TOGO
MARCH 25, 2009 BY RANG WHAM
| Introduction | Togo | Top of Page |
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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 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 condemnation from international organizations for human rights abuses, Togo is finally being re-welcomed into the international community. In January 2012, Togo assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2012-13 term.
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| Geography | Togo | Top of Page |
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Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana
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Geographic coordinates:
8 00 N, 1 10 E
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Map references:
Africa
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Area:
total: 56,785 sq km
land: 54,385 sq km water: 2,400 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than West Virginia
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Land boundaries:
total: 1,647 km border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km |
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Coastline:
56 km
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Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 30 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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Climate:
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
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Terrain:
gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes
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Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Agou 986 m |
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Natural resources:
phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land
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Land use:
arable land: 44.2%
permanent crops: 2.11% other: 53.69% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
70 sq km (2003)
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Total renewable water resources:
14.7 cu km (2001)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.17 cu km/yr (53%/2%/45%)
per capita: 28 cu m/yr (2000) |
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Natural hazards:
hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts
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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
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Environment - international agreements:
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 |
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Geography - note:
the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna
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| People | Togo | Top of Page |
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Population:
6,961,049 (July 2012 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 |
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Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.8% (male 1,424,148/female 1,417,072)
15-24 years: 20.2% (male 702,337/female 705,802) 25-54 years: 31.6% (male 1,093,231/female 1,108,192) 55-64 years: 4.1% (male 136,018/female 152,304) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 96,386/female 125,559) (2012 est.) |
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Median age:
total: 19.4 years
male: 19.1 years female: 19.6 years (2012 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
2.748% (2012 est.)
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Birth rate:
35.26 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
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Death rate:
7.78 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
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Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
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Urbanization:
urban population: 43% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 3.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.) |
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Major cities - population:
LOME (capital) 1.593 million (2009)
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Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
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Maternal mortality rate:
300 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
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Infant mortality rate:
total: 49.87 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 56.72 deaths/1,000 live births female: 42.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 63.17 years
male: 60.64 years female: 65.77 years (2012 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
4.64 children born/woman (2012 est.)
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Health expenditures:
5.9% of GDP (2009)
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Physicians density:
0.053 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
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Hospital bed density:
0.85 beds/1,000 population (2005)
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Sanitation facility access:
improved: urban: 24% of population rural: 3% of population total: 12% of population unimproved: urban: 76% of population rural: 97% of population total: 88% of population |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.2% (2009 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
120,000 (2009 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
7,700 (2009 est.)
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Major infectious diseases:
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) |
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Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
20.5% (2008)
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Nationality:
noun: Togolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Togolese |
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Ethnic groups:
African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%
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Religions:
Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51%
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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)
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Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 60.9% male: 75.4% female: 46.9% (2003 est.) |
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School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male: 11 years female: 8 years (2007) |
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Education expenditures:
4.6% of GDP (2009)
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| Government | Togo | Top of Page |
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Country name:
conventional long form: Togolese Republic
conventional short form: Togo local long form: Republique Togolaise local short form: none former: French Togoland |
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Government type:
republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
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Capital:
name: Lome
geographic coordinates: 6 07 N, 1 13 E time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
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Administrative divisions:
5 regions (regions, singular - region); Centrale, Kara, Maritime, Plateaux, Savanes
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Independence:
27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
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National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 April (1960)
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Constitution:
adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992
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Legal system:
customary law system
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International law organization participation:
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt
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Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
chief of state: President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 4 May 2005);
head of government: Prime Minister Kwesi AHOOMEY-ZUNU (since 23 July 2012) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 4 March 2010 (next to be held in 2015); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Faure GNASSINGBE reelected president; percent of vote - Faure GNASSINGBE 60.9%, Jean-Pierre FABRE 33.9%, Yawovi AGBOYIBO 3%, other 2.2% |
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Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 14 October 2007 (next to be held in October 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 |
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Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; High Court of Justice; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel; Court of Audits
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Political parties and leaders:
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; National Alliance for Change or ANC [Jean-Pierre FABRE]; 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 Change or UFC [Gilchrist OLYMPIO]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
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International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (candidate country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNSC (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert E. WHITEHEAD
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 |
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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; 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 |
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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 | Togo | Top of Page |
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Economy - overview:
This small, sub-Saharan economy suffers from anemic economic growth and depends heavily on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment for a significant share 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 among the world's largest producers of phosphate and Togo seeks to develop its carbonate phosphate reserves. 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. Foreign direct investment inflows have slowed over recent years. Togo completed its IMF Extended Credit Facility in 2011 and reached a HIPC 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.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
$6.899 billion (2012 est.)
$6.569 billion (2011 est.) $6.264 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.624 billion (2012 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
5% (2012 est.)
4.9% (2011 est.) 4% (2010 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,100 (2012 est.)
$1,100 (2011 est.) $1,000 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
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GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 45.7%
industry: 21.4% services: 33% (2012 est.) |
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Labor force:
2.595 million (2007)
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Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 65%
industry: 5% services: 30% (1998 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
NA%
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Population below poverty line:
32% (1989 est.)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.3%
highest 10%: 27.1% (2006) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
25.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
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Budget:
revenues: $729.6 million
expenditures: $872.2 million (2012 est.) |
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Taxes and other revenues:
20.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
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Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-3.9% of GDP (2012 est.)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2012 est.)
3.6% (2011 est.)
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Central bank discount rate:
2.5% (31 December 2010 est.)
4.25% (31 December 2009 est.)
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Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA%
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Stock of narrow money:
$954.5 million (31 December 2012 est.)
$981.9 million (31 December 2011 est.)
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Stock of broad money:
$1.534 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
$1.635 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
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Stock of domestic credit:
$1.119 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
$1.193 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
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Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
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Agriculture - products:
coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (manioc), corn, beans, rice, millet, sorghum; livestock; fish
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Industries:
phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts, textiles, beverages
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Industrial production growth rate:
2.5% (2010 est.)
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Electricity - production:
123 million kWh (2009 est.)
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Electricity - consumption:
651 million kWh (2009 est.)
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Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2010 est.)
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Electricity - imports:
683 million kWh (2009 est.)
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Electricity - installed generating capacity:
85,000 kW (2009 est.)
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Electricity - from fossil fuels:
21.2% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
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Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
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Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
78.8% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
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Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
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Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
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Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
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Oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
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Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
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Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Refined petroleum products - consumption:
28,670 bbl/day (2011 est.)
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Refined petroleum products - exports:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Refined petroleum products - imports:
6,829 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
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Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
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Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)
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Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
3.166 million Mt (2010 est.)
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Current account balance:
-$418.4 million (2012 est.)
-$302.7 million (2011 est.)
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Exports:
$893.8 million (2012 est.)
$928.7 million (2011 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa
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Exports - partners:
China 10.7%, Burkina Faso 8.3%, India 8.3%, Benin 8.2%, Niger 6.3%, Germany 5.7%, Ghana 4.8%, Indonesia 4.7% (2011)
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Imports:
$1.492 billion (2012 est.)
$1.455 billion (2011 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products
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Imports - partners:
China 32.5%, France 8.7%, Belgium 7.9%, India 6.2%, US 5.1%, UK 4.6% (2011)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$678 million (31 December 2012 est.)
$774.3 million (31 December 2011 est.)
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Debt - external:
$NA (31 December 2010)
$1.64 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
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Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -514.1 (2012 est.) , 471.87 (2011 est.) , 495.28 (2010 est.) , 472.19 (2009) , 447.81 (2008)
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Fiscal year:
calendar year
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| Communications | Togo | Top of Page |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
240,000 (2011)
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.105 million (2011)
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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; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 50 telephones per 100 persons with mobile-cellular use predominating international: country code - 228; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Symphonie |
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Broadcast media:
2 state-owned TV stations with multiple transmission sites; 5 private TV stations broadcast locally; cable TV service is available; state-owned radio network with multiple stations; several dozen private radio stations and a few community radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters available (2007)
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Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)
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Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus two repeaters) (1997)
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Internet country code:
.tg
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Internet hosts:
1,168 (2012)
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Internet users:
356,300 (2009)
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| Transportation | Togo | Top of Page |
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Airports:
8 (2012)
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Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2012) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2012) |
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Railways:
total: 568 km
narrow gauge: 568 km 1.000-m gauge (2008) |
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Roadways:
total: 7,520 km
paved: 2,376 km unpaved: 5,144 km (2000) |
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Waterways:
50 km (seasonally navigable by small craft on the Mono River depending on rainfall) (2011)
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Merchant marine:
total: 61
by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 38, carrier 3, chemical tanker 5, container 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 21 (China 1, Lebanon 6, Romania 1, Syria 6, Turkey 4, UAE 1, US 1, Yemen 1) (2010) |
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Ports and terminals:
Kpeme, Lome
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| Military | Togo | Top of Page |
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Military branches:
Togolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Togolaise, FAT): Ground Forces, Togolese Navy (Marine du Togo), Togolese Air Force (Force Aerienne Togolaise, TAF), National Gendarmerie (2011)
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Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 2-year service obligation (2006)
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Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,577,572
females age 16-49: 1,589,715 (2010 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,104,536
females age 16-49: 1,158,061 (2010 est.) |
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Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 74,036
female: 73,515 (2010 est.) |
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Military expenditures:
1.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
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| Transnational Issues | Togo | Top of Page |
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Disputes-international:
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; talks continue between Benin and Togo on funding the Adjrala hydroelectric dam on the Mona River
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Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 13,676 (Ghana); 5,151 (Cote d'Ivoire) (2011) IDPs: undetermined (2012) |
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Illicit drugs:
transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money laundering not a significant problem
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This page was last updated on 14 May 2009