Promoting the Country of Togo

1. (Togolese Republic)
TOGO

2. GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION
Western
Africa,
bordering the
Bight of
Benin,
between Benin
and Ghana

3. GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES
8.6195° N, 0.8248° E

4. AREA COVERED
Total:
56,785 km² (21,925 sq miles)
Land:
54,385 km2 (20,998 sq mi)
Water Area :
2,400 km2 (927 sq mi)

5. TERRAIN
Gently rolling savanna
in north; central hills;
southern plateau; low
coastal plain with
extensive lagoons and
marshes.

6. HISTORY
Tribes settled along the coast in
the pre-colonial era, and by the
15th century the
Portuguese arrived and built
forts in the neighboring
countries
of Ghana and Benin. Due to
the lack of natural harbors, the
region of Togo was overlooked.

7. HISTORY
In the 16th century the
slave trade began in this
part of Africa, and for the
next two hundred years this
coastal region was a major
trading center
for Europeans in search
of slaves.

8. HISTORY
Subsequently, Togo and
the surrounding
region was referred to
as the "Slave Coast,"
and that terrible stigma
remains to this day.

9. HISTORY
In 1905, Togo became
the German colony of
Togoland, but
after Germany was
defeated during World
War I, British and French
soon administered this
land.

10. HISTORY
Togo became an
autonomous republic
within the French
Union in 1959, then a year
later, French Togoland
achieved independence
from France.

11. April 27, 1960
INDEPENDENCE DAY

12. As a prelude to independence France
makes Togo in 1956 an autonymous
republic within the French Union, and
appoints as premier Nicholas Grunitzky.
He founds the Togolese Progress Party to
fight the 1958 elections for Togo's first
territorial assembly. But he is defeated by
Sylvanus Olympio, leader of the
Togolese National Unity Party. Olympio
also wins the first presidential election after
independence, in 1961.
THE START OF POLITICAL
HISTORY

13. Olympio's rule ends within
two years owing to a crisis
caused by the return of
Togolese non-commissioned
officers, demobilized from the
French army. Olympio rejects
their demand to be
incorporated in the Togolese
army. It is a stance which costs
him his life.

14. In January 1963 he is assassinated in a
street in Lomé by one of the
returning sergeants, Gnassingbé
Eyadéma. Olympio's rival,
Grunitzky, has meanwhile fled into
exile. He is now invited back to
become president. He duly
incorporates the non-commissioned
officers in the army, many of them as
officers - including Eyadéma, who
soon rises to the rank of lieutenant
colonel and becomes Togo's chief of
staff.

15. In 1967, following a
successful military coup,
Gnassingbe Eyadema
was named president, and
he continued his command
well into the 21st century.

16. At the time of his death in
2005, after serving as
president for 38 years,
Eyadema became the
longest-serving leader in
modern African history.
Shortly thereafter, his son
Faure Gnassingbe was
elected president.

17. Gnassingbé's succession was
challenged by a popular protest
and by threat of sanctions from
regional leaders. Subsequently,
Gnassingbé succumbed to
pressure and in April 2005,
held elections that
legitimized his succession.
He has since been reelected.

18. Togo is named after the town of Togoville,
where Gustav Nachtigal signed a treaty
with Mlapa III in 1884, establishing a
German protectorate. Togo is an Ewe
(pronounced Ev'hé) word meaning "lake"
or "lagoon."
TOGO’S
IDENTIFICATION

19. The flag of Togo was
officially adopted on
April 27, 1960. It features
a white "Star of Hope“
on a field of red, and
the red of that field is said to represent the blood shed
by countrymen during the internal struggle for
independence.
THE FLAG OF TOGOLESE

20. Green is symbolic of the
country's agricultural
wealth, while yellow is
symbolic of mineral wealth.
the five horizontal stripes
represent the five regions
of Togo from north to
south these are: Savanes is the northernmost region,
bordered by Ghana in west, Burkina Faso in north,
the Atakora Department of Benin in east and Kara
region in south.
THE FLAG OF TOGOLESE

21. Originally adopted on
independence in 1960,
the national anthem was
replaced in 1979 and
restored in 1991, when
Western-mandated
reforms were brought in
and one-party rule
dropped.
NATIONAL ANTHEM OF TOGO

22. Title: “Salut à toi, pays de nos aïeux”
(French)
“Hail to thee, land of our forefathers”
(English translation)
Lyricist/composer: Alex Casimir-
Dosseh
Adopted : 1960
- November, 1979 (replaced)
- April, 1991 (restored)
October 14, 1992 (constitutional
confirmation)
NATIONAL ANTHEM OF TOGO

23. Lomé
CAPITAL CITY

24. Atakpamé
 Kpalimé
 Sokodé
Kara.
OTHER CITIES:

25. Republic since
years under
transition to
multiparty
democratic rule
GOVERNMENT TYPE:

26. Tropical; hot
throughout the year,
humid in south;
semiarid in north.
CLIMATE:

27. CLIMATE:
The climate is tropical and humid for seven months,
while the dry, desert winds of the Harmattan blow
south from November to March, bringing cooler
weather though little moisture. Annual temperatures
vary between 75 and 98 degrees Fahrenheit (23 and
35 degrees Celsius) in the south and 65 to 100
degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 38 degrees Celsius) in the
north.

28. People

29. Togolese
NATIONALITY

30. As of 1 January 2017,
the population of Togo
was estimated to be 7
599 721 people. This is
an increase of 2.67 %
(197 491 people)
compared to population
of 7 402 230 the year
before
POPULATION

31.  native African (37
tribes; largest and
most important
are: Ewe, Mina, and
Kabre) 99%
 European and
Syrian Lebanese
less than 1%.
ETHNIC GROUPS

32.  traditional
African religions
51%(Voodoo)
 Christian 30%,
 Muslim 15%
RELIGIONS

33. Voodoo is traceable to
African word which means
spirit and consists of many
sects including yeve, which
believes in Hibisou as its god
and spirit of storms, and
Dan, a serpent spirit. A part
of the belief of the voodoo
people is that evils or demons
exist even if they are
invisible.
VOODOO

34. Voodoo rituals are conducted
to make contact with a spirit
to gain favor or obtain help
usually in the form of
abundant food or improved
health and high standard of
living. The ritual is often
conducted by a voodoo
priest (hungan for male and
mambo for female) inside a
voodoo temple called
humfor.

35. CHRISTIANITY
Christianity started in Togo in
1830 upon the establishment of a
German Catholic Mission station
as a result of the religion’s anti-
slavery movement. It was in 1970
when Christian churches and
missions enjoyed more freedom
to operate in the country

36. Islam came to the country about
the same time that it entered
most of West Africa. Introduced
by the Hausa and Fulani nomads
in their travel throughout West
Africa with their Muslim beliefs
brought to many different places,
Islam adherents now represent a
sizeable percentage of the
country’s population.
ISLAM

37.  French (official and the
language of commerce)
 Ewe and Mina (the two
major African languages
in the south)
 Kabye (sometimes
spelled Kabiye)
 Dagomba (the two major
African languages in the
north).
LANGUAGES

38.  male: 75.4%
 female: 46.9%
LITERACY

39.  Phosphates
(main source of
foreign exchange),
limestone
 marble
 arable land.
NATURAL RESOURCES

40.  Coffee,
 cocoa,
 cotton,
 yams,
 cassava
(tapioca),
 corn,
beans
 rice,
 millet,
 sorghum;
 livestock
 fish.
AGRICULTURE PRODUCTS

41. INDUSTRIES
Phosphate mining,
agricultural
processing,
 cement;
handicrafts,
 textiles,
 beverages.

42. EXPORTS -
COMMODITIES:
 cocoa
 gold powder
 cotton
 phosphates
 coffee

43.  India 14.6%,
 Burkina Faso 11.3%,
 China 11.3%,
 Benin 9.6%,
 Ghana 9%,
 Lebanon 8.3%,
 Nigeria 6.1%,
 Niger 5.9% (2015)
EXPORTS PARTNERS:

44.  machinery
and
equipment
 foodstuffs
 petroleum
products.
IMPORTS - COMMODITIES:

45. IMPORTS PARTNERS
 China 22.9%,
 Belgium 20.3%,
 Netherlands
11.9%,
 France 6.6%,
 India 4.8%,
 Singapore 4.4%
(2015)

46. CFA Franc
(Communaute
Financiere
Africaine) (XOF)
1 Franc= 8.16
pesos
CURRENCY:

47. EDUCATION SYSTEM
Education School/Level Grade
From
Grade To
Age From
Age To Years
Primary Primary School 1 6 6 12 6
Middle Junior
Secondary
7 10 13 16 4
Secondary Senior
Secondary
11 13 17 19 3
Vocational Vocational
Education
Tertiary Tertiary Higher
Education

48. In Togo primary education,
which is free and in theory
compulsory too takes 6 years to
complete. This is an improvement
over previous decades when parents
still had to pay teachers in rural areas
themselves. Schools are state-owned,
Christian or Islamic, yet 10% of
children are still deprived of a basic
education.
PRIMARY EDUCATION

49. Secondary schooling takes
a further 6 years to complete.
Facilities are sparse in far-flung
rural places but generous in
the Capital City of Lomé,
where the better private
schools are found. The
curriculum is similar to that
used in France today.
SECONDARY EDUCATION

50. What formal vocational
training does exist is largely in
the hands of religious
institutions and foreign
donors. On the ground
though, people lucky enough
to find employment continue
to just learn as they go along.
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

51. Tertiary education
institutions are centered in the
Capital City of Lomé. These
include colleges of administration,
architecture and urban planning.
The University of Lomé was
established as the University of
Benin in 1970, and trains engineers
and technicians in civil, electrical
and mechanical engineering
TERTIARY EDUCATION

52. Tertiary education in
Togo remains the
property of the children
of the rich, the famous
and the influential, and is
sadly yet of little benefit
to people living in rural
areas, where progress
stands still.

53. Food
and
Economy

54. Togolese usually have
two or three meals per
day, each consisting
largely of a starch
product, such as
cassava, maize, rice,
yams, or plantains.
FOOD IN DAILY LIFE

55. A hot, spicy sauce is served with
midday or evening meals,
consisting of a protein—fish,
goat, beans, or beef—and often
rich in palm (red) oil or peanut
paste. Fruits and vegetables,
though readily available, are
eaten more by the bourgeoisie.
Traditional French staples,
including baguettes, are
mainstream in the cities.

56. Food does not serve a
significant ceremonial
function, except perhaps
in terms of animist
rituals, when the
sacrificed animals are
prepared, cooked, and
served.
FOOD CUSTOMS AT CEREMONIAL
OCCASIONS

57. Child labor has been
ubiquitous, and in 1996
and 1998 several
incidents of child
slavery were exposed.
Girls are more likely to
work than go to school
in much of Togo.
DIVISION OF LABOR

58. Professional positions are usually
occupied by individuals who have
had post-secondary school
education. Successful business
people may or may not have formal
educations, but often they have
relatives, friends, or patrons who
helped finance their establishment.

59. Customary divisions of labor
generally do not still hold in
Togo, though men do most
heavy construction work.
Women perform almost all
other manual labor in towns
and villages, though less
machine work, and control
small market commerce.
DIVISION OF LABOR BY
GENDER.

60. Traditional systems of
social organization are
significant in the daily lives
of Togolese. Kinship
systems provide networks
for support and are visible
during all major life-cycle
ceremonies.
MARRIAGE, FAMILY, AND
KINSHIP.

61. Marriage practices vary
throughout Togo according to
the ethnic group, though
organized religions and the State
have altered the ceremonies of
even the most secluded villages.
Social disapproval of ethnic
exogamy is lessening, though the
government unofficially
discourages it.
MARRIAGE.

62. Marriage law follows French legal
statutes and requires an
appearance before a magistrate
for all state apparatuses to be in
effect. Customary marriages,
without state sanction, are still
widespread. A bride-wealth, but
not a dowry, remains important
throughout Togo. Polygyny is
officially decreasing, though
unofficial relationships uphold its
role.

63. The basic family structure is extended,
although nuclear family units are increasingly
commonplace, particularly in urban areas. In
most cases, the man is the supreme head of
the household in all major decisions. In the
absence of the husband, the wife's senior
brother holds sway. The extended family has
a redistributive economic base.
DOMESTIC UNIT

64. Inheritance laws follow French legal
statutes in the case of a legal marriage.
In the event of a customary marriage
only, customary inheritance laws are
enforced. Most ethnic groups in Togo
are patrilineal by tradition or have
become so as a consequence of
colonization.
INHERITANCE

65. Kinship is largely patrilineal
throughout Togo and remains
powerful even among
Westernized, urban populations.
Village and neighborhood chiefs
remain integral to local dispute
resolution.
KIN GROUPS

66. Socialization

67. Infants are cared for by their
mothers and female members
of their households, including
servants. Among some ethnic
groups, infants are often only
exposed to the father eight
days after birth. Vaccination
against all childhood diseases
has been strongly encouraged
by the government.
INFANT CARE

68. Until the age of five, children remain
at home. Initiation ceremonies occur
from this age and throughout
adolescence. After the age of five, all
children can commence school,
providing they can pay the school
fees. On average, boys are three
times more likely to complete
primary schooling than girls. This
discrepancy increases into secondary
schooling and is most marked in the
rural central and northern regions.
CHILD REARING AND
EDUCATION.

69. Etiquette

70. Public displays of affection are seldom.
Men and boys hold hands, but not boys
and girls. Courting remains private and
is not generally arranged by parents
except among some ethnic groups; for
example, the Tchamba. Old people and
village elders are highly esteemed,
though the climate of political fear has
brought the undue influence of youths

71. Eating is done most often with the
right hand, though among the
bourgeoisie flatware is prevalent.
When guests arrive, water is offered
and the traditional greeting—asking
about the family and their health—
ensues.

72. Public Holidays
Date English Name Description
January 1 New Year
January 13 Liberation Day
Military coup under the
leadership of Etienne
Eyadema
April 27 Independence Day
Independence from France in
1960.
First Monday between 23
March and 26 April
Easter Monday
Secular Celebrations

73. May 1 Labor Day
First Monday between May
11 and Jun 14
Whit Monday
Whit Monday or Pentecost
Monday (also known as Monday
of the Holy Spirit) is
the holiday celebrated the day
after Pentecost, a moveable
feast in the Christian calendar. It is
moveable because it is determined
by the date of Easter.
June 21 Day of the Martyrs
August 15 Feast of the Assumption
September 23 or 24
Anniversary of the Failed
Attack on Lomé
November 1 All Saints' Day
December 25 Christmas Day

74. Thank you
And
Godbless 
-aivyclairevios-
-judyannremate-