Contents
Country Overview
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic (République togolaise), is a narrow West African country on the Gulf of Guinea, bordered by Ghana, Burkina Faso and Benin. Its capital and largest metropolitan centre is Lomé. The territory passed through German colonial rule, League of Nations mandates and UN trusteeship before French-administered Togoland became independent on April 27, 1960. The economy combines agriculture, phosphate mining, manufacturing, services and transport through the Port of Lomé. In May 2025, following a 2024 constitutional reform, the country moved to a parliamentary system: Jean-Lucien Savi de Tové serves as president and Faure Gnassingbé as President of the Council of Ministers and executive leader. [7] [8] [2] [17]
CapitalLoméNational capital [3]
Population8,591,6262025 World Bank estimate [1]
Total area56,785 km²UN geographic reference [3]
Nominal GDPUS$11.89 billion2025 World Bank [1]
GDP per capitaUS$1,383.92025 World Bank [1]
CurrencyWest African CFA francXOF [12]
Reference-year distinctions: The World Bank’s 2025 population is a statistical estimate, not a new census; the final 2022 national census counted 8,095,498 residents. Trade tables use WTO/Comtrade calendar-year 2024 data; they are not directly interchangeable with national customs, services or re-export aggregates. [1] [4] [10]
Identity and State Formation
- Official name
- Togolese Republic (République togolaise). [7]
- Common name
- Togo.
- Regional classification
- Western Africa; coastal state on the Gulf of Guinea. [3]
- Capital city
- Lomé. [3]
- Largest urban concentration
- Greater Lomé (Grand Lomé). [4]
- Other major cities
- Sokodé, Kara, Kpalimé, Atakpamé and Dapaong. [7]
- Country codes
- TG (ISO alpha-2); TGO (ISO alpha-3).
- Telephone country code
- +228.
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF), issued by the BCEAO. [12]
- Independence
- April 27, 1960, from French-administered Togoland. [17] [7]
- National day
- April 27, commemorating independence. [7]
- United Nations membership
- September 20, 1960. [3]
- Present political form
- Parliamentary republic under the constitutional framework adopted in 2024 and brought into operation in 2025. [8] [7]
- Precolonial political setting
- A diverse area with Ewe, Mina, Kabye, Tem and other communities; coastal trade connected local polities with Atlantic commercial networks.
- Coastal settlement history
- Lomé, Aného and adjoining coastal settlements developed as regional trading centres.
- German protectorate
- German Togoland (Togoland) was established in 1884, within the colonial partition of West Africa. [18]
- World War I turning point
- Allied forces occupied German Togoland in 1914; the territory was subsequently partitioned between French and British administrations. [18]
- League of Nations mandates
- After World War I, the territory was divided into French and British mandates. [18]
- United Nations trusteeship era
- Following World War II, French Togoland and British Togoland became UN trust territories. [18]
- British Togoland outcome
- Most of British Togoland was incorporated into independent Ghana in 1957, following a 1956 plebiscite. [18]
- French Togoland outcome
- French-administered Togoland became independent as the Republic of Togo in April 1960. [18]
- First post-independence president
- Sylvanus Olympio; served as president until his assassination during the 1963 coup. [18]
- 1967 military coup
- Gnassingbé Eyadéma came to power after a military takeover and remained president until his death in 2005. [7]
- Leadership succession in 2005
- Faure Gnassingbé, Eyadéma’s son, assumed the presidency amid a contested transition and political violence. [7]
- Multiparty constitutional era
- A 1992 constitution introduced a multiparty constitutional framework, subsequently revised. [18]
- Fifth Republic constitutional reform
- Constitutional revision promulgated in May 2024 replaced the previous executive-presidential model with a parliamentary system. [8]
- Institutional change in May 2025
- Jean-Lucien Savi de Tové became president and Faure Gnassingbé became President of the Council of Ministers on May 3, 2025. [7]
Geography and Population
- Population (World Bank, 2025)
- 8,591,626 people (annual estimate). [1]
- Latest completed national population census
- Fifth General Population and Housing Census (RGPH-5), conducted in 2022. [5]
- Census population (2022)
- 8,095,498 residents, final enumeration. [4]
- Census women (2022)
- 4,150,988 people. [6]
- Census men (2022)
- 3,944,510 people. [6]
- Census urban population (2022)
- 3,473,792 people (approximately 42.9% of the census total). [4]
- Census rural population (2022)
- 4,621,706 people (approximately 57.1%). [4]
- Average annual intercensal population growth
- 2.3% between the prior 2010 and 2022 censuses. [6]
- Population growth (World Bank, 2025)
- Approximately 2.2% annually. [1]
- Surface area
- 56,785 km² (UN reference). [3]
- Land area convention
- Approximately 54,390 km² of land, excluding inland waters; do not confuse with total surface area. [19]
- North–south extent
- A long, narrow country stretching from the Gulf of Guinea toward the Sudano–Sahelian zone.
- Southern coast
- A short Atlantic coastline on the Gulf of Guinea. [3]
- Land borders
- Ghana to the west, Burkina Faso to the north and Benin to the east. [17]
- Northern ecological setting
- Savanna and drier northern landscapes, including the Savanes region.
- Central and northern terrain
- Rolling plains, plateaus, hills and wooded savanna.
- Southern ecological setting
- Coastal plains, lagoons and more humid farming landscapes.
- Mountain and upland zone
- The Togo Mountains and related uplands extend through parts of the centre and southwest.
- Highest point
- Mont Agou (Mount Agou), approximately 986 metres above sea level.
- Important rivers
- Mono River, Oti River and tributaries of the Volta basin.
- Major lagoon system
- Coastal lagoons near the southern shoreline, including the Lake Togo area.
- Climate
- Predominantly tropical, with considerable north–south variation in rainfall and seasonal patterns.
- Rainfall variation
- Northern areas generally experience a single principal wet season; southern areas can experience two rainy seasons.
- Main administrative regions
- Maritime, Plateaux, Centrale, Kara and Savanes; Greater Lomé is displayed separately in 2022 census tables. [4]
- Regional census distinction
- The 2022 census separates Grand Lomé from Maritime for statistical presentation; this is not necessarily a sixth constitutional region. [4]
- Grand Lomé population (2022 census)
- 2,188,376 residents. [4]
- Maritime outside Greater Lomé (2022)
- 1,346,615 residents. [4]
- Plateaux region population (2022)
- 1,635,946 residents. [4]
- Centrale region population (2022)
- 795,529 residents. [4]
- Kara region population (2022)
- 985,512 residents. [4]
- Savanes region population (2022)
- 1,143,520 residents. [4]
- Major population concentration
- Greater Lomé and the Maritime coastal corridor. [4]
- Time zone
- Greenwich Mean Time, UTC+00:00.
- Natural hazards
- Flooding and coastal erosion in some low-lying areas, drought exposure in the north and rainfall variability.
- Land-use profile
- Farms and cultivated landscapes, forest fragments, settlements, savanna and protected habitat.
Population comparability: Final census count: 8,095,498 in 2022. World Bank population: 8,591,626 in 2025. The difference reflects reference year and methodology, not a second national census. Grand Lomé is counted separately in the regional census reporting. [4] [1]
Economy and International Trade
- Nominal GDP (World Bank, 2025)
- US$11.89 billion, current U.S. dollars. [1]
- GDP per capita (World Bank, 2025)
- US$1,383.9, current U.S. dollars. [1]
- Real GDP growth (World Bank, 2025)
- 6.3% annually. [1]
- Consumer-price inflation (World Bank, 2025)
- 0.4% annually. [1]
- Estimated unemployment (World Bank/ILO, 2025)
- Approximately 2.0%; modelled rate, not a measure of total underemployment or economic vulnerability. [1]
- Economic structure
- Agriculture, commerce, transport, industry and services contribute to national production. [2]
- Major crops
- Cotton, maize, cassava, yams, cocoa, coffee and other food and cash crops. [16]
- Mining commodity
- Phosphate rock, among the principal export commodities. [16] [10]
- Manufacturing and processing
- Cement products, food processing, packaging, clothing and other light industry. [10] [2]
- Trade and transport hub
- Port of Lomé and cross-border road corridors serve domestic and regional markets. [2]
- Monetary currency code
- XOF, West African CFA franc. [12]
- Monetary authority
- Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), shared by West African Monetary Union members. [13]
- Merchandise exports (WTO, 2024)
- US$1,372.3 million (UN Comtrade/WTO reporting series). [10]
- Merchandise imports (WTO, 2024)
- US$2,967.9 million (UN Comtrade/WTO reporting series). [10]
- Merchandise trade balance (WTO, 2024)
- Approximately minus US$1,595.6 million, calculated from the stated 2024 export and import totals. [10]
- Main export product — 2024
- Natural calcium phosphates and related minerals: US$191.3 million (13.9% of merchandise exports). [10]
- Petroleum-product exports — 2024
- Medium petroleum oils and preparations: US$112.0 million (8.2%). [10]
- Cocoa exports — 2024
- Cocoa beans: US$88.1 million (6.4%). [10]
- Industrial packaging exports — 2024
- Plastic sacks and bags: US$72.5 million (5.3%). [10]
- Cement clinker exports — 2024
- US$66.0 million (4.8%). [10]
- Cotton exports — 2024
- Uncarded/uncombed cotton: US$50.2 million (3.7%). [10]
- Other traded products
- Soybean-processing residues, beauty products, motorcycles and palm oil also feature in recorded exports. [10]
- Leading export destination (WTO, 2024)
- India: US$228.4 million (16.6%). [10]
- EU export destination share (WTO, 2024)
- European Union: US$187.4 million (13.7%). [10]
- West African export destinations — 2024
- Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Mali, Benin, Ghana and Niger were prominent destinations. [10]
- Leading import origin (WTO, 2024)
- China: US$670.1 million (22.6%). [10]
- European Union import origin share (2024)
- US$640.3 million (21.6%). [10]
- India import origin share (2024)
- US$188.4 million (6.3%). [10]
- Port activity caveat
- Transit and re-export trade through Lomé does not necessarily mean goods were originally produced in Togo. [2]
- International payment settlement
- Regional monetary arrangements are conducted in the CFA-franc zone, with BCEAO participation. [12]
- Agriculture productivity priorities
- Irrigation, farm resilience, logistics and access to markets remain important development areas. [2]
- Economic reform themes
- Infrastructure, energy reliability, skills development, investment climate and diversification. [2]
- Inflation interpretation
- The annual consumer-price inflation percentage is not the same as the GDP deflator or annual wage growth. [1]
- GDP interpretation
- GDP per capita is output per resident, not a direct measure of wages or typical household income. [1]
- Sector vulnerability
- Exposure to crop conditions, imported fuel costs, transport disruptions and external demand. [2]
Major merchandise export categories — 2024
The WTO’s Togo profile records US$1,372.3 million in merchandise exports and US$2,967.9 million in merchandise imports during calendar year 2024. These are reported merchandise figures, distinct from services or other national trade-account concepts. [10]
| Principal merchandise export (2024) | US$ million | Share of total exports |
|---|---|---|
| Natural calcium phosphates and related minerals | 191.3 | 13.9% |
| Medium petroleum oils and preparations | 112.0 | 8.2% |
| Cocoa beans | 88.1 | 6.4% |
| Plastic sacks and bags | 72.5 | 5.3% |
| Soybean meal and other soybean oilcake | 67.3 | 4.9% |
| Cement clinker | 66.0 | 4.8% |
| Beauty and skin-care preparations | 64.1 | 4.7% |
| Motorcycles and mopeds (selected class) | 56.1 | 4.1% |
| Palm oil and fractions (selected category) | 52.1 | 3.8% |
| Uncarded/uncombed cotton | 50.2 | 3.7% |
Selected export destinations and import origins — 2024
Rows below identify the leading partners shown in the WTO profile; they are not a complete reconciliation of every country or reporting convention. [10]
| Principal destination / origin (2024) | Exports to, US$ million | Imports from, US$ million |
|---|---|---|
| India | 228.4 | 188.4 |
| European Union | 187.4 | 640.3 |
| Côte d’Ivoire | 155.4 | — |
| Burkina Faso | 155.3 | — |
| Mali | 103.8 | — |
| Benin | 94.6 | — |
| China | — | 670.1 |
| Nigeria | — | 179.0 |
| Japan | — | 118.2 |
| Türkiye | — | 109.2 |
Merchandise-trade interpretation: Product categories overlap only where stated; the tables report selected HS subheadings and selected partners rather than a complete trade ledger. Port transit and re-export activity can differ from domestically produced exports. [10] [2]
People and Society
- Official language
- French. [7]
- Widely spoken national languages
- Ewe and Kabiyè (Kabye), among a much broader indigenous-language landscape.
- Additional languages
- Tem (Kotokoli), Mina (Gen), Moba, Gurma, Akposso, Ifè and other regional languages.
- Linguistic diversity
- Multiple Gbe, Gur and other language communities, with local multilingualism common.
- French-language functions
- Formal administration, legislation, much secondary and higher education and public institutions. [7]
- Indigenous-language functions
- Family life, community communication, local trade, radio, culture and informal education.
- Religious composition note
- No single contemporaneous nationwide religious census is used here; survey and administrative estimates differ. [15]
- Christian population estimate
- Approximately 42.3% in the figures cited by the 2023 U.S. State Department report. [15]
- Traditional religious practice estimate
- Approximately 36.9% in the same source’s demographic summary. [15]
- Muslim population estimate
- Approximately 14.0% in the same source’s summary. [15]
- Other and unspecified affiliations
- The cited figures do not provide an exhaustive category breakdown; avoid assigning the remaining share without its methodology. [15]
- Christian denominations
- Roman Catholic, Protestant and Pentecostal congregations, among others. [15]
- Islamic communities
- Muslim communities across the country, with varying local concentrations. [15]
- Traditional and blended practice
- Indigenous religious traditions are important, and practices may overlap with Christian or Muslim identities. [15]
- Cultural communities
- Ewe, Mina, Kabye, Tem, Moba and many other groups contribute to cultural life.
- Food and agriculture in daily life
- Maize preparations, cassava dishes, yams, beans, sauces and locally grown vegetables.
- Cultural expression
- Music, drumming, dance, craft production, oral histories and regional ceremonies.
- Public health indicator
- Life expectancy at birth is about 63 years in the World Bank’s 2024 series. [1]
- Health-system context
- Public and private health services operate with urban–rural access challenges. [2]
- Education landscape
- Primary and secondary schooling, vocational education and university institutions, with French a major language of instruction.
- Literacy indicator limitation
- Different sources use different age bands and survey definitions; this profile does not manufacture a current literacy rate.
- Population age structure
- A youthful population, contributing to demand for schools, housing and jobs. [5]
- Urbanization (2022 census)
- Around 42.9% urban according to national census classification. [4]
- Urban–rural planning challenge
- Expansion of sanitation, electricity, roads and services in fast-growing settlements. [2]
- Cultural heritage site
- Koutammakou, the Land of the Batammariba, recognized for landscape, settlement and architectural traditions. [14]
- UNESCO World Heritage inscriptions
- One inscribed World Heritage property on the UNESCO Togo list. [14]
- World Heritage inscription years
- Koutammakou inscribed in 2004 and extended across the Benin border in 2023. [14]
- Heritage interpretation
- Koutammakou is a living cultural landscape; it should not be treated only as an archaeological ruin. [14]
- Religious freedom and diversity
- Constitutional and administrative approaches to religious registration and practice are discussed in the 2023 report. [15]
Religious-statistics limitation: The cited affiliation estimates are reported in the U.S. State Department’s 2023 religious-freedom report. They should not be represented as results of the 2022 national census or a 2025–2026 religious survey. [15]
Government and Institutions
- Government form (November 2026)
- Parliamentary republic; the earlier presidential-system description is outdated. [7] [8]
- Principal constitutional change
- The 2024 constitution introduced a president selected through Parliament and a President of the Council of Ministers as executive leader. [8] [7]
- Constitution promulgation
- May 6, 2024, according to the U.S. Library of Congress. [8]
- Start of current institutional arrangement
- May 3, 2025. [7]
- President of the Republic
- Jean-Lucien Savi de Tové, the head of state. [7]
- President of the Council of Ministers
- Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, head of government and effective executive leader. [7]
- Executive authority
- The President of the Council directs governmental policy and exercises substantial executive functions, including defence and foreign affairs. [7]
- Presidency role
- The head of state has primarily representative and constitutional functions under the reformed system. [8] [7]
- Head of state selection
- Parliamentary election rather than direct popular presidential election under the new framework. [8]
- Head of state term
- Six years, one term under the 2024 constitutional reform described by the Library of Congress. [8]
- National legislature
- Bicameral Parliament: National Assembly and Senate. [8] [7]
- National Assembly elected membership
- 113 members, as at the 2024 parliamentary election. [9]
- Last National Assembly election
- April 29, 2024. [9]
- 2024 election turnout
- 61.0% according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union. [9]
- Ruling party
- Union for the Republic (Union pour la République, UNIR). [9]
- UNIR seats in 2024 election
- 108 of 113 National Assembly seats on the election-night result summary; later caucus membership may change. [9]
- Other seats in 2024 election
- Five National Assembly seats distributed among other parties. [9]
- Senate establishment
- The upper chamber became operational during the 2025 constitutional transition. [7] [8]
- Legislative representation
- Parliamentary composition is distinct from popular endorsement of the constitutional reform. [9] [7]
- Opposition and civic protests
- Opposition groups and civil society protested the constitutional changes and governance issues in mid-2025. [7]
- 2025 constitutional controversies
- Critics opposed the transfer of executive authority and questioned prospects for leadership alternation. [7] [8]
- Historical presidency
- Gnassingbé Eyadéma ruled from 1967 until 2005; Faure Gnassingbé then governed under the former presidency until 2025. [7]
- Government continuity
- Faure Gnassingbé retained principal executive leadership following the 2025 transition, but under a different office. [7]
- Judiciary
- Courts operate within the national constitutional and legal system; judicial institutions have roles in constitutional interpretation. [8]
- Subnational administration
- Regional, prefectural and local authorities administer territorial affairs. [4]
- Territorial census organization
- Grand Lomé is a separate reporting unit in 2022 census tables, alongside the surrounding five-region structure. [4]
- Government reference cutoff
- November 5, 2026; political appointments must be reverified in later editions. [7]
Current-system distinction: The 2024 constitutional reform and May 2025 institutional transition mean that Faure Gnassingbé is now President of the Council of Ministers and the executive leader, not the current President of the Republic. Jean-Lucien Savi de Tové is the current head of state. [7] [8]
International Profile
- United Nations
- Member since September 20, 1960. [3]
- African Union
- Member of the African Union. [16]
- ECOWAS
- Member of the Economic Community of West African States. [17] [16]
- West African Economic and Monetary Union
- Member of UEMOA/WAEMU and the West African Monetary Union. [12]
- Common monetary area
- Shares the West African CFA franc with seven other BCEAO monetary-union members. [12]
- World Trade Organization
- Member since May 31, 1995. [11]
- GATT membership
- Contracting party from March 20, 1964. [11]
- Commonwealth of Nations
- Joined the Commonwealth in 2022. [16]
- International Organization of La Francophonie
- Participates in the Francophone international community. [16]
- Maritime trade importance
- Port of Lomé serves regional maritime and inland trade routes. [2]
- Neighbouring trade relations
- Borders Ghana, Benin and Burkina Faso and trades extensively with West African partners. [10] [17]
- Top export destination (2024)
- India, accounting for 16.6% of WTO-recorded merchandise exports. [10]
- Main 2024 export partners in West Africa
- Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso each about 11.3%; Mali, Benin, Ghana and Niger were also important. [10]
- Top import origins (2024)
- China and European Union countries led the recorded imports. [10]
- UNESCO heritage participation
- Togo has one listed World Heritage property, with a transboundary extension into Benin. [14]
- Regional development finance
- Lomé hosts the headquarters of regional development-finance institutions. [16]
- Diplomatic focus
- Regional integration, transport corridors, trade facilitation and security cooperation. [7] [2]
- Environmental and humanitarian priorities
- Adaptation to climate variability, flood exposure, northern security pressures and equitable development. [2]
- Data reference cutoff
- November 5, 2026; the statistics and government information are not live feeds. [7] [1]
Sources and Methodology
This edition is verified to November 5, 2026. Headline 2025 population and GDP values use the World Bank country series; the final census count and region-level enumeration are from INSEED’s 2022 RGPH-5. Surface area uses the UN total-area convention. WTO/UN Comtrade values refer to calendar-year 2024 merchandise reporting. Governance follows the Library of Congress’s analysis of the 2024 reform and France Diplomatie’s October 30, 2026 leadership update. These different observation years must not be conflated.
Religious percentages are dated estimates, not census observations. Export categories and partner tables are selections, not a complete customs accounting. Some organizational profiles retain outdated political terminology; the 2026 diplomatic update takes precedence for current officeholders.
- World Bank — Togo country data — 2025 population, GDP, GDP per capita, real growth, inflation and modelled unemployment; 2024 life expectancy.
- World Bank — Togo overview — Economic structure, logistics, poverty and policy outlook; distinction between 2025 estimates and 2026 projections.
- United Nations Statistics Division — Togo profile — Geographic classification, surface area, capital, currency and United Nations membership date.
- INSEED — Definitive results of the 2022 population census — Final RGPH-5 count, regional totals, urban/rural population and population by sex.
- INSEED — Presentation of the 2022 census results — Reference to final census report and demographic distribution.
- Togo Ministry of Finance — 2022 census results — Government confirmation of the 2022 census count and inter-census population growth.
- France Diplomatie — Togo country presentation (updated October 30, 2026) — Current head of state and head of government, 2024–2025 constitutional transition, geography, official language and political developments.
- Library of Congress — Togo: New Constitution Promulgated (May 16, 2024) — 2024 constitutional revision and shift from presidential to parliamentary system.
- Inter-Parliamentary Union — Togo April 2024 National Assembly election — 113-seat National Assembly and 108 UNIR seats won in the 2024 election, voter participation.
- World Trade Organization — Togo merchandise trade profile — 2024 merchandise exports, imports, export commodities, principal partners and 2026 tariff schedule.
- World Trade Organization — Togo member information — WTO entry on May 31, 1995 and earlier GATT membership.
- BCEAO — West African Monetary Union — West African monetary union participation and the CFA franc common currency.
- BCEAO — Central Bank of West African States — Monetary issuance and functions of the shared West African central bank.
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Togo — The single inscribed World Heritage property Koutammakou, with 2023 transboundary extension.
- U.S. Department of State — 2023 International Religious Freedom Report: Togo — Historical religious-demography estimates and community descriptions; not a 2025 religious census.
- Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade — Togo — Trade, agriculture, mineral exports, Commonwealth, African Union and regional affiliations.
- ECOWAS — Togo member-state profile — Togo’s ECOWAS membership and independence date; some displayed political details are outdated.
- U.S. Department of State — Historical background notes on Togo — German colonial period, mandate and trusteeship transition, British Togoland, independence and postcolonial government.
- UNCTAD — Togo general country profile — 2024 land-area convention of 54,390 km² and alternate trade aggregates; not interchangeable with WTO totals.