76-539: Tchaoudjo Athlétic Club is a Togolese football club based in Sokodé . They play in the top division in Togolese football. Their home stadium is Stade Municipal . Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules . Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. This article about a Togolese football club is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Togo in
152-407: A population of approximately 8 million, and it has a width of less than 115 km (71 mi) between Ghana and its eastern neighbour Benin. Various people groups settled the boundaries of present day Togo between the 11th and 16th centuries. Between the 16th and 18th centuries, the coastal region served primarily as a European slave trading outpost, earning Togo and the surrounding region
228-889: A 1-party system in November 1969. He was reelected in 1979 and 1986. In 1983, the privatization program launched and in 1991 other political parties were allowed. In 1993, EU froze the partnership, describing Eyadema's re-election in 1993, 1998 and 2003, as a seizure of power. In April 2004, in Brussels, talks were held between the European Union and Togo on the resumption of cooperation. Eyadéma Gnassingbé died on Saturday, 5 February 2005. The military's installation of his son, Faure Gnassingbé , as president provoked international condemnation, except from France. Some "democratically elected" African leaders such as Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal and Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria supported
304-598: A heart attack on 5 February 2005. Under the Togolese Constitution, the President of the Parliament, Fambaré Ouattara Natchaba , should have become president of the country, pending a presidential election to be called within 60 days. Natchaba was out of the country, returning on an Air France plane from Paris. The Togolese army, known as Forces Armées Togolaises (FAT), or Togolese Armed Forces , closed
380-454: A massacre by government troops. In response, Faure Gnassingbé agreed to hold elections and on 25 February, Gnassingbé resigned as president, and afterward accepted the nomination to run for the office in April. On 24 April 2005, Gnassingbé was elected president of Togo, receiving over 60% of the vote according to official results. His main rival in the race had been Emmanuel Bob-Akitani from
456-486: A power-sharing deal with the government, a coalition arrangement which provides UFC with eight ministerial posts. In June 2012, electoral reforms prompted protesters to take to the street in Lomé for days; protesters sought a return to the 1992 constitution that would re-establish presidential term limits. July 2012 saw the resignation of the prime minister, Gilbert Houngbo. Days later, the commerce minister, Kwesi Ahoomey-Zunu,
532-542: A regional commercial and trade centre. The government's decade-long efforts supported by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to carry out economic reforms, to encourage investments, and to create the balance between income and consumption has stalled. Political unrest, including private and public sector strikes throughout 1992 and 1993, jeopardized the reform program, shrank
608-514: A result of the restructuring and renaming of Réseau des Chemins de Fer du Togo from 1997 to 1998. Between Hahotoé and the port of Kpémé, the Compagnie Togolaise des Mines du Bénin (CTMB) operated phosphate trains. The following are the railway networks present in the country: Togo has a total of eight airports, as of 2012, out of which two are international airports and six are domestic airports . The only major airport of
684-444: A road network of 7,520 km (4,670 mi) as of 2000, with no updated data as of 2023. It has only two major highways, Highway N1 and N2, connecting the capital, Lomé with the city of Dapaong , where it gets diverged northwards to Burkina Faso and from there north-west to Mali , and north-east to Niger . N1 is the longest highway of Togo, at a length of 613 km (381 mi). N2 connects Lomé with Aneho . The extension of N2
760-548: A stronger growth: from 1961 (the year after independence) to 2003 it quintupled. In Togo, there are about 40 different ethnic groups, the most numerous of which are the Ewe in the south who make up 32% of the population. Along the southern coastline, they account for 21% of the population. Also found are Kotokoli or Tem and Tchamba in the centre and the Kabye people in the north (22%). The Ouatchis [ fr ] are 14% of
836-630: A vast and unknown loss of life for African captives both in and outside the Americas. Over a million people are thought to have died during their transport to the New World . More died soon after their arrival. The number of lives lost in the procurement of slaves remains a mystery but may equal or exceed the number of people who survived to be enslaved. Modern historians estimate that between two and three million people were transported out of this region and traded for goods like alcohol and tobacco from
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#1732771892283912-422: Is Africa's longest lasting dynasty. In March 2024, President Faure Gnassingbé presented a new constitution. One of the constitutional changes in the new constitution is that Togo would go from being a under presidential system to being under a parlimentary one , as well as the power of the president being weakened becoming a very ceremornial role, strengthening the power of parliment, and as well as strengthning
988-646: Is Highway RNIE1, or the Trans–West African Coastal Highway , from Aneho to Cotonou in Benin . Other roads and highways are local and regional roads in the rest of the country, also passing through borders with the neighbouring countries. The Trans–West African Coastal Highway crosses Togo, connecting it to Benin and Nigeria to the east, and Ghana and Ivory Coast to the west. Once the construction in Liberia and Sierra Leone part gets completed,
1064-447: Is a cash crop. The fertile land occupies 11.3% of the country, most of which is developed. Some crops are cassava , jasmine rice , maize and millet . Some other sectors are brewery and the textile industry. Low market prices for Togo's major export commodities coupled with the volatile political situation of the 1990s and 2000s had a negative effect on the economy. It is listed in the least developed country group. It serves as
1140-632: Is a historical region along the Atlantic coast of West Africa, encompassing parts of modern-day Togo , Benin , and Nigeria . It is located along the Bight of Biafra and the Bight of Benin that is located between the Volta River and the Lagos Lagoon . The name is derived from the region's history as a major source of African people sold into slavery during the Atlantic slave trade from
1216-581: Is added, the Lomé Agglomeration contained 1,477,660 residents in 2010. Other cities in Togo according to the new census were Sokodé (95,070), Kara (94,878), Kpalimé (75,084), Atakpamé (69,261), Dapaong (58,071) and Tsévié (54,474). With an estimated population of 8,644,829 (as of 2021 ), Togo is the 107th largest country by population. Most of the population (65%) live in rural villages dedicated to agriculture or pastures. The population of Togo shows
1292-594: Is characterized by marshes and mangroves . The country had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 5.88/10, ranking it 92nd globally out of 172 countries. At least five parks and reserves have been established: Abdoulaye Faunal Reserve , Fazao Malfakassa National Park , Fosse aux Lions National Park , Koutammakou , and Kéran National Park . The country possesses phosphate deposits and an export sector based on agricultural products such as coffee , cocoa bean , and peanuts (groundnuts), which together generate roughly 30% of export earnings. Cotton
1368-467: Is dominated by cattle breeding . Mining generated about 33.9% of GDP in 2012 and employed 12% of the population in 2010. Togo has the fourth-largest phosphate deposits in the world. Their production is 2.1 million tons per year. There are reserves of limestone , marble and salt . Industry provides 20.4% of Togo's national income, as it consists of light industries and builders. Some reserves of limestone allows Togo to produce cement . Togo has
1444-464: Is elected by universal and direct suffrage for five years, and is the commander of the armed forces and has the right to initiate legislation and dissolve parliament . Executive power is exercised by the president and the government. The head of government is the Prime Minister who is appointed by the president. President Gnassingbé Eyadéma , who ruled Togo under a one-party system, died of
1520-553: Is equipped with Alpha jets . Togo was labelled "Not Free" by Freedom House from 1972 to 1998 and from 2002 to 2006, and has been categorized as "Partly Free" from 1999 to 2001 and from 2007. According to a U.S. State Department report based on conditions in 2010, human rights problems include "security force use of excessive force, including torture , which resulted in deaths and injuries; official impunity; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrests and detention; lengthy pretrial detention; executive influence over
1596-408: Is illegal in Togo, with a penalty of one to three years imprisonment. It has an area equal to 56,785 km (21,925 sq mi). It borders the Bight of Benin in the south; Ghana lies to the west; Benin to the east; and to the north, it is bound by Burkina Faso . North of the equator, it lies mostly between latitudes 6° and 11°N , and longitudes 0° and 2°E . The coast of Togo in
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#17327718922831672-896: Is particularly active in West African regional affairs and in the African Union . In 2017, Togo signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons . Togo joined the Commonwealth of Nations , along with Gabon , at the 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kigali , Rwanda. In joining the Commonwealth, Foreign Minister Robert Dussey told Reuters , the country sought to expand its "diplomatic, political and economic network" and to "forge closer ties with
1748-545: Is the Mono River with a length of 400 km (250 miles). It runs from north to south. The climate is "generally tropical" with average temperatures ranging from 23 °C (73 °F) on the coast to about 30 °C (86 °F) in the northernmost regions, with a drier climate and characteristics of a tropical savanna . Togo contains three terrestrial ecoregions: Eastern Guinean forests , Guinean forest-savanna mosaic , and West Sudanian savanna . The coast of Togo
1824-530: Is translated from the Ewe language as "behind the river". During the period from the 11th century to the 16th century, tribes entered the region: the Ewé from the west, and the Mina and Gun from the east. Most of them settled in coastal areas. The Atlantic slave trade began in the 16th century, and for the next two hundred years the coastal region was a trading centre for Europeans in search of slaves, earning Togo and
1900-622: The African Union (light blue) Togo , officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa . It is bordered by Ghana to the west , Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north . It is one of the least developed countries and extends south to the Gulf of Guinea , where its capital , Lomé , is located. It is a small, tropical country, which covers 57,000 square kilometres (22,000 square miles) and has
1976-662: The Allada and Ouidah , which were later taken over by the Dahomey kingdom. The extensive slave trade along the Slave Coast contributed to the development of a diverse population engaged in transatlantic commercial and social networks. This population played an influential role in shaping both Atlantic commerce and culture. The transatlantic slave trade in West Africa began to decline earlier than in other regions. While
2052-572: The Gbe family . 47.8% of the population adhere to Christianity , making it the largest religion in the country. Togo is a member of the United Nations , African Union , Organisation of Islamic Cooperation , South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone , Francophonie , Commonwealth of Nations , and Economic Community of West African States . Archaeological finds indicate that tribes were able to produce pottery and process iron . The name Togo
2128-521: The Gold Coast as part of the independent nation of Ghana in 1957. French Togoland became an autonomous republic within the French Union in 1959, while France retained the right to control defence, foreign relations, and finances. The Togolese Republic was proclaimed on 27 April 1960. In the first presidential elections in 1961, Sylvanus Olympio became the first president, gaining 100% of
2204-528: The Gulf of Guinea is 56 km (35 miles) long and consists of lagoons with sandy beaches. In the north, the land is characterized by a rolling savanna in contrast to the centre of the country, which is characterized by hills. The south of Togo is characterized by a savanna and woodland plateau which reaches a coastal plain with lagoons and marshes. The highest mountain of the country is the Mont Agou at 986 metres (3235') above sea level. The longest river
2280-595: The Niger River were infected with fevers. Between 1844 and 1854, 20 of the 74 French missionaries in Senegal died from local illnesses, and 19 more died shortly after arriving back to France. Intermarriage has been documented in ports like Ouidah where Europeans were permanently stationed. Communication was quite extensive among all three areas of trade, to the point where even individual enslaved people could be tracked. The trans-Atlantic slave trade resulted in
2356-602: The Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA). Agriculture is the "backbone" of the economy. A shortage of funds for the purchase of irrigation equipment and fertilizers has reduced agricultural output. Agriculture generated 28.2% of GDP in 2012 and employed 49% of the working population in 2010. The country is essentially self-sufficient in food production. Livestock production
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2432-775: The Pepper Coast (or Grain Coast). European sources began documenting the development of trade in the "Slave Coast" region and its integration into the transatlantic slave trade around 1670. In the 18th century, intermarriage between European residents and African women was primarily linked to the European forts established in Ouidah. While most European personnel either died or returned home after short tenures, those who stayed longer often formed relationships with local women and had children. The transatlantic slave trade led to
2508-598: The Union des Forces du Changement (UFC). Electoral fraud was suspected due to a lack of European Union or other independent oversight. Parliament designated Deputy President, Bonfoh Abbass , as interim president until the inauguration. On 3 May 2005, Faure Gnassingbé was sworn in as the new president and the European Union suspended aid to Togo in support of the opposition claims, unlike the African Union and
2584-570: The anglophone world ." FAT ( Forces armées togolaises , "Togolese armed forces"), consists of the army, navy, air force, and gendarmerie . Total military expenditures during the fiscal year of 2005 totalled 1.6% of the country's GDP . Military bases exist in Lomé , Temedja, Kara , Niamtougou , and Dapaong . The current Chief of the General Staff is Brigadier General Titikpina Atcha Mohamed, who took office on 19 May 2009. The air force
2660-507: The Americas and textiles from Europe as part of the triangular trade . Historians have noted that though official records state that twelve million enslaved Africans were transported to the Americas from Africa, the actual number of slaves purchased by European slave traders was considerably higher. Alongside other forms of trade, this complex exchange also fostered cultural exchanges between these three regions, involving religions, architectural styles, languages, and knowledge. In addition to
2736-560: The Atlantic trade between the 16th and 19th century, but that about 1.5 million people died on board ships. About 10.5 million slaves arrived in the Americas. Besides the enslaved people who died on the Middle Passage , more African people likely died during the slave raids in Africa and forced marches to ports. Manning estimates that 4 million people died inside Africa after capture, and many more died young. Manning's estimate covers
2812-512: The Netherlands (13%), Benin (9.6%) and Mali (7.4%). In terms of structural reforms, it has made progress in the liberalization of the economy, namely in the fields of trade and port activities. The privatization program of the cotton sector, telecommunications and water supply has stalled. On 12 January 1994, the devaluation of the currency by 50% provided an impetus to renewed structural adjustment; these efforts were facilitated by
2888-485: The United States which declared the vote "reasonably fair". The Nigerian president and Chair of AU, Olusẹgun Ọbasanjọ , sought to negotiate between the incumbent government and the opposition to establish a coalition government, and rejected an AU Commission appointment of former Zambian president, Kenneth Kaunda , as special AU envoy to Togo. In June, President Gnassingbé named opposition leader Edem Kodjo as
2964-583: The United States, United Kingdom, and West Germany . He rejected the efforts of French soldiers who were demobilized after the Algerian War and tried to get a position in the Togolese army. These factors eventually led to a military coup on 13 January 1963 during which he was assassinated by a group of soldiers under the direction of Sergeant Gnassingbé Eyadéma . A state of emergency was declared in Togo. The military handed over power to an interim government led by Nicolas Grunitzky . In May 1963, Grunitzky
3040-477: The beach south of Ouidah, which lacked formal port facilities. The other primary port from which slaves embarked was Lagos . These figures represent only those who survived the conditions prior to departure, including the harsh waiting and loading periods. Other nearby coastal regions were historically known by their prime colonial export are the Gold Coast , the Ivory Coast (or Windward Coast), and
3116-529: The civil and military security apparatus. With the presence of an EU observer mission, cancelled ballots and illegal voting took place, the majority of which in RPT strongholds. On 3 December 2007 Komlan Mally of RPT was appointed to prime minister succeeding Agboyibor. On 5 September 2008, Mally resigned as prime minister of Togo. Faure Gnassingbé won re-election in the March 2010 presidential election, taking 61% of
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3192-524: The colonies of British Togoland and French Togoland . On 20 July 1922, Great Britain received the League of Nations mandate to govern the western part of Togo and France to govern the eastern part. In 1945, the country received the right to send three representatives to the French parliament. After World War II , these mandates became UN Trust Territories . The residents of British Togoland voted to join
3268-546: The country is Lomé–Tokoin International Airport serving the capital, Lomé, and another Niamtougou International Airport in Niamtougou , serving the country's northern part. Togo, in terms of water transport, is only 50 km (31 mi) navigable, mostly seasonally on the Mono River , depending on rainfall, as of 2011. Togo has only one large container port for carrying trade operations in and out of
3344-460: The country, the Port of Lomé, in the capital. The November 2010 census gave Togo a population of 6,191,155, more than double the total counted in the last census; in 2022 the Togo population was 8,680,832. That census, taken in 1981, showed the nation had a population of 2,719,567. The capital, Lomé, grew from 375,499 in 1981 to 837,437 in 2010. When the urban population of surrounding Golfe prefecture
3420-590: The destruction of individuals and cultures. Historian Ana Lucia Araujo has noted that the process of enslavement did not end with arrival on Western Hemisphere shores; the different paths taken by the individuals and groups who were victims of the trans-Atlantic slave trade were influenced by different factors—including the disembarking region, the ability to be sold on the market, the kind of work performed, gender, age, religion, and language. University of Pittsburgh Professor of World History, Patrick Manning, estimates that about 12 million enslaved people were victims of
3496-488: The early 16th century to the late 19th century. During this time, this coastal area became a major hub for the export of enslaved Africans to the Americas. European powers, including the Portuguese, British, Dutch, and French, established forts and trading posts in the region to facilitate the slave trade. The area was so named due to the high volume of enslaved people transported from its shores, profoundly impacting both
3572-459: The end of strife in 1994 and a return to overt political calm. Progress depends on increased openness in government financial operations (to accommodate increased social service outlays) and possible downsizing of the armed forces , on which the regime has depended to stay in place. Lack of aid and depressed cocoa prices generated a 1% fall in GDP in 1998, with growth resuming in 1999. Togo is a member of
3648-415: The enslaved people, free men used the exchange routes to travel to new destinations, and both slaves and free travelers helped blend European and African cultures. After the institution of slavery was abolished by successive European governments, the transatlantic slave trade continued for a time, with independent traders operating in violation of their countries' laws. The savage nature of the trade led to
3724-434: The flow of captives from Atlantic Africa is generally considered to have first been restricted by legislation and diplomatic and naval pressure over several decades in the early 19th century, the decline in West Africa started even before abolition laws were enacted. Most powerful slave-trading countries had begun abolitionist campaigns in 1807, while the volume of slave shipments began to decline in West Africa from 1787. This
3800-762: The formation of an "Atlantic community" of Africans and Europeans in the 17th, 18th, and 19th century. Roughly twelve million enslaved Africans were purchased by European slave traders from African slave merchants during the period of the transatlantic slave trade. Enslaved Africans were transported to the Americas to work on cash crop plantations in European colonies . Ports that exported these enslaved people from Africa include Ouidah , Lagos , Aného (Little Popo), Grand-Popo , Agoué , Jakin , Porto-Novo , and Badagry . These ports traded slaves who were supplied from African communities, tribes and kingdoms, including
3876-610: The former prime minister Agbeyome Kodjo who had 18%. On 4 May 2020, Bitala Madjoulba, the commander of a Togolese military battalion, was found dead in his office. The day of Madjoulba's death came after the re-elected Faure Gnassingbé was sworn in for his fourth term. An investigation was opened for this case, resulting in Major General Kadangha Abalo Felix being prosecuted and tried for involvement in Madjoulba's assassination and 'conspiracy against
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#17327718922833952-417: The highway will continue west to seven other Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) nations. Togo has a railway network of 568 km (353 mi) as of 2008, with no further updates in the network as of 2023. It follows a track gauge of 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) ( narrow gauge ) Trains are operated by Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Togolais (SNCT), which was established as
4028-485: The internal security of the state.' Togo joined the Commonwealth in June 2022. Prior to its admission at the 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting , Foreign Minister Robert Dussey said that he expected Commonwealth membership to provide new export markets, funding for development projects and opportunities for Togolese citizens to learn English and access new educational and cultural resources. The president
4104-614: The judiciary; infringement of citizens' privacy rights; restrictions on freedoms of press , assembly , and movement; official corruption; discrimination and violence against women; child abuse, including female genital mutilation (FGM), and sexual exploitation of children; regional and ethnic discrimination; trafficking in persons, especially women and children; societal discrimination against persons with disabilities; official and societal discrimination against homosexual persons; societal discrimination against persons with HIV ; and forced labour, including by children." Same-sex sexual activity
4180-498: The local societies and the broader Atlantic world. The Slave Coast is estimated to have been the point of departure for approximately two million enslaved Africans, representing about 16% of the estimated 12.5 million individuals transported to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade . This equates to an average of around 20 individuals leaving the Slave Coast each day for over two centuries. A significant number of these individuals, likely more than half, were embarked from
4256-469: The move, thereby creating a rift within the African Union . Gnassingbé left power and held elections, which he won two months later. The opposition declared that the election results were fraudulent. The events of 2005 led to questions regarding the government's commitment to democracy that had been made in an attempt to normalize relations with EU which cut off aid in 1993 due to questions about Togo's human rights situation. Up to 400 people were killed in
4332-450: The name "The Slave Coast ". In 1884, Germany declared a region including a protectorate called Togoland . After World War I , rule over Togo was transferred to France . Togo gained its independence from France in 1960. In 1967, Gnassingbé Eyadéma led a successful military coup d'état , after which he became president of an anti-communist, single-party state. In 1993, Eyadéma faced multiparty elections marred by irregularities, and won
4408-456: The nation's borders, forcing the plane to land in Benin. With an engineered power vacuum, the Parliament voted to remove the constitutional clause that would have required an election within 60 days and declared that Eyadema's son, Faure Gnassingbé , would inherit the presidency and hold office for the rest of his father's term. Faure was sworn in on 7 February 2005, with international criticism of
4484-407: The population were traditional animists, 28% were Roman Catholic, 20% Sunni Muslim, 9% Protestant and another 5% belonged to other Christian denominations. The remaining 5% were reported to include persons not affiliated with any religious group. The report noted that "many" Christians and Muslims continue to perform indigenous religious practices. Slave Coast of West Africa The Slave Coast
4560-677: The population. Sometimes the Ewes and Ouatchis are considered the same, while the French who studied both groups considered them different people. Other ethnic groups include the Mina, Mossi , the Moba and Bassar, the Tchokossi of Mango (about 8%). Religion in Togo (Arda 2020 estimate) According to a 2012 US government religious freedoms report, in 2004 the University of Lomé estimated that 33% of
4636-464: The power of prime minister and remaining the office "President of the Council of Ministers" ( French : Président du Conseil des Ministres . The term of the new office will six years, renewable indefinitely, whereas the term of the president is lowered to four from the previous five, renewable once. In April 2024, the Togolese parliment voted in favour of the new constitution and the new constitution
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#17327718922834712-399: The presidency three times. At the time of his death, Eyadéma was the "longest-serving leader in modern African history", having been president for 38 years. In 2005, his son Faure Gnassingbé was elected president. Togo is a tropical , sub-Saharan nation whose economy depends mostly on agriculture. The official language is French, but other languages are spoken, particularly those of
4788-491: The prime minister. In October 2007, after postponements, elections were held under proportional representation. This allowed the less populated north to seat as many MPs as the more populated south. The president-backed party Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) won a majority with UFC coming second and the other parties claiming inconsequential representation. Vote rigging accusations were levelled at RPT supported by
4864-497: The resulting crackdown by security forces, and Gambia's foreign minister, Ousainou Darboe , had to issue a correction after saying that Gnassingbé should resign. In the February 2020 presidential elections, Faure Gnassingbé won his fourth presidential term in office as the president of Togo. According to the official result, he won with a margin of around 72% of the vote share. This enabled him to defeat his closest challenger,
4940-702: The successful French and British invasion of the German colony of Togoland during the West African Campaign of the First World War. Following the Allied invasion of the colony in August 1914, German forces were defeated, forcing the colony's surrender on 26 August 1914. On 7 December 1916, the condominium collapsed and Togoland was subsequently partitioned into British and French zones, creating
5016-411: The succession. The African Union described the takeover as a military coup d'état . International pressure also came from the United Nations . Within Togo, opposition to the takeover culminated in riots in which between 400 and 500 people died. There were uprisings in cities and towns mainly in the southern part of the country. In the town of Aného reports of a general civilian uprising followed by
5092-443: The surrounding region the name "The Slave Coast ". In 1884, a paper was signed at Togoville with King Mlapa III, whereby Germany claimed a protectorate over a stretch of territory along the coast and gradually extended its control inland. Its borders were defined after the capture of hinterland by German forces and signing agreements with France and Britain. In 1905, this became the German colony of Togoland . The local population
5168-589: The tax base, and disrupted economic activities in the country. Togo was ranked 117th in the Global Innovation Index in 2024. It imports machinery , equipment, petroleum products, and food. Its main import partners are France (21.1%), the Netherlands (12.1%), Côte d'Ivoire (5.9%), Germany (4.6%), Italy (4.4%), South Africa (4.3%) and China (4.1%). The main exports are cocoa , coffee , re-export of goods, phosphates and cotton . "Major export partners" are Burkina Faso (16.6%), China (15.4%),
5244-562: The violence surrounding the presidential elections, according to the UN. Around 40,000 Togolese fled to neighbouring countries. Gnassingbé was reelected in 2010 and 2015. Togo became the first African nation to win an Olympic medal in canoeing at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing when Benjamin Boukpeti won bronze in the K-1 slalom . In 2017, anti-government protests erupted. UN condemned
5320-464: The vote against Jean-Pierre Fabre from UFC, who had been backed by an opposition coalition called FRAC (Republican Front for Change). Electoral observers noted "procedural errors" and technical problems, and the opposition did not recognize the results, claiming irregularities had affected the outcome. Periodic protests against Faure Gnassingbé followed the election. In May 2010, opposition leader Gilchrist Olympio announced that he would enter into
5396-493: The vote in elections boycotted by the opposition. On 9 April 1961, the Constitution of the Togolese Republic was adopted, according to which the supreme legislative body was the National Assembly of Togo . In December 1961, leaders of opposition parties were arrested because they were accused of the preparation of an anti-government conspiracy. A decree was issued on the dissolution of the opposition parties. Olympio tried to reduce dependence on France by establishing cooperation with
5472-623: Was due to colonial legislation creating favorable circumstances for abolition and greater economic opportunities, such as the cash crop revolution, empowering former slaves. This process influenced the enforcing of abolition through legislation in the remaining countries which were involved in the trade. The coast was also called "the White man's grave" because of the mass amount of death from illnesses such as yellow fever , malaria , heat exhaustion , and many gastro-entero sicknesses. In 1841, 80% of British sailors serving in military expeditions on
5548-646: Was elected President of the Republic. The new leadership pursued a policy of developing relations with France. His main aim was to dampen the divisions between north and south, promulgate a new constitution, and introduce a multiparty system. On 13 January 1967, Eyadéma Gnassingbé overthrew Grunitzky in a bloodless coup and assumed the presidency. He created the Rally of the Togolese People Party , banned activities of other political parties and introduced
5624-544: Was forced to work, cultivate cotton, coffee, and cocoa and pay taxes. A railway and the port of Lomé were built for export of agricultural products. The Germans introduced techniques of cultivation of cocoa , coffee and cotton and developed the infrastructure. During the First World War , Togoland was invaded by Britain and France, proclaiming the Anglo-French condominium. The Togoland Campaign involved
5700-510: Was named to lead the new government. In the same month, the home of opposition leader Jean-Pierre Fabre was raided by security forces, and thousands of protesters again rallied publicly against the government crackdown. In April 2015, President Faure Gnassingbé was re-elected for a third term. In February 2020, Faure Gnassingbé was again re-elected for his fourth presidential term. The opposition had accusations of fraud and irregularities. The Gnassingbé family has ruled Togo since 1967, meaning it
5776-617: Was officially adopted on 6 May 2024. Togo is divided into 5 regions which are subdivided in turn into 39 prefectures . From north to south the regions are Savanes , Kara , Centrale , Plateaux and Maritime . While Togo's foreign policy is nonaligned, it has historical and cultural ties with western Europe, especially France and Germany. Togo recognizes the People's Republic of China, North Korea , and Cuba . It re-established relations with Israel in 1987. Togo pursues an active foreign policy and participates in international organizations. It
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