01
Physical geography
Gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes.
Local timeLomé ·
Africa / Western Africa · Card 054
Togo
Togo is a country in Western Africa. Its capital is Lomé.
Find Togo
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
At a glance
- Capital
- Lomé
- Languages
- French
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF)
- Population
- 8.6 million2025 · World Bank
- Area
- 56,785 km²21,925 square miles
- Independence
- 1960
Togo in context
Africa and its surrounding islands. The dot marks Lomé; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
02
Languages
Languages used in public life include French.
03
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana.
Flag
Five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow; a five-pointed white star on a red square is in the upper-left corner
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile · Government update
History & independence
French-administered Togoland became independent as Togo on 27 April 1960 after UN trusteeship. The western British-administered part of the former German colony had joined the Gold Coast before Ghana’s independence.
-
Independence from French-administered trusteeship
-
Gnassingbé Eyadéma takes power
-
A new constitution establishes a parliamentary system
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile · Government update
Economy
Main activities
Agriculture, phosphate-related activity, commerce and transport are important. Lomé’s port serves domestic trade and landlocked neighbors. Cotton, coffee and cocoa are notable agricultural exports.
Industry and production
phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts, textiles, beverages
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile · Government update
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population, 1970–2025
Millions of people8.62025 · millions of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Millions of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2,149,478 | 2.149 |
| 1980 | 2,791,408 | 2.791 |
| 1990 | 3,714,021 | 3.714 |
| 2000 | 4,783,722 | 4.784 |
| 2010 | 6,325,788 | 6.326 |
| 2020 | 7,788,054 | 7.788 |
| 2025 | 8,591,626 | 8.592 |
Real GDP, 1990–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars9.42025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 2,813,624,018 | 2.814 |
| 1991 | 2,793,929,564 | 2.794 |
| 1992 | 2,682,711,979 | 2.683 |
| 1993 | 2,277,734,407 | 2.278 |
| 1994 | 2,618,994,013 | 2.619 |
| 1995 | 2,824,475,892 | 2.824 |
| 1996 | 3,074,052,559 | 3.074 |
| 1997 | 3,516,020,702 | 3.516 |
| 1998 | 3,435,156,566 | 3.435 |
| 1999 | 3,520,408,613 | 3.520 |
| 2000 | 3,492,826,930 | 3.493 |
| 2001 | 3,521,588,220 | 3.522 |
| 2002 | 3,656,346,110 | 3.656 |
| 2003 | 3,902,058,837 | 3.902 |
| 2004 | 3,863,870,739 | 3.864 |
| 2005 | 3,683,570,963 | 3.684 |
| 2006 | 3,781,190,459 | 3.781 |
| 2007 | 3,736,756,295 | 3.737 |
| 2008 | 3,887,557,324 | 3.888 |
| 2009 | 4,099,577,351 | 4.100 |
| 2010 | 4,339,580,302 | 4.340 |
| 2011 | 4,592,285,182 | 4.592 |
| 2012 | 4,881,723,795 | 4.882 |
| 2013 | 5,166,047,627 | 5.166 |
| 2014 | 5,457,063,354 | 5.457 |
| 2015 | 5,755,457,836 | 5.755 |
| 2016 | 5,998,044,851 | 5.998 |
| 2017 | 6,238,441,246 | 6.238 |
| 2018 | 6,537,585,941 | 6.538 |
| 2019 | 6,859,201,998 | 6.859 |
| 2020 | 7,007,292,259 | 7.007 |
| 2021 | 7,367,160,813 | 7.367 |
| 2022 | 7,830,882,103 | 7.831 |
| 2023 | 8,316,211,178 | 8.316 |
| 2024 | 8,858,969,845 | 8.859 |
| 2025 | 9,417,999,786 | 9.418 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.571Medium human developmentRank 161 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
19900.412
20000.448
20100.483
20200.554
20230.571
62.7 yearsLife expectancy at birth
5.9 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
Parliamentary republic under the 2024 constitution, implemented in 2025. The president of the Council leads the government; parliament comprises the National Assembly and Senate.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile · Government update
Knowledge check
Three questions about Togo.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
Which port serves Togo’s domestic trade and landlocked neighbors?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile · Government update
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.