Togo

total: 114,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.)

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

.tg

percent of population: 37% (2023 est.)

total subscriptions: 67,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions: 7.69 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 81 (2024 est.)

cassava, maize, yams, sorghum, soybeans, beans, rice, vegetables, oil palm fruit, cotton (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

revenues: $1.801 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $2.407 billion (2023 est.) 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

-$20.738 million (2020 est.) -$55.444 million (2019 est.) -$184.852 million (2018 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$1.923 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

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

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 606.345 (2024 est.) 606.57 (2023 est.) 623.76 (2022 est.) 554.531 (2021 est.) 575.586 (2020 est.)

$1.722 billion (2020 est.) $1.665 billion (2019 est.) $1.703 billion (2018 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

gold, refined petroleum, soybeans, phosphates, coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

UAE 40%, India 13%, Angola 13%, Burkina Faso 4%, Cote d'Ivoire 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

$9.926 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

household consumption: 78.3% (2024 est.) government consumption: 13.1% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.3% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 24.4% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -38.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture: 18% (2024 est.) industry: 20% (2024 est.) services: 52% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

37.9 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

lowest 10%: 2.8% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 29.6% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$2.389 billion (2020 est.) $2.261 billion (2019 est.) $2.329 billion (2018 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, garments, rice, palm oil, motorcycles and cycles (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

China 26%, India 26%, Belgium 6%, Netherlands 6%, USA 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

4.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

2.9% (2024 est.) 5.3% (2023 est.) 7.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

3.345 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

45.5% (2018 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

81.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

$27.115 billion (2024 est.) $25.75 billion (2023 est.) $24.199 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

5.3% (2024 est.) 6.4% (2023 est.) 5.8% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

$2,800 (2024 est.) $2,800 (2023 est.) $2,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

7.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 8% of GDP (2022 est.) 7.8% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

14.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

2% (2024 est.) 2% (2023 est.) 2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

total: 3.4% (2024 est.) male: 3.3% (2024 est.) female: 3.5% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

consumption: 163,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 10 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 163,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity: 326,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 1.815 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 1.1 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 206.938 million kWh (2023 est.)

electrification - total population: 57.2% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 96.5% electrification - rural areas: 25%

fossil fuels: 79.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 11.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 8.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

4.538 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

consumption: 176.16 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 176.16 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 14,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

2.656 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 372,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.941 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 343,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

deforestation from slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; very little rainforest still present and what remains is highly degraded; desertification; water pollution; air pollution in urban areas

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

agricultural land: 70.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 48.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 18.4% (2023 est.) forest: 22.4% (2023 est.) other: 7.4% (2023 est.)

energy: 43.3 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 51.8 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 31.3 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 10.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

33.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

14.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal: 140.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 6.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 76 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

urban population: 44.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.6% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.109 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 3.5% (2022 est.)

total : 56,785 sq km land: 54,385 sq km water: 2,400 sq km

slightly smaller than West Virginia

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

56 km

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

8 00 N, 1 10 E

stretches through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna

70 sq km (2012)

total: 1,880 km border countries (3): Benin 651 km; Burkina Faso 131 km; Ghana 1,098 km

agricultural land: 70.2% (2023 est.) arable land: 48.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 18.4% (2023 est.) forest: 22.4% (2023 est.) other: 7.4% (2023 est.)

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

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

Africa

territorial sea: 30 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm note: the US does not recognize the territorial sea claim

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

phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

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

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

5 regions ( r gions , singular - r gion ); Centrale, Kara, Maritime, Plateaux, Savanes

name: Lome geographic coordinates: 6 07 N, 1 13 E time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name comes from a local word meaning "little market"

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

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

conventional long form: Togolese Republic conventional short form: Togo local long form: R publique Togolaise local short form: none former: French Togoland etymology: the name derives from the town of Togodo (now Togoville) on the northern shore of Lake Togo; the town's name probably comes from the lake's name, which is composed of the Ewe words to ("water") and go ("shore")

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charg d Affaires Richard C. MICHAELS (since June 2025) embassy: Boulevard Eyadema B.P. 852, Lom mailing address: 2300 Lome Place, Washington, DC 20521-2300 telephone: [228] 2261-5470 FAX: [228] 2261-5501 email address and website: consularLome@state.gov https://tg.usembassy.gov/

chief of mission: Ambassador Fr d ric Edem HEGBE (since 24 April 2017) chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212 FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190 email address and website: embassyoftogo@hotmail.com https://embassyoftogousa.com/

chief of state: President Jean-Lucien Kwassi Savi de TOVE (since 3 May 2025) head of government: President of Council of Ministers Faure GNASSINGBE (since 3 May 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the president of the council of ministers election/appointment process: president is appointed by the national assembly for one six-year term; the president of the council of ministers is the leader of the majority party in the national assembly and is confirmed by the Constitutional Court with no term limits 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% note: in May 2024, the President signed into law changes to the constitution that converted the presidential system to a parliamentary republic and created the President of Council of Ministers position

description: five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow; a five-pointed white star on a red square is in the upper-left corner meaning: the five horizontal stripes stand for the country's regions; red stands for the people's loyalty and patriotism; green for hope, fertility, and agriculture; yellow for mineral wealth and faith that hard work and strength will bring prosperity; the star symbolizes life, purity, peace, dignity, and national independence history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement

presidential republic

27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

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

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

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supr me (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 on 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

customary law system

legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral note: party lists are required to contain equal numbers of men and women

chamber name: National Assembly (Assemblée nationale) number of seats: 113 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 4/29/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Union for the Republic (UNIR) (108); Other (5) percentage of women in chamber: 15% expected date of next election: April 2030

chamber name: Senate (Sénat) number of seats: 61 (41 directly elected; 20 appointed) scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 6 years most recent election date: 2/15/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Union for the Republic (UNIR) (34); Independents (3); Other (4) percentage of women in chamber: 24.6% expected date of next election: February 2031

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

green, yellow, red, white

total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Koutammakou; the Land of the Batammariba

Independence Day, 27 April (1960)

lion

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

18 years of age; universal

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.

the Togolese Armed Forces (FAT) are responsible for both external defense and internal security; the FAT s primary concerns are border security, terrorism, and maritime security; in recent years, it has boosted operations in the northern border region of the country to secure the frontier and prevent banditry, illicit smuggling, and 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 following an attack by JNIM fighters on a Togolese military post that killed several soldiers; the Navy and Air Force have increased focus on combating piracy and smuggling in the Gulf of Guinea since its creation in 1963, the Togolese military has had a history of involvement in the country s politics, including assassinations, coups, and a crackdown in 2005 that killed hundreds of civilians; over the past decade, it has made efforts to reform and professionalize, which have included increasing its role in UN peacekeeping activities, participating in multinational exercises, and receiving training from foreign partners, particularly France and the US; in addition, Togo has established a regional peacekeeping training center for military and police in Lome (2025)

Togolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Togolaise, FAT): Togolese Army, Togolese Navy, Togolese Air Force, National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale Togolaise or GNT) Ministry of Security and Civil Protection: Togolese Police (2025) note: the Police 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

estimated 20,000 active Armed Forces, including Gendarmerie (2025)

the FAT has a small inventory of mostly obsolescent or older armaments originating from several countries, including Brazil, France, Russia/former Soviet Union, T rkiye, the UK, and the US (2025)

2.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 3% of GDP (2023 est.) 4% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.8% of GDP (2021 est.) 2.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

18-24 years of age for military service for men and women; initial 24-month service obligation; no conscription (2025)

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)

total: 1.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

30.17 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

women married by age 15: 6.4% (2017) women married by age 18: 24.8% (2017) men married by age 18: 2.6% (2017)

15.2% (2017 est.)

63.7% (2017 est.)

4.64 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio: 74.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 66.7 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 12.6 (2025 est.)

urban: 87% of population (2022 est.) rural: 58.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 71% of population (2022 est.) urban: 13% of population (2022 est.) rural: 41.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 29% of population (2022 est.)

4.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 11.6% national budget (2024 est.)

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: Togo has an estimated 37 ethnic groups

1.99 (2025 est.)

5.6% of GDP (2021) 2.6% of national budget (2022 est.)

0.6 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)

total: 34.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 43 deaths/1,000 live births female: 33.7 deaths/1,000 live births

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

total population: 72.1 years (2024 est.) male: 69.5 years female: 74.7 years

total population: 72.6% (2022 est.) male: 82.8% (2022 est.) female: 63.7% (2022 est.)

1.982 million LOME (capital) (2023)

349 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

total: 20.9 years (2025 est.) male: 19.9 years female: 21.4 years

25 years (2017 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-29

noun: Togolese (singular and plural) adjective: Togolese

-1.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

8.4% (2016)

0.08 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

total: 9,143,439 (2025 est.) male: 4,488,825 female: 4,654,614

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

2.37% (2025 est.)

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

urban: 82% of population (2022 est.) rural: 19.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 46.7% of population (2022 est.) urban: 18% of population (2022 est.) rural: 80.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 53.3% of population (2022 est.)

total: 12 years (2017 est.) male: 13 years (2017 est.) female: 11 years (2017 est.)

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 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 total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total: 5% (2025 est.) male: 9.3% (2025 est.) female: 0.7% (2025 est.)

4.03 children born/woman (2025 est.)

urban population: 44.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.6% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Jama at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) 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

refugees: 48,756 (2024 est.) IDPs: 18,429 (2024 est.)

7 (2025)

5V

total: 397 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 1, container ship 10, general cargo 250, oil tanker 56, other 80

total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Kpeme, Lome

total: 568 km (2014) narrow gauge: 568 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge