Togo (2005) | Christmas Island (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | 5 regions (regions, singular - region); Kara, Plateaux, Savanes, Centrale, Maritime | none (territory of Australia) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 43.2% (male 1,232,759/female 1,224,060)
15-64 years: 54.2% (male 1,505,737/female 1,571,201) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 60,799/female 86,963) (2005 est.) |
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
Agriculture - products | coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans, rice, millet, sorghum; livestock; fish | NA |
Airports | 9 (2004 est.) | 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
- |
Area | total: 56,785 sq km
land: 54,385 sq km water: 2,400 sq km |
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than West Virginia | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC |
Background | 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 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 European Union initiated a partial resumption of cooperation and development aid to Togo in late 2004. 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 agreed to hold elections in late April 2005. | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun 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. |
Birth rate | 33.48 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | NA |
Budget | revenues: $239.2 million
expenditures: $273.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
Capital | Lome | The Settlement |
Climate | tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north | tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds; wet season December to April |
Coastline | 56 km | 138.9 km |
Constitution | multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the Republic 1 July 1992, adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992 | Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) |
Country name | conventional long form: Togolese Republic
conventional short form: Togo local long form: Republique Togolaise local short form: none former: French Togoland |
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
Death rate | 11.8 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | NA |
Debt - external | $1.4 billion (2000) | - |
Dependency status | - | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
Diplomatic representation from the US | 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 |
none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Akoussoulelou BODJONA
chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212 FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190 |
none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | in 2001 Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint commission continues to resurvey the boundary | none |
Economic aid - recipient | ODA $80 million (2000 est.) | NA |
Economy - overview | 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, but production fell an estimated 22% in 2002 due to power shortages and the cost of developing new deposits. 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 following through on privatization, increased openness in government financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and continued support from foreign donors. | 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. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, projected to begin operations in the near future |
Electricity - consumption | 451.2 million kWh (2002) | - |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | - |
Electricity - imports | 350 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by Ghana (2002) | - |
Electricity - production | 108.8 million kWh (2002) | - |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Agou 986 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
Environment - current issues | 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 | NA |
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 | native African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1% | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
Exchange rates | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000) | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000) |
Executive branch | 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 Edem KODJO (since 8 June 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; 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 1.0%, Harry OLYMPIO 0.6% |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November 2003) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
Exports | NA | NA |
Exports - commodities | reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa | phosphate |
Exports - partners | Burkina Faso 16.4%, Ghana 15.1%, Benin 9.4%, Mali 7.6%, China 7.5%, India 5.6% (2004) | Australia, NZ |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | 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 | the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 39.5%
industry: 20.4% services: 40.1% (2003 est.) |
agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2004 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 3% (2004 est.) | NA |
Geographic coordinates | 8 00 N, 1 10 E | 10 30 S, 105 40 E |
Geography - note | the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
Highways | total: 7,520 km
paved: 2,376 km unpaved: 5,144 km (1999 est.) |
total: 240 km
paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000) |
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 |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products | consumer goods |
Imports - partners | China 25.5%, India 13.3%, France 11.5% (2004) | principally Australia |
Independence | 27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship) | none (territory of Australia) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | - |
Industries | phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement; handicrafts, textiles, beverages | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
Infant mortality rate | total: 66.61 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 74.24 deaths/1,000 live births female: 58.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1% (2004 est.) | - |
International organization participation | 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, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO | none |
Irrigated land | 70 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
Labor force | 1.74 million (1996) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 65%, industry 5%, services 30% (1998 est.) | NA |
Land boundaries | total: 1,647 km
border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 46.15%
permanent crops: 2.21% other: 51.64% (2001) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (2001) |
Languages | 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) | English (official), Chinese, Malay |
Legal system | French-based court system | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law |
Legislative branch | 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 NA 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 |
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 3 May 2003 (next to be held in 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 57.01 years
male: 55.02 years female: 59.06 years (2005 est.) |
total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 60.9% male: 75.4% female: 46.9% (2003 est.) |
NA |
Location | Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia |
Map references | Africa | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 30 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,918 GRT/3,852 DWT
by type: cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (2005) |
- |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
Military branches | Togolese Armed Forces (FAT): Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie (2005) | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $35.5 million (2004) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.9% (2004) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 27 April (1960) | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) |
Nationality | noun: Togolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Togolese |
noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
Natural hazards | hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
Natural resources | phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land | phosphate, beaches |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | NA |
People - note | - | the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a population of 1,508 as of the 2001 Census |
Political parties and leaders | Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the Believers of Peace and Equality or MOCEP [leader NA]; 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]
note: Rally of the Togolese People or RPT, led by President GNASSINGBE, was the only party until the formation of multiple parties was legalized 12 April 1991 |
none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 5,681,519
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 2005 est.) |
361 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 32% (1989 est.) | - |
Population growth rate | 2.17% (2005 est.) | 0% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Kpeme, Lome | Flying Fish Cove |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Railways | total: 568 km
narrow gauge: 568 km 1.000-m gauge (2004) |
- |
Religions | indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20% | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
NA |
Suffrage | NA years of age; universal adult | - |
Telephone system | 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; cellular system has capacity of 10,000 telephones international: country code - 228; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Symphonie |
general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system in February 2005 international: country code - 61-891; satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 60,600 (2003) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 220,000 (2003) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (plus two repeaters) (1997) | NA |
Terrain | gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
Total fertility rate | 4.61 children born/woman (2005 est.) | NA |
Unemployment rate | NA (2003 est.) | - |
Waterways | 50 km (seasonally on Mono River depending on rainfall) (2003) | - |