Togolese Republic
République togolaise (French)
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Location of Togo (dark blue)
in the African Union (light blue) |
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Capital and largest city |
Lomé 6°7′N 1°13′E / 6.117°N 1.217°E |
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Official languages | French | ||||
Recognised national languages | Ewe, Kabiyé | ||||
Vernacular languages |
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Ethnic groups |
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Demonym | Togolese | ||||
Government | Presidential republic | ||||
Faure Gnassingbé | |||||
Komi Sélom Klassou | |||||
Legislature | National Assembly | ||||
Independence | |||||
• from France
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27 April 1960 | ||||
Area | |||||
• Total
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56,785 km2 (21,925 sq mi) (125th) | ||||
• Water (%)
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4.2 | ||||
Population | |||||
• 2015 estimate
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7,552,318 (100th) | ||||
• 2010 census
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5,337,000 | ||||
• Density
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125.9/km2 (326.1/sq mi) (93rde) | ||||
GDP (PPP) | 2017 estimate | ||||
• Total
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$12.494 billion (150th) | ||||
• Per capita
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$1,619 | ||||
GDP (nominal) | 2017 estimate | ||||
• Total
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$4.554 billion | ||||
• Per capita
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$590 | ||||
Gini (2011) | 46 high |
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HDI (2015) |
0.487 low · 166th |
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Currency | CFA franc (XOF) | ||||
Time zone | GMT (UTC+0) | ||||
Drives on the | right | ||||
Calling code | +228 | ||||
ISO 3166 code | TG | ||||
Internet TLD | .tg | ||||
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in the African Union (light blue)
Togo (i/ˈtoʊɡoʊ/), officially the Togolese Republic (French: République togolaise), is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its capital Lomé is located. Togo covers 57,000 square kilometres (22,008 square miles), making it one of the smallest countries in Africa, with a population of approximately 7.5 million.
From the 11th to the 16th century, various tribes entered the region from all directions. From the 16th century to the 18th century, the coastal region was a major trading center for Europeans to search for slaves, earning Togo and the surrounding region the name "The Slave Coast". In 1884, Germany declared Togoland a protectorate. 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. At the time of his death in 2005, Gnassingbé was the longest-serving leader in modern African history, after having been president for 38 years. In 2005, his son Faure Gnassingbé was elected president.