About Togo
French - the official language and language of commerce, though not widely spoken outside business and government.
Ewe and Mina - widely spoken indigenous languages in the south.
Kabye (also spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba - widely spoken indigenous languages in the north.
French is the sole official language of Togo.
| Geography |
Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana
Map references: Africa
Land boundaries:
border countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana
Terrain: gently rolling savanna in the north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes
Geography - note: one of the more densely populated African nations, with most of the population residing in rural communities; the name derives from the town of Togodo (now Togoville), from the Ewe words to ("water") and go ("shore")
| People |
Population: 8-9.5 million (varies by source; 2022-2025 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 39.73%
65 years and over: 3.57% (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population 71.36 years (male 68.76, female 74.03)
Infant mortality rate: 41.19 deaths/1,000 live births
Nationality:
noun/adjective: Togolese (singular and plural)
Ethnic groups: Adja-Ewe/Mina 42.4%, Kabye/Tem 25.9%, Para-Gourma/Akan 17.1%, Akposso/Akebu 4.1%, Ana-Ife 3.2%, other Togolese 1.7%, foreigners 5.2% (2013-14 est.); over 40 ethnic groups total
Religions: Christian 42.3%, folk religion 36.9%, Muslim 14%, other/none 6.8% (2020 est.)
Languages: French (official, language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (south), Kabye and Dagomba (north)
Literacy: total population 72.6% (male 82.8%, female 63.7%) (2022 est.)
Population distribution: density highest in the south, on or near the Atlantic coast
| Government |
Country name:
conventional short form: Togo
Data code: TO
Government type: parliamentary republic (changed from presidential to parliamentary system under a new constitution promulgated in May 2024, which also created a Senate)
National capital: Lome
Background: constitutional changes in 2019 instituted a runoff system in presidential elections and established term limits, though these did little to reduce resentment after more than 50 years of one-family (Gnassingbe) rule; the 2024 constitutional overhaul to a parliamentary system has been viewed by critics as a maneuver to extend the ruling family's hold on power indefinitely
| Economy |
Economy - overview: low-income, least-developed West African economy; rests largely on agriculture (cotton, yams, cassava), although extensive phosphate reserves are also significant; strategic position as a transit hub in West Africa
GDP (purchasing power parity): $30.563 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.3% (2025f)
GDP - per capita: $3,290 PPP (2024 est.)
Inflation rate: 2.0% (2020 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5% (2025 est.)
Population below poverty line: 55.1% (2015)
Currency: West African CFA franc (XOF)