Togo (2006) | Ghana (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | 5 regions (regions, singular - region); Centrale, Kara, Maritime, Plateaux, Savanes | 10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western |
Age structure | 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.) |
0-14 years: 40.4% (male 4,116,600; female 4,063,654)
15-64 years: 56.1% (male 5,625,397; female 5,723,786) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 338,352; female 376,365) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans, rice, millet, sorghum; livestock; fish | cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber |
Airports | 9 (2006) | 12 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2006) |
total: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 2 (2006) |
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total: 56,785 sq km
land: 54,385 sq km water: 2,400 sq km |
total: 239,460 sq km
land: 230,940 sq km water: 8,520 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than West Virginia | slightly smaller than Oregon |
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 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. | Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A long series of coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution in 1981 and the banning of political parties. A new constitution, restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. He was succeeded by John KUFUOR, who defeated former Vice President Atta MILLS in a free and fair election. |
Birth rate | 37.01 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 28.08 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $251.3 million
expenditures: $292.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.) |
revenues: $1.603 billion
expenditures: $1.975 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
Capital | name: Lome
geographic coordinates: 6 08 N, 1 13 E time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Accra |
Climate | tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north | tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north |
Coastline | 56 km | 539 km |
Constitution | multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the Republic 1 July 1992, adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992 | new constitution approved 28 April 1992 |
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: Republic of Ghana
conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast |
Currency | - | cedi (GHC) |
Death rate | 9.83 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 10.31 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $2 billion (2005) | $5.96 billion (2001 est.) |
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 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Carlin YATES
embassy: 6th and 10th Lanes, 798/1 Osu, Accra mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra telephone: [233] (21) 775-347, 775-348 FAX: [233] (21) 701-813 |
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 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Alan J. KYEREMATEN
chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520 FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527 consulate(s) general: New York |
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.) | $6.9 billion (1999) (1999) |
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. 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. | Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 36% of GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Excessively expansionary monetary and fiscal policy prior to the 2000 elections led to accelerating inflation in early 2001. A depressed cocoa market and continued weak growth in non-traditional exports led to disappointing growth in 2001. The late 2002 crisis in Cote d'Ivoire has boosted cocoa prices markedly. It remains to be seen if this portends a long-term shift in the cocoa market. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002. |
Electricity - consumption | 654.3 million kWh (2003) | 5.484 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2003) | 422 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 500 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by Ghana (2003) | 400 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 165.9 million kWh (2003) | 5.92 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 30%
hydro: 70% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Agou 986 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 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 | recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water |
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 |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
Ethnic groups | African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe, Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1% | black African 98.5% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5% (1998) |
Exchange rates | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001) | cedis per US dollar - 7,195 (January 2002), 7,170.76 (2001), 5,455.06 (2000), 2,669.30 (1999), 2,314.15 (1998), 2,050.17 (1997) |
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 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% |
chief of state: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by Parliament elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 and 28 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2004) election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR elected president in runoff election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 56.4%, John Atta MILLS 43.6% |
Exports | NA bbl/day | $1.94 billion f.o.b. (2000) |
Exports - commodities | reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa | gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds |
Exports - partners | Ghana 21.1%, Burkina Faso 18.2%, Benin 11.5%, Mali 7.3%, India 5.8%, Nigeria 4% (2005) | Togo, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, US, France (1998) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
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 | three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $39.4 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 39.5%
industry: 20.4% services: 40.1% (2003 est.) |
agriculture: 36%
industry: 25% services: 39% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $1,980 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1% (2005 est.) | 3% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 8 00 N, 1 10 E | 8 00 N, 2 00 W |
Geography - note | the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna | Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake |
Highways | - | total: 38,940 km
paved: 9,346 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 29,594 km (2001) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 30% (1998) |
Illicit drugs | transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money laundering not a significant problem | illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US; widespread crime and corruption have made money laundering a problem, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center |
Imports | NA bbl/day | $2.83 billion f.o.b. (2000) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products | capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | France 17.8%, China 13.3%, Cote d'Ivoire 6.5%, Italy 4.5%, Spain 4.3% (2005) | UK, Nigeria, US, Germany, Italy, Spain (1998) |
Independence | 27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship) | 6 March 1957 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 3.8% (2000 est.) |
Industries | phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts, textiles, beverages | mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing |
Infant mortality rate | 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.) |
55.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 6% (2005 est.) | 25% (2001 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, 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 | ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 12 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 70 sq km (2003) | 110 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme | Supreme Court |
Labor force | 1.302 million (1998) | 9 million (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 65%
industry: 5% services: 30% (1998 est.) |
agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 1,647 km
border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km |
total: 2,094 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km |
Land use | arable land: 44.2%
permanent crops: 2.11% other: 53.69% (2005) |
arable land: 15.82%
permanent crops: 7.47% other: 76.71% (1998 est.) |
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), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga) |
Legal system | French-based court system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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 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 |
unicameral Parliament (200 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 100, NDC 92, PNC 3, CPP 1, independents 4 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 57.42 years
male: 55.41 years female: 59.49 years (2006 est.) |
total population: 57.06 years
male: 55.66 years female: 58.51 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 60.9% male: 75.4% female: 46.9% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 64.5% male: 75.9% female: 53.5% (1995 est.) |
Location | Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana | Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo |
Map references | Africa | Africa |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 30 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,918 GRT/3,852 DWT
by type: cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (2006) |
total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,450 GRT/22,097 DWT
ships by type: petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 5 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Brazil 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 1 (2002 est.) |
Military branches | Togolese Armed Forces (FAT): Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie (2005) | Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $29.98 million (2005 est.) | $35.2 million (FY01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.6% (2005 est.) | 0.7% (FY01) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 5,045,355 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 2,799,292 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 213,237 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 27 April (1960) | Independence Day, 6 March (1957) |
Nationality | noun: Togolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Togolese |
noun: Ghanaian(s)
adjective: Ghanaian |
Natural hazards | hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts | dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts |
Natural resources | phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land | gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | -0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
People - note | - | there are 9,500 Liberians, 2,000 Sierra Leoneans, and 1,000 Togolese refugees residing in Ghana (2002) |
Pipelines | - | 0 km |
Political parties and leaders | 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] | Convention People's Party or CPP [Nii Noi DOWUONA, general secretary]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA, chairman]; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTY]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sarpong KUMA-KUMA]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu YAHAYA, general secretary]; New Patriotic Party or NPP [Samuel Arthur ODOI-SYKES]; People's Convention Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting chairman]; People's Heritage Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander ERSKINE]; People's National Convention or PNC [Edward MAHAMA]; Reform Party [Kyeretwie OPUKU, general secretary] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 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.) |
20,244,154
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 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 32% (1989 est.) | 31% (1992 est.) |
Population growth rate | 2.72% (2006 est.) | 1.7% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Takoradi, Tema |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998) | AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001) |
Radios | - | 12.5 million (2001) |
Railways | total: 568 km
narrow gauge: 568 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) |
total: 953 km
narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge; undergoing major rehabilitation (2001 est.) |
Religions | indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20% | indigenous beliefs 21%, Muslim 16%, Christian 63% |
Sex ratio | 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.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | NA years of age; universal adult | 18 years of age; universal |
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 international: country code - 228; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Symphonie |
general assessment: poor to fair system; Internet accessible; many rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is underway
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has been installed international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors |
Telephones - main lines in use | 58,600 (2005) | 240,000 (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 443,600 (2005) | 150,000 (2001) |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (plus two repeaters) (1997) | 10 (2001) |
Terrain | gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes | mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area |
Total fertility rate | 4.96 children born/woman (2006 est.) | 3.69 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 20% (1997 est.) |
Waterways | 50 km (seasonally on Mono River depending on rainfall) (2005) | 1,293 km
note: Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers provide 168 km of perennial navigation for launches and lighters; Lake Volta provides 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways |