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76-633: The Sahelian empires were a series of centralized kingdoms or empires that were centered on the Sahel , the area of grasslands south of the Sahara , from the 8th century to the 19th. The wealth of the states came from controlling the trade routes across the desert. Their power came from having large pack animals like camels and horses that were fast enough to keep a large empire under central control and were also useful in such kind of battle. All of these empires were also quite decentralized with member cities having

152-415: 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 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

228-872: 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

304-772: A great deal of autonomy. The Sahel states were limited from expanding south into the forest zone of the Bono and Yoruba as mounted warriors were all but useless in the forests and the horses and camels could not survive the diseases of the region. There were integrated kingdoms and empires, with substantial cities and significant towns; and less organised territories with large scattered populations. People practised agriculture, stock-rearing, hunting, fishing, and crafts (metalworking, textiles, ceramics). They navigated along rivers and across lakes, traded over short and long distances, and used their own currencies. African empires There were many kingdoms and empires in all regions of

380-578: 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

456-450: 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

532-483: 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,

608-525: 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

684-505: 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

760-444: 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

836-541: 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

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912-422: 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

988-637: 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,

1064-735: 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 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

1140-447: 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

1216-502: Is a wealth of oral traditions referring to the modern period that offer important and often crucial information for modern historians. There were high levels of scepticism regarding oral histories among historians of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries leading to their obscurity, and whilst valid criticisms remain about their limitations, modern attitudes towards oral traditions as historical sources continue to improve. Increased trade with Europe and an influx of Catholic missions from

1292-569: 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

1368-594: 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

1444-467: 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

1520-457: 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

1596-553: 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

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1672-455: 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

1748-858: 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

1824-539: 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

1900-523: 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

1976-509: 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

2052-469: The Great Lakes region that existed from around the 10th century to 15th century CE. Following the spread of Islam to Africa in the 7th century CE, there were many more written histories, most notably from Ibn Khaldun , but also from al–Masudi , al–Bakri , al–Idrisi , Yaqut , Abulfeda , al–Umari , and Ibn Battuta . Ge'ez literature also began covering history from the 14th to 16th century. There

2128-569: 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

2204-534: The Muslim world , however the residual fragments that had their capital on the continent of Africa are. Outside of North Africa , most of African political history relating to this time period has been pieced together through archaeological discoveries . There is very little written information about Sub–Saharan Africa at this time, besides that from outsiders such as " Periplus of the Erythraean Sea " , dated to

2280-585: 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

2356-580: 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

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2432-560: 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

2508-506: The colonial period has been preserved orally, passed down from generation to generation, and served a different function to the academic discipline of history . Perhaps the most famous examples of this is the Griots of West Africa , such as Balla Fasséké in the Mali Empire , who held largely hereditary positions. One of their roles was to study and memorise their people's history and serve in

2584-474: The 16th century onwards produced more written information which supplemented the Arabic literature , however African historiography as we view it today didn't take off until the 19th century under increased European interest in the region. These histories have been invaluable to modern historians, however they were often written from the colonial perspective under the pretence of Western superiority , occasionally for

2660-536: The 1st century CE, and the accounts of Claudius Ptolemy , dated to the 2nd century CE, both illuminating the East African coast . The delicate threads of oral tradition generally do not go back this far. Sub–Saharan African societies have broadly been labelled " oral civilisations ", contrasted with " literate civilisations ", due to the emphasis placed on oral tradition and the important place it has in their cultures . As such, most of African history predating

2736-506: 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

2812-478: 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

2888-628: 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

2964-485: 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 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

3040-522: 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

3116-470: The colonial authorities. Some kingdoms still exist today as non–sovereign monarchies . The roles, powers, and influence of non–sovereign monarchs throughout Africa vary greatly depending on the state. In some states, such as Angola , the local monarch may play an integral role in the local governing council of a region. They are often regarded as custodians of tradition and culture, and in some cases, play an important role in local religious activities. On

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3192-516: 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

3268-449: The continent of Africa throughout history, despite popular understanding often being that the continent lacked large states or meaningful complex political organisation. Whether rooted in ignorance, Eurocentrism , or racism , famous historians such as Hugh Trevor-Roper have argued that African history is not characterised by state formation or hierarchical structures . In fact, the nature of political organisation varied greatly across

3344-656: The continent, from the immensely hierarchical kingdoms of the Great Lakes , to the sacral Congolese empires akin to confederations or commonwealths , and expansive West Sudanic empires . The vast majority of states included in this list existed prior to the Scramble for Africa (c. 1880–1914) when, driven by the Second Industrial Revolution , almost all of the continent came under the control of European powers. Traditional power structures were often utilised by

3420-531: 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

3496-456: 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

3572-461: 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 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

3648-456: 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

3724-557: The flipside their powers may be curtailed, as happened in 2022 with Wadai in Chad , or had their positions abolished, as happened in Tanzania in 1962, and in 1966 in Uganda with Buganda , which was later restored in 1993. In this list they are labelled (NSM). There are only three current sovereign monarchies in Africa ; two of which ( Lesotho and Morocco ) are constitutional monarchies where

3800-591: 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

3876-417: 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

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3952-481: 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

4028-614: 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

4104-468: The king's court as an advisor, to represent the past, and to identify lessons. Whilst many oral traditions refer to this particular time period, they often take a mythological and parabolic form, and are over time condensed until eventually crystallising into a cliché, limiting but not eradicating their usefulness to modern historians, as displayed in the oral traditions about the Empire of Kitara , an empire in

4180-569: The king's place and power, particularly in the nucleus, whilst refers to the relationship between king and administration. A list of known kingdoms and empires on the African continent that we have record of. Togo in 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

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

4332-452: 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

4408-495: The nature of the Islamic version of kingship . For this reason, and in the interest of highlighting differences, classifications for sultanates will only reference the relationship between the sultan and their administration. Classifications not given as examples by Vansina are open to scrutiny ( here ). Ones where two classifications are given and joined by an " and " mean that the kingdom had elements from both present; refers to

4484-654: 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

4560-459: 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

4636-484: 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

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4712-503: The purpose of disseminating colonial narratives . This has provided the fuel for anti–African bias , particularly regarding their history, which still persists in many countries today. Historian Jan Vansina (1962) discusses the classification of Sub–Saharan African Kingdoms, mostly of Central, South and East Africa, with some additional data on West African (Sahelian) Kingdoms distinguishing five types, by decreasing centralization of power: Almost all sultanates embody (R) due to

4788-492: 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,

4864-487: The rulers are bound by laws and customs in the exercise of their powers, while one ( Eswatini ) is an absolute monarchy where the monarch rules without bounds. Sovereign monarchies are labelled (SM). There have been a number of autocrats in Africa who invoked hereditary succession in order to preserve their regimes , such as the Bongos of Gabon , Gnassingbés of Togo , or Aptidon – Guelleh of Djibouti , generating

4940-674: 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

5168-579: 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%),

5244-669: The term monarchical republic . These have been tentatively included due to their similarities to, and possibly even taking inspiration from, the institution of monarchy and are labelled (MR). Only kingdoms and tribal kingdoms as per Elman Service's classifications that were once independent are included, excluding bands , tribes , and most chiefdoms . Dates have [one date for loss of independence] / [one date for loss of nominal rule]. Additional information such as notable articles may accompany entries. The intercontinental Islamic empires that covered parts of North and Northeast Africa are not included, and should be discussed as part of

5320-549: 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

5396-464: 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

5472-667: 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

5548-628: 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

5624-531: 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

5776-613: 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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