Togo

Togo

Togo / is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east, and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where the capital of Lome is located. Togo covers 57,000 square kilometers, making it one of the smallest countries in Africa, with a population of about 7.5 million people

Togo is a tropical country, sub-Saharan, highly dependent on agriculture, with a climate that provides good growing seasons. The official language is French, with many other languages ​​that occur in Togo, especially those from the GHB family. The largest religious community in Togo is made up of indigenous beliefs, and there are large Christian and Muslim minorities. Togo is a member of the United Nations, the African Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the South Atlantic Region for Peace and Cooperation, the Francophone Community and the Economic Community of West African States

Togo has an area of ​​56,585 square kilometers (21,925 sq mi) and is one of the smallest countries in Africa. It borders the Gulf of Benin in the south. Ghana is located to the west; Benin to the east; To the north, Togo is bound by Burkina Faso. Togo is mostly located between latitudes 6 ° and 11 ° N, and longitudes 0 ° and 2 ° E

The coast of Togo in the Gulf of Guinea is 56 km long and consists of lakes with sandy beaches. In the north the rolling savannah lands are distinguished by contrast in the center of the country, which is characterized by hills. South Togo is characterized by savannah and forest plateau that reaches a coastal plain with extensive lakes and swamps

The highest mountain in the country is Monte Ago at 986 meters above sea level. The longest river is the Mono River with a length of 400 km. It runs from north to south

The climate is generally tropical with average temperatures ranging from 23 ° C (73 ° F) on the coast to about 30 ° C (86 ° F) in the northern regions, with a dry climate and tropical savannah characteristics. In the south there are two seasons of rain (the first between April and July, and the second between September and November), although the average precipitation is not very high

The coast of Togo is characterized by marshes and mangroves. High population growth leads to rapid deforestation, putting many species at risk. No fewer than four parks and reserves have been created: the Abdullah Reserve, the Vasau Malfakasa National Reserve, the Foss Oaks Lions National Park, and the Kiran National Park. The most notable animals are giraffes, buffalo head, hyenas, and lions. And still a few elephants. Common birds are storks, cranes and carpets

Among the smallest countries in Africa, Togo has the highest living standards on the continent because of its valuable phosphate deposits and an advanced export sector based on agricultural products such as coffee, cocoa beans and peanuts (peanuts) together generating nearly 30% of export earnings. Fertile lands occupy 11.3 percent of the country, most of which has been developed. The main crops are cassava, jasmine rice, corn and millet

Other important sectors are the brewery and the textile industry. The permanent problem is the lack of electricity, because the country can only produce a third of its consumption, and the rest is covered by imports from Ghana and Nigeria. However, low market prices for the main export commodities in Togo, coupled with the volatile political situation in the 1990s and early 2000s, had a negative impact on the economy

Togo is one of the least developed countries, and the economic situation remains precarious. Togo operates as a regional commercial and commercial center. The government’s efforts a decade ago, with the support of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, to carry out economic reforms, to encourage investment and create a balance between income and consumption, have stalled. Political unrest, including strikes by the private and public sectors during 1992 and 1993, endangered the reform program, reduced the tax base, and disrupted vital economic activity

Togo imports machinery, equipment, oil products and foodstuffs. The main import companies are France (21.1%), the Netherlands (12.1%), Cote d'Ivoire (5.9%), Germany (4.6%), South Africa 4.3% and China (4.1%). The main exports are cocoa, coffee, and re-exports of goods, The main export companies are Burkina Faso (16.6%), China (15.4%), the Netherlands (13%) and Benin (9.6%) and Mali (7.4%)

With regard to structural reforms, Togo has made progress in liberalizing the economy, especially in the areas of trade and port activities. However, the privatization program for the cotton, telecommunications and water supply sector appears stalled. Currently, there is no debt in the country due to financial assistance from abroad, while Togo is likely to be among the most beneficiaries of the HIPC initiative

January 12, 1994 devaluation of the currency by 50 percent, providing an important incentive to renew structural adjustment; These efforts are facilitated by the end of the conflict in 1994 and the return to open political calm. Progress depends on increased openness in government financial operations (to accommodate increased social services expenditures) and the possible downsizing of the armed forces that the regime depends on staying in. Aid shortage, along with cocoa prices, led to a 1 per cent drop in GDP in 1998, with growth resuming in 1999. Togo is a member of the Africa Business Law Coordination Organization

Agriculture is the backbone of the economy, although it suffers from a chronic lack of funds to purchase irrigation equipment and fertilizers, which significantly reduces its performance. Agriculture achieved 28.2% of GDP in 2012, and employed 49% of the working population in 2010. The country has a self-sustaining basis in food production. Livestock dominate animal production