Togo

• tropical;
• hot, humid in south;
• semiarid in north

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

• 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

noun:

Togolese (singular and plural)

adjective:

Togolese

total:

20.9 years (2025 est.)

male:

19.9 years

female:

21.4 years

• 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

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:

34.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

43 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

33.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

72.1 years (2024 est.)

male:

69.5 years

female:

74.7 years

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.)

total:

5% (2025 est.)

male:

9.3% (2025 est.)

female:

0.7% (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)

• 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

• tropical;
• hot, humid in south;
• semiarid in north

urban population:

44.5% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

3.6% annual rate of change (2020-25 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.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

1.109 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

3.5% (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.)

conventional long form:

Togolese Republic

conventional short form:

Togo

local long form:

République 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")

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"

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

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

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

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

highest court(s):

• Supreme Court or Cour Suprême (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

• 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

chief of mission:

Ambassador Frédéric 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:

[email protected]; https://embassyoftogousa.com/

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Richard C. MICHAELS (since June 2025)

embassy:

Boulevard Eyadema; B.P. 852, Lomé

mailing address:

2300 Lome Place, Washington, DC 20521-2300

telephone:

[228] 2261-5470

FAX:

[228] 2261-5501

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://tg.usembassy.gov/

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

title:

"Salut à 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

total World Heritage Sites:

1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

Koutammakou; the Land of the Batammariba

• 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

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

total:

3.4% (2024 est.)

male:

3.3% (2024 est.)

female:

3.5% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

lowest 10%:

2.8% (2021 est.)

highest 10%:

29.6% (2021 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

consumption:

163,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

exports:

10 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

163,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

consumption:

176.16 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports:

176.16 million cubic meters (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)

total:

568 km (2014)

narrow gauge:

568 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

total ports:

2 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

1

small:

0

very small:

1

ports with oil terminals:

2

key ports:

Kpeme, Lome

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

refugees:

48,756 (2024 est.)

IDPs:

18,429 (2024 est.)