Christmas Island (2007) | Togo (2006) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | 5 regions (regions, singular - region); Centrale, Kara, Maritime, Plateaux, Savanes |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
0-14 years: 42.3% (male 1,177,141/female 1,169,321)
15-64 years: 55.1% (male 1,485,621/female 1,570,117) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 59,870/female 86,632) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | NA | coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans, rice, millet, sorghum; livestock; fish |
Airports | 1 (2007) | 9 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2006) |
Area | total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 56,785 sq km
land: 54,385 sq km water: 2,400 sq km |
Area - comparative | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than West Virginia |
Background | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement began by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. | French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA, installed as military ruler in 1967, continued to rule well into the 21st century. Despite the facade of multiparty elections instituted in the early 1990s, the government continued to be dominated by President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party has maintained power almost continually since 1967. Togo has come under fire from international organizations for human rights abuses and is plagued by political unrest. While most bilateral and multilateral aid to Togo remains frozen, the EU initiated a partial resumption of cooperation and development aid to Togo in late 2004 based upon commitments by Togo to expand opportunities for political opposition and liberalize portions of the economy. Upon his death in February 2005, President EYADEMA was succeeded by his son Faure GNASSINGBE. The succession, supported by the military and in contravention of the nation's constitution, was challenged by popular protest and a threat of sanctions from regional leaders. GNASSINGBE succumbed to pressure and in April 2005 held elections that legitimized his succession. |
Birth rate | NA | 37.01 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
revenues: $251.3 million
expenditures: $292.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.) |
Capital | name: The Settlement
geographic coordinates: 10 25 S, 105 43 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
name: Lome
geographic coordinates: 6 08 N, 1 13 E time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds | tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north |
Coastline | 138.9 km | 56 km |
Constitution | Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 | multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the Republic 1 July 1992, adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
conventional long form: Togolese Republic
conventional short form: Togo local long form: Republique togolaise local short form: none former: French Togoland |
Death rate | NA | 9.83 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $2 billion (2005) |
Dependency status | non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | chief of mission: Ambassador Gregory ENGLE
embassy: Angle Rue Kouenou and Rue 15 Beniglato, Lome mailing address: B. P. 852, Lome telephone: [228] 221 29 91 through 221 29 94 FAX: [228] 221 79 52 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | chief of mission: Ambassador Akoussoulelou BODJONA
chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212 FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190 |
Disputes - international | none | in 2001 Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint commission continues to resurvey the boundary |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | ODA, $80 million (2000 est.) |
Economy - overview | Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993, but closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, expected to begin operations in the near future. | This small, sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment for 65% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of export earnings, with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is the world's fourth-largest producer of phosphate. The government's decade-long effort, supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to implement economic reform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues in line with expenditures has moved slowly. Progress depends on follow-through on privatization, increased openness in government financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and continued support from foreign donors. Togo is working with donors to write a PRGF that could eventually lead to a debt reduction plan. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 654.3 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | - | 500 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by Ghana (2003) |
Electricity - production | - | 165.9 million kWh (2003) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Agou 986 m |
Environment - current issues | loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining | deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban areas |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1% |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002) | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
chief of state: President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 6 February 2005); note - Gnassingbe EYADEMA died on 5 February 2005 and was succeeded by his son, Faure GNASSINGBE; popular elections in April 2005 validated the succession
head of government: Prime Minister Yawovi AGBOYIBO (since 16 September 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held NA); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Faure GNASSINGBE elected president; percent of vote - Faure GNASSINGBE 60.2%, Emmanuel Akitani BOB 38.3%, Nicolas LAWSON 1%, Harry OLYMPIO 0.5% |
Exports | $NA | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | phosphate | reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa |
Exports - partners | Australia, NZ (2006) | Ghana 21.1%, Burkina Faso 18.2%, Benin 11.5%, Mali 7.3%, India 5.8%, Nigeria 4% (2005) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
Flag description | territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper hoist to lower fly; the upper triangle is green with a yellow image of the Golden Bosun Bird superimposed, while the lower triangle is blue with the Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia, superimposed; a centered yellow disk displays a green map of the island; the flag of Australia is used for official purposes | five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red square in the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 39.5%
industry: 20.4% services: 40.1% (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 1% (2005 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 10 30 S, 105 40 E | 8 00 N, 1 10 E |
Geography - note | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean | the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money laundering not a significant problem |
Imports | $NA | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | consumer goods | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products |
Imports - partners | principally Australia (2006) | France 17.8%, China 13.3%, Cote d'Ivoire 6.5%, Italy 4.5%, Spain 4.3% (2005) |
Independence | none (territory of Australia) | 27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) | phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts, textiles, beverages |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total: 60.63 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 68.17 deaths/1,000 live births female: 52.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 6% (2005 est.) |
International organization participation | none | ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
Irrigated land | NA | 70 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme |
Labor force | NA | 1.302 million (1998) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture: 65%
industry: 5% services: 30% (1998 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 1,647 km
border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park) (2005) |
arable land: 44.2%
permanent crops: 2.11% other: 53.69% (2005) |
Languages | English (official), Chinese, Malay | French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north) |
Legal system | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law | French-based court system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
Legislative branch | unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held 20 October 2007 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9 |
unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 27 October 2002 (next to be held in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPT 72, RSDD 3, UDPS 2, Juvento 2, MOCEP 1, independents 1 note: two opposition parties boycotted the election, the Union of the Forces for Change and the Action Committee for Renewal |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total population: 57.42 years
male: 55.41 years female: 59.49 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 60.9% male: 75.4% female: 46.9% (2003 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia | Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Africa |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 30 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | - | total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,918 GRT/3,852 DWT
by type: cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (2006) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia | - |
Military branches | - | Togolese Armed Forces (FAT): Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie (2005) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $29.98 million (2005 est.) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1.6% (2005 est.) |
National holiday | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) | Independence Day, 27 April (1960) |
Nationality | noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
noun: Togolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Togolese |
Natural hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard | hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts |
Natural resources | phosphate, beaches | phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land |
Net migration rate | NA | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none | Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the Believers of Peace and Equality or MOCEP; Rally for the Support for Development and Democracy or RSDD [Harry OLYMPIO]; Rally of the Togolese People or RPT [Faure GNASSINGBE]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 1,402 (July 2006 est.) (July 2007 est.) | 5,548,702
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | 32% (1989 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0% (2007 est.) | 2.72% (2006 est.) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006) | AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998) |
Railways | - | total: 568 km
narrow gauge: 568 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) |
Religions | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) | indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20% |
Sex ratio | NA | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | - | NA years of age; universal adult |
Telephone system | general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system in February 2005 international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth stations - 1 INTELSAT earth station provides telephone and telex service (2005) |
general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile cellular system
domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional system international: country code - 228; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Symphonie |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 58,600 (2005) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 443,600 (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland Australia) (2006) | 3 (plus two repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau | gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes |
Total fertility rate | NA | 4.96 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | NA% |
Waterways | - | 50 km (seasonally on Mono River depending on rainfall) (2005) |