nm
exclusive economic zone: 200nm

Climate

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain

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

Elevation

mean elevation: 236 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Agou 986 m

Natural resources

phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

Land use

agricultural land: 67.4% (2011 est.)
arable land: 45.2% (2011 est.)/permanent crops: 3.8% (2011 est.)/permanent pasture: 18.4% (2011 est.)
forest: 4.9% (2011 est.)
other: 27.7% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land

70 sq km (2012)

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

Natural hazards

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

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, 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: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

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

People and Society

Population

8,176,449 (July 2018 est.)
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
country comparison to the world: 100

Nationality

noun: Togolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Togolese

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 .4% (2013-14 est.)
note: Togo has an estimated 37 ethnic groups

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 43.7%, folk 35.6%, Muslim 14%, Hindu <.1%, Buddhist <.1%, Jewish <.1%, other .5%, none 6.2% (2010 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 September 2017 was home to more than 9,600 refugees from Ghana.

Age structure

0-14 years: 40.13%(male 1,646,438 /female 1,634,609)
15-24 years: 19.1%(male 779,774 /female 782,192)
25-54 years: 32.96%(male 1,339,150 /female 1,356,020)
55-64 years: 4.34%(male 167,575 /female 187,432)
65 years and over: 3.46%(male 122,175 /female 161,084) (2018 est.)
population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 81.2 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 76.2 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 5.1 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 19.8 (2015 est.)

Median age

total: 19.9 years (2018 est.)
male: 19.6 years
female: 20.1 years
country comparison to the world: 196

Population growth rate

2.61% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18

Birth rate

32.8 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30

Death rate

6.8 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99

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

Urbanization

urban population: 42.2% of total population(2019)
rate of urbanization: 3.76% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)

Major urban areas - population

1.785 million LOME (capital) (2019)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

21 years (2013/14 est.)
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Maternal mortality rate

396 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28

Infant mortality rate

total: 40.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
male: 47.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 34.4 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 43

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 65.8 years (2018 est.)
male: 63.1 years
female: 68.6 years
country comparison to the world: 178

Total fertility rate

4.32 children born/woman (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26

Contraceptive prevalence rate

19.9% (2013/14)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 91.4% of population
rural: 44.2% of population
total: 63.1% of population
unimproved: urban: 8.6% of population
rural: 55.8% of population
total: 36.9% of population (2015 est.)

Current Health Expenditure

6.6% (2016)

Physicians density

0.05 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Hospital bed density

0.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 24.7% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 2.9% of population (2015 est.)
total: 11.6% of population (2015 est.)
unimproved: urban: 75.3% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 97.1% of population (2015 est.)
total: 88.4% of population (2015 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

2.3% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

110,000 (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43

HIV/AIDS - deaths

3,800 (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high (2016)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)
vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever (2016)
water contact diseases: schistosomiasis (2016)
animal contact diseases: rabies (2016)
respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis (2016)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.4% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 152

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

16.1% (2014)
country comparison to the world: 40

Education expenditures

5% of GDP (2016)
country comparison to the world: 63

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 63.7%
male: 77.3%
female: 51.2% (2015)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years
male: 14 yearsNA
female: 11 yearsNA (2017)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 3.9%
male: 3.7%
female: 4.1% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Togolese Republic
conventional short form: Togo
local long form: Republique Togolaise
local short form: none
former: French Togoland
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

Government type

presidential republic

Capital

name: Lome
geographic coordinates: 6 07 N, 1 13 E
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
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

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 April (1960)

Constitution

history: several previous; latest adopted 27 September 1992, effective 14 October 1992
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, 2019 when the National Assembly unanimously approved a package of amendments, including setting presidential term limits of two 5-year mandates (2019)

Legal system

customary law system

International law organization participation

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

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 4 May 2005)
head of government: Acting Prime Minister Komi KLASSOU (since 5 June 2015)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 25 April 2015 (next to be held in 2020); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Faure GNASSINGBE reelected president; percent of vote - Faure GNASSINGBE (UNIR) 58.8%, Jean-Pierre FABRE (ANC) 35.2%, Tchaboure GOGUE (ADDI) 4%, other 2%

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)
elections: last held on 20 December 2018 (next to be held in 2023)
election results: percent of vote by coalition/party - NA; seats by party - UNIR 59, UFC 6, NET 3, MPDD 3, other 2, independent 18; composition - men 75, women 16, percent of women 17.6%

Judicial branch

highest courts: 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

Political parties and leaders

Action Committee for Renewal or CAR [Yaovi AGBOYIBO]
Alliance of Democrats for Integral Development or ADDI [Tchaboure GOGUE]
Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA [Brigitte ADJAMAGBO-JOHNSON]
Democratic Forces for the Republic or FDR [Dodji APEVON]
National Alliance for Change or ANC [Jean-Pierre FABRE]
New Togolese Commitment [Gerry TAAMA]
Pan-African National Party or PNP [Tikpi ATCHADAM]
Pan-African Patriotic Convergence or CPP [Edem KODJO]
Patriotic Movement for Democracy and Development or MPDD
Socialist Pact for Renewal or PSR [Abi TCHESSA]
The Togolese Party [Nathaniel OLYMPIO]
Union of Forces for Change or UFC [Gilchrist OLYMPIO]
Union for the Republic or UNIR [Faure GNASSINGBE]

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, 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, MINUSMA, 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

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Frederic Edem HEGBE (since 24 April 2017)
chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212
FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Eric W. STROHMAYER (since 11 April 2019)
telephone: [228] 2261-5470
embassy: 4332 Blvd. Gnassingbe Eyadema, Cite OUA, Lome
mailing address: B.P. 852, Lome; 2300 Lome Place, Washington, DC 20521-2300
FAX: [228] 2261-5501

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: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia

National symbol(s)

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

National anthem

name: "Salut a toi, pays de nos aieux" (Hail to Thee, Land of Our Forefathers)
lyrics/music: Alex CASIMIR-DOSSEH
note: adopted 1960, restored 1992; this anthem was replaced by another during one-party rule between 1979 and 1992

Economy

Economy - overview

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.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$12.97 billion (2017 est.)
$12.42 billion (2016 est.)
$11.82 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 155

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.767 billion (2017 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.4% (2017 est.)
5.1% (2016 est.)
5.7% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,700 (2017 est.)
$1,600 (2016 est.)
$1,600 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 215

Gross national saving

16.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
21.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
21.2% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 84.5% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 11.4% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 23.4% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: -1.4% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 43.1% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -61% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 28.8% (2017 est.)
industry: 21.8% (2017 est.)
services: 49.8% (2017 est.)

Agriculture - products

coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (manioc, tapioca), corn, beans, rice, millet, sorghum; livestock; fish

Industries

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

Industrial production growth rate

5% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58

Labor force

2.595 million (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 65%
industry: 5%
services: 30% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate

6.9% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105

Population below poverty line

55.1% (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.3%
highest 10%: 27.1% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

46 (2011)
country comparison to the world: 35

Budget

revenues: 1.023 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: 1.203 billion (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

21.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154

Public debt

75.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
81.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40

Fiscal year

calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.7% (2017 est.)
0.9% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4

Central bank discount rate

2.5% (31 December 2010)
4.25% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 116

Commercial bank prime lending rate

5.3% (31 December 2016 est.)
8.29% (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142

Stock of narrow money

$1.335 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.119 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146

Stock of broad money

$1.335 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.119 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154

Stock of domestic credit

$1.95 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.624 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152

Market value of publicly traded shares

NA

Current account balance

-$383 million (2017 est.)
-$416 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111

Exports

$1.046 billion (2017 est.)
$967.4 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159

Exports - partners

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

reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa

Imports

$1.999 billion (2017 est.)
$2 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Imports - partners

China 27.5%, France 9.1%, Netherlands 4.4%, Japan 4.3% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$77.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$42.6 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182

Debt - external

$1.442 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.22 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

(31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
617.4 (2017 est.)
593.01 (2016 est.)
593.01 (2015 est.)
591.45 (2014 est.)
494.42 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

population without electricity: 5 million (2017)
electrification - total population: 36% (2017)
electrification - urban areas: 64% (2017)
electrification - rural areas: 16% (2017)

Electricity - production

232.6 million kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189

Electricity - consumption

1.261 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208

Electricity - imports

1.14 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67

Electricity - installed generating capacity

230,000 kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164

Electricity - from fossil fuels

70% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

29% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71

Electricity - from other renewable sources

1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208

Refined petroleum products - consumption

15,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209

Refined petroleum products - imports

13,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

2.651 million Mt (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 36,111
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 6,219,981
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 78 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113

Telephone system

general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile-cellular system; (2018)
domestic: fixed-line less than 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular 78 telephones per 100 persons with mobile-cellular use predominating (2018)
international: country code - 228; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Symphonie; West Africa Cable System (WACS), linking countries along the west coast of Africa with each other and with Portugal and the United Kingdom; GLO-1, linking countries along the west coast of Africa to each other and to Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom

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

total: 877,310
percent of population: 11.3% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 45,756
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131

Military and Security

Military expenditures

1.97% of GDP (2018)
1.89% of GDP (2017)
1.85% of GDP (2016)
1.68% of GDP (2015)
1.8% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 53

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 (2018)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for military service; 2-year service obligation; currently the military is only an all-volunteer force (2017)

Transportation

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 1 (2015)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 8 (2015)
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 769,904 (2015)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

5V (2016)

Airports

8 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 163

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 (2013)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 6 (2013)
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2013)
under 914 m: 2 (2013)

Pipelines

62 km gas

Railways

total: 568 km (2014)
narrow gauge: 568 km1.000-m gauge (2014)
country comparison to the world: 111

Waterways

50 km(seasonally navigable by small craft on the Mono River depending on rainfall) (2011)
country comparison to the world: 102

Merchant marine

total: 327
by type: bulk carrier 7, container ship 4, general cargo 215, oil tanker 42, other 59 (2018)
country comparison to the world: 50

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Kpeme, Lome

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international

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): 9,768 (Ghana) (2019)

Illicit drugs

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

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