ARCHIVE // TG // 2009
Togo
2009 Edition — sovereign
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Communications
Internet country code
[time series]
.tg
Internet users
(Internet hosts)
[time series]
784 (2009) country comparison to the world: 163
Internet users
[time series]
350,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 120
Broadcast media
(Radio broadcast stations)
[time series]
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)
Telecommunication systems
(Telephone system)
[time series]
general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile-cellular system domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional system; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 30 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 228; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Symphonie
Telephones - fixed lines
(Telephones - main lines in use)
[time series]
140,900 (2008) country comparison to the world: 136
Telephones - mobile cellular
[time series]
1.547 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 131
Broadcast media
(Television broadcast stations)
[time series]
3 (plus 2 repeaters) (1997)
Economy
Agricultural products
(Agriculture - products)
[time series]
coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans, rice, millet, sorghum; livestock; fish
Budget
[time series]
revenues: $438.1 million expenditures: $519.9 million (2008 est.)
Central bank discount rate
[time series]
4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 118 4.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate
[time series]
NA%
Current account balance
[time series]
-$272 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 -$154 million (2007 est.)
Debt - external
[time series]
$2 billion (2005) country comparison to the world: 136
Economic overview
(Economy - overview)
[time series]
This small, sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment for 65% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of export earnings with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is the world's fourth-largest producer of phosphate. The government's decade-long effort, supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to implement economic reform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues in line with expenditures has moved slowly. Progress depends on follow through on privatization, increased openness in government financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and continued support from foreign donors. Togo is working with donors to write a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) that could eventually lead to a debt reduction plan. Economic growth remains marginal due to declining cotton production, underinvestment in phosphate mining, and strained relations with donors.
Electricity - consumption
[time series]
640 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 153
Electricity - exports
[time series]
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports
[time series]
514 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by Ghana (2007 est.)
Electricity - production
[time series]
230 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 174
Exchange rates
[time series]
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 482.71 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004) note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par
Exports
[time series]
$777 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156 $702 million (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities
[time series]
reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa
Exports - partners
[time series]
Ghana 12.7%, Burkina Faso 11%, Germany 9.8%, South Africa 7.3%, Benin 6.9%, India 6.3%, Brazil 4.9%, Belgium 4.8%, Mali 4.4%, Netherlands 4.3% (2008)
GDP (official exchange rate)
[time series]
$2.89 billion (2008 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
(GDP (purchasing power parity))
[time series]
$5.13 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158 $5.074 billion (2007 est.) $4.98 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
(GDP - composition by sector)
[time series]
agriculture: 40% industry: 25% services: 35% (2008 est.)
Real GDP per capita
(GDP - per capita (PPP))
[time series]
$900 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 216 $900 (2007 est.) $900 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars
Real GDP growth rate
(GDP - real growth rate)
[time series]
1.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 172 1.9% (2007 est.) 3.9% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
[time series]
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
[time series]
$1.541 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 160 $1.264 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities
[time series]
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products
Imports - partners
[time series]
China 34.2%, Netherlands 7.5%, France 6.8%, India 6.5%, Thailand 4.9% (2008)
Industrial production growth rate
[time series]
3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80
Industries
[time series]
phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts, textiles, beverages
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
8.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136 1% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
[time series]
20.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107
Labor force
[time series]
2.595 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 108
Labor force - by occupation
[time series]
agriculture: 65% industry: 5% services: 30% (1998 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares
[time series]
$NA
Natural gas - consumption
[time series]
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130
Natural gas - exports
[time series]
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 103
Natural gas - imports
[time series]
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126
Natural gas - production
[time series]
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123
Natural gas - proved reserves
[time series]
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 129
Oil - consumption
[time series]
20,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125
Oil - exports
[time series]
1,547 bbl/day (2005) country comparison to the world: 118
Oil - imports
[time series]
15,270 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 123
Oil - production
[time series]
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129
Oil - proved reserves
[time series]
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 125
Population below poverty line
[time series]
32% (1989 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
[time series]
$580 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137 $438 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of domestic credit
[time series]
$674,300 (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 129 $590.7 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of narrow money
(Stock of money)
[time series]
$NA (31 December 2008) $624.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of narrow money
(Stock of quasi money)
[time series]
$NA (31 December 2008) $383.9 million (31 December 2007)
Unemployment rate
[time series]
NA%
Geography
Area
[time series]
total: 56,785 sq km country comparison to the world: 125 land: 54,385 sq km water: 2,400 sq km
Area - comparative
[time series]
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Climate
[time series]
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Coastline
[time series]
56 km
Elevation
(Elevation extremes)
[time series]
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Agou 986 m
Environment - current issues
[time series]
deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban areas
International environmental agreements
(Environment - international agreements)
[time series]
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, 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
Total water withdrawal
(Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural))
[time series]
total: 0.17 cu km/yr (53%/2%/45%) per capita: 28 cu m/yr (2000)
Geographic coordinates
[time series]
8 00 N, 1 10 E
Geography - note
[time series]
the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna
Irrigated land
[time series]
70 sq km (2003)
Land boundaries
[time series]
total: 1,647 km border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km
Land use
[time series]
arable land: 44.2% permanent crops: 2.11% other: 53.69% (2005)
Location
[time series]
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana
Map references
[time series]
Africa
Maritime claims
[time series]
territorial sea: 30 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Natural hazards
[time series]
hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts
Natural resources
[time series]
phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land
Terrain
[time series]
gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes
Total renewable water resources
[time series]
14.7 cu km (2001)
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
5 regions (regions, singular - region); Centrale, Kara, Maritime, Plateaux, Savanes
Capital
[time series]
name: Lome geographic coordinates: 6 08 N, 1 13 E time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution
[time series]
adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992
Country name
[time series]
conventional long form: Togolese Republic conventional short form: Togo local long form: Republique togolaise local short form: none former: French Togoland
Diplomatic representation from the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia McMahon HAWKINS embassy: 4332 Blvd. Gnassingbe Eyadema, Cite OUA, Lome mailing address: B. P. 852, Lome; 2300 Lome Place, Washington, DC 20512-2300 telephone: [228] 261-5470 FAX: [228] 261-5501
Diplomatic representation in the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Kadangha Limbiya BARIKI chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212 FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190
Executive branch
[time series]
chief of state: President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 4 May 2005); note - Gnassingbe EYADEMA died on 5 February 2005 and was succeeded by his son, Faure GNASSINGBE, with the support of the military; following international condemnation for the unconstitutional move he then stepped aside pending elections, and Abass BONFOH served as interim president; Faure GNASSINGBE later won popular elections in April 2005 head of government: Prime Minister Gilbert HOUNGBO (since 7 September 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held in April 2010); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Faure GNASSINGBE elected president; percent of vote - Faure GNASSINGBE 60.2%, Emmanuel Akitani BOB 38.3%, Nicolas LAWSON 1%, Harry OLYMPIO 0.5%
Flag
(Flag description)
[time series]
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; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Government type
[time series]
republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
Independence
[time series]
27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
International organization participation
[time series]
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch
[time series]
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Legal system
[time series]
French-based court system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Legislative branch
[time series]
unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 14 October 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - RPT 39.4%, UFC 37.0%, CAR 8.2%, independents 2.5%, other 12.9%; seats by party - RPT 50, UFC 27, CAR 4
National holiday
[time series]
Independence Day, 27 April (1960)
Political parties
(Political parties and leaders)
[time series]
Action Committee for Renewal or CAR [Yawovi AGBOYIBO]; Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA; Democratic Party for Renewal or PDR; Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the Believers of Peace and Equality or MOCEP; Pan-African Patriotic Convergence or CPP; Rally for the Support for Development and Democracy or RSDD [Harry OLYMPIO]; Rally of the Togolese People or RPT [Faure GNASSINGBE]; Socialist Pact for Renewal or PSR; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU]; Union of Forces for a Change or UFC [Gilchrist OLYMPIO]
Political parties
(Political pressure groups and leaders)
[time series]
NA
Suffrage
[time series]
18 years of age; universal (adult)
Introduction
Background
[time series]
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 multiparty elections instituted in the early 1990s, the government was largely dominated by President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party has maintained power almost continually since 1967 and 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. After years of political unrest and fire from international organizations for human rights abuses, Togo is finally being re-welcomed into the international community.
Military
Manpower available for military service
[time series]
males age 16-49: 1,365,505 females age 16-49: 1,374,993 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
[time series]
males age 16-49: 929,395 females age 16-49: 943,967 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
[time series]
male: 70,775 female: 70,051 (2009 est.)
Military and security forces
(Military branches)
[time series]
Togolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Togolaise, FAT): Ground Forces, Togolese Navy (Marine du Togo), Togolese Air Force (Force Aerienne Togolaise, FAT), National Gendarmerie (2009)
Military expenditures
[time series]
1.6% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 102
Military service age and obligation
[time series]
18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; 2-year service obligation (2006)
People
Age structure
[time series]
0-14 years: 41.5% (male 1,252,662/female 1,245,379) 15-64 years: 55.7% (male 1,640,982/female 1,714,278) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 65,427/female 101,149) (2009 est.)
Birth rate
[time series]
36.44 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 33
Death rate
[time series]
9.33 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 76
Education expenditure
(Education expenditures)
[time series]
2.6% of GDP (2002) country comparison to the world: 156
Ethnic groups
[time series]
African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
[time series]
3.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 21
HIV/AIDS - deaths
[time series]
9,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 35
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
[time series]
130,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 40
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
total: 56.24 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 42 male: 63.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 48.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Languages
[time series]
French (official and 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)
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 58.69 years country comparison to the world: 187 male: 56.56 years female: 60.88 years (2009 est.)
Literacy
[time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 60.9% male: 75.4% female: 46.9% (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases
[time series]
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis animal contact disease: rabies note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Median age
[time series]
total: 18.7 years male: 18.3 years female: 19.2 years (2009 est.)
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Togolese (singular and plural) adjective: Togolese
Net migration rate
[time series]
NA (2009 est.)
Population
[time series]
6,019,877 country comparison to the world: 107 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 (July 2009 est.)
Population growth rate
[time series]
2.711% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 21
Religions
[time series]
Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51%
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
[time series]
total: 9 years male: 11 years female: 7 years (2000)
Sex ratio
[time series]
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate
[time series]
4.79 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 34
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 42% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 4.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
[time series]
in 2001, Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint commission continues to resurvey the boundary; in 2006, 14,000 Togolese refugees remain in Benin and Ghana out of the 40,000 who fled there in 2005
Illicit drugs
[time series]
transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money laundering not a significant problem
Refugees and internally displaced persons
[time series]
refugees (country of origin): 5,000 (Ghana) IDPs: 1,500 (2007)
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
8 (2009) country comparison to the world: 162
Airports - with paved runways
[time series]
total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways
[time series]
total: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Merchant marine
[time series]
total: 10 country comparison to the world: 113 by type: cargo 9, refrigerated cargo 1 foreign-owned: 6 (Bangladesh 1, Denmark 1, Egypt 1, Lebanon 1, Syria 2) (2008)
Ports
(Ports and terminals)
[time series]
Kpeme, Lome
Railways
[time series]
total: 532 km country comparison to the world: 114 narrow gauge: 532 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)
Roadways
[time series]
total: 7,520 km country comparison to the world: 145 paved: 2,376 km unpaved: 5,144 km (2000)
Waterways
[time series]
50 km (seasonally on Mono River depending on rainfall) (2008) country comparison to the world: 104