Togo

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

3 (2001)

Internet country code

.tg

Internet users

50,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)

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 domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional system; cellular system has capacity of 10,000 telephones international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Symphonie

Telephones - main lines in use

25,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2,995 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

3 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $232 million expenditures: $252 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code

XOF

Debt - external

$1.4 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient

ODA $80 million (2000 est.)

Economy - overview

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, but production fell an estimated 22% in 2002 due to power shortages and the cost of developing new deposits. 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 following through on privatization, increased openness in government financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and continued support from foreign donors.

Electricity - consumption

614.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

520 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by Ghana (2001)

Electricity - production

101.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 98.7% hydro: 1.3% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Exports

$449 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities

reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa

Exports - partners

Ghana 17.7%, Benin 13.3%, Burkina Faso 8.2%, Philippines 4.9%, Niger 4.1% (2002)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $7.594 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 42% industry: 21% services: 37% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.9% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$561 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Imports - partners

France 21.3%, China 17%, Netherlands 6.5%, Germany 5.3%, UK 4.8%, Italy 4.4% (2002)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4% (2002 est.)

Labor force

1.74 million (1996)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Oil - consumption

10,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

32% (1989 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than West Virginia

Climate

tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Coastline

56 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Agou 986 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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 (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 1,647 km border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km

Land use

arable land: 41.37% permanent crops: 1.84% other: 56.79% (1998 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 30 NM

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Lome

Constitution

multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the Republic 1 July 1992; adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Gregory ENGLE embassy: Angle Rue Kouenou and Rue 15 Beniglato, Lome mailing address: B. P. 852, Lome telephone: [228] 221 29 91 through 221 29 94 FAX: [228] 221 79 52

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Akoussoulelou BODJONA FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212 chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Executive branch

chief of state: President Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA (since 14 April 1967) head of government: Prime Minister Koffi SAMA (since 29 June 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 1 June 2003 (next to be held NA June 2008); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Gnassingbe EYADEMA reelected president; percent of vote - Gnassingbe EYADEMA 57.2%, Emmanuel Akitani BOB 34.1%, Yawovi AGBOYIBO 5.2%, Maurice Dahuku PERE 2.3%, Edem KODJO 1.0%

Flag description

five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red square in the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Government type

republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Independence

27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Legal system

French-based court system

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 27 October 2002 (next NA 2007) note: two opposition parties boycotted the election, the Union of the Forces for Change, and the Action Committee for Renewal election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPT 72, RSD 3, UDPS 2, Juvento 2, MOCEP 1, independents 1

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 April (1960)

Political parties and leaders

Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the Believers of Peace and Equality or MOCEP [leader NA]; Rally for the Support for Development and Democracy or RSDD [Hanay OLYMPIO]; Rally of the Togolese People or RPT [President Gnassingbe EYADEMA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU] note: Rally of the Togolese People or RPT, led by President EYADEMA, was the only party until the formation of multiple parties was legalized 12 April 1991

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

NA years of age; universal adult

Background

French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA, installed as military ruler in 1967, is Africa's longest-serving head of state. Despite the facade of multiparty elections instituted in the early 1990s, the government continues to be dominated by President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party has maintained power almost continually since 1967. In addition, Togo has come under fire from international organizations for human rights abuses and is plagued by political unrest. Most bilateral and multilateral aid to Togo remains frozen.

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$23.72 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.8% (FY02)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,270,146 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 666,132 (2003 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 44.5% (male 1,211,252; female 1,203,564) 15-64 years: 53% (male 1,404,763; female 1,473,360) 65 years and over: 2.5% (male 57,535; female 78,825) (2003 est.)

Birth rate

35.23 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate

11.51 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ethnic groups

native 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

6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

12,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

150,000 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 68.73 deaths/1,000 live births female: 60.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 76.58 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

total population: 53.43 years male: 51.47 years female: 55.45 years (2003 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 60.9% male: 75.4% female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 17.3 years male: 16.9 years female: 17.7 years (2002)

Nationality

noun: Togolese (singular and plural) adjective: Togolese

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Population

5,429,299 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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate

2.37% (2003 est.)

Religions

indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.97 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Disputes - international

in 2001 Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint commission presently resurveying the boundary

Illicit drugs

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

Airports

9 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Highways

total: 7,520 km paved: 2,376 km unpaved: 5,144 km (1999 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,918 GRT/3,852 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, specialized tanker 1 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 1 (2002 est.)

Ports and harbors

Kpeme, Lome

Railways

total: 525 km narrow gauge: 525 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Waterways

50 km (Mono river)