THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

Background: From the 11th to the 16th centuries, various ethnic groups settled the Togo region. From the 16th to the 18th centuries, the coastal region became a major trading center for enslaved people, and the surrounding region took on the name of "The Slave Coast." In 1884, Germany declared the area a protectorate called Togoland, which included present-day Togo. After World War I, colonial rule over Togo was transferred to France. French Togoland became Togo upon independence in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA, installed as military ruler in 1967, ruled Togo with a heavy hand for almost four decades. Despite the facade of multi-party elections instituted in the early 1990s, EYADEMA largely dominated the government. His Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party has been in power almost continually since 1967, with its successor, the Union for the Republic, maintaining a majority of seats in today's legislature. Upon EYADEMA's death in 2005, the military installed his son, Faure GNASSINGBE, as president and then engineered his formal election two months later. Togo held its first relatively free and fair legislative elections in 2007. Since then, GNASSINGBE has started the country along a gradual path to democratic reform. Togo has held multiple presidential and legislative elections, and in 2019, the country held its first local elections in 32 years. Despite those positive moves, political reconciliation has moved slowly, and the country experiences periodic outbursts of protests from frustrated citizens, leading to violence between security forces and protesters. Constitutional changes in 2019 to institute a runoff system in presidential elections and to establish term limits have done little to reduce the resentment many Togolese feel after more than 50 years of one-family rule. GNASSINGBE became eligible for his current fourth term and one additional fifth term under the new rules. The next presidential election is set for 2025.

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana
Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 1 10 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 56,785 sq km
land: 54,385 sq km
water: 2,400 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than West Virginia
Land boundaries: total: 1,880 km
border countries: Benin 651 km; Burkina Faso 131 km; Ghana 1,098 km
Coastline: 56 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 30 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Terrain: gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes
Elevation: highest point: Mont Agou 986 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 236 m
Natural resources: phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land
Land use: agricultural land: 70.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 48.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 3.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 18.4% (2023 est.)
forest: 22.4% (2023 est.)
other: 7.4% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 70 sq km (2012)
Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage: Volta (410,991 sq km)
Population distribution: one of the more densely populated African nations, with most of the population residing in rural communities; density is highest in the south on or near the Atlantic coast, as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards: hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts
Geography - note: stretches through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna

Population: total: 9,143,439 (2025 est.)
male: 4,488,825
female: 4,654,614
Nationality: noun: Togolese (singular and plural)
adjective: Togolese
Ethnic groups: Adja-Ewe/Mina 42.4%, Kabye/Tem 25.9%, Para-Gourma/Akan 17.1%, Akposso/Akebu 4.1%, Ana-Ife 3.2%, other Togolese 1.7%, foreigners 5.2%, no response 0.4% (2013-14 est.)
Languages: French (official, language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (in the north)
Religions: Christian 42.3%, folk religion 36.9%, Muslim 14%, Hindu <1%, Buddhist <1%, Jewish <1%, other <1%, none 6.2% (2020 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.7% (male 1,749,533/female 1,699,084)
15-64 years: 57% (male 2,486,142/female 2,597,914)
65 years and over: 4.3% (2024 est.) (male 159,596/female 225,725)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 74.7 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 66.7 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 8 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 12.6 (2025 est.)
Median age: total: 20.9 years (2025 est.)
male: 19.9 years
female: 21.4 years
Population growth rate: 2.37% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 30.17 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 4.64 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: one of the more densely populated African nations, with most of the population residing in rural communities; density is highest in the south on or near the Atlantic coast, as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization: urban population: 44.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.6% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 1.982 million LOME (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 25 years (2017 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 349 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 34.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 43 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 33.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.1 years (2024 est.)
male: 69.5 years
female: 74.7 years
Total fertility rate: 4.03 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 1.99 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 87% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 58.5% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 71% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 13% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 41.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 29% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 5.6% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 2.6% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 0.08 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Hospital bed density: 0.6 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 82% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 19.2% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 46.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 18% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 80.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 53.3% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 8.4% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 1.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 5% (2025 est.)
male: 9.3% (2025 est.)
female: 0.7% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 15.2% (2017 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 63.7% (2017 est.)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 6.4% (2017)
women married by age 18: 24.8% (2017)
men married by age 18: 2.6% (2017)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 4.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 11.6% national budget (2024 est.)
Literacy: total population: 72.6% (2022 est.)
male: 82.8% (2022 est.)
female: 63.7% (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 12 years (2017 est.)
male: 13 years (2017 est.)
female: 11 years (2017 est.)

Environmental issues: deforestation from slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; very little rainforest still present and what remains is highly degraded; desertification; water pollution; air pollution in urban areas
International environmental agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate: tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
Land use: agricultural land: 70.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 48.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 3.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 18.4% (2023 est.)
forest: 22.4% (2023 est.)
other: 7.4% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 44.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.6% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 2.656 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 372,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 1.941 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 343,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 33.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Methane emissions: energy: 43.3 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 51.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 31.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 10.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.109 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 3.5% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 140.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 6.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 76 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 14.7 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: Togolese Republic
conventional short form: Togo
local long form: République Togolaise
local short form: none
former: French Togoland
etymology: the name derives from the town of Togodo (now Togoville) on the northern shore of Lake Togo; the town's name probably comes from the lake's name, which is composed of the Ewe words to ("water") and go ("shore")
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: name: Lome
geographic coordinates: 6 07 N, 1 13 E
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name comes from a local word meaning "little market"
Administrative divisions: 5 regions (régions, singular - région); Centrale, Kara, Maritime, Plateaux, Savanes
Legal system: customary law system
Constitution: history: several previous; latest adopted 27 September 1992, effective 14 October 1992; revised 6 May 2024
amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or supported by at least one fifth of the National Assembly membership; passage requires four-fifths majority vote by the Assembly; a referendum is required if approved by only two-thirds majority of the Assembly or if requested by the president; constitutional articles on the republican and secular form of government cannot be amended
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Togo
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Jean-Lucien Kwassi Savi de TOVE (since 3 May 2025)
head of government: President of Council of Ministers Faure GNASSINGBE (since 3 May 2025)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the president of the council of ministers
election/appointment process: president is appointed by the national assembly for one six-year term; the president of the council of ministers is the leader of the majority party in the national assembly and is confirmed by the Constitutional Court with no term limits
election results: 2020: Faure GNASSINGBE reelected president; percent of vote - Faure GNASSINGBE (UNIR) 70.8%, Agbeyome KODJO (MPDD) 19.5%, Jean-Pierre FABRE (ANC) 4.7%, other 5%2015: Faure GNASSINGBE reelected president; percent of vote - Faure GNASSINGBE (UNIR) 58.8%, Jean-Pierre FABRE (ANC) 35.2%, Tchaboure GOGUE (ADDI) 4%, other 2%
Legislative branch: legislature name: Parliament
legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber: chamber name: National Assembly (Assemblée nationale)
number of seats: 113 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 6 years
most recent election date: 4/29/2024
parties elected and seats per party: Union for the Republic (UNIR) (108); Other (5)
percentage of women in chamber: 15%
expected date of next election: April 2030
Legislative branch - upper chamber: chamber name: Senate (Sénat)
number of seats: 61 (41 directly elected; 20 appointed)
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 6 years
most recent election date: 2/15/2025
parties elected and seats per party: Union for the Republic (UNIR) (34); Independents (3); Other (4)
percentage of women in chamber: 24.6%
expected date of next election: February 2031
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Suprême (organized into criminal and administrative chambers, each with a chamber president and advisors); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges, including the court president)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president appointed by decree of the president of the republic on the proposal of the Supreme Council of the Magistracy, a 9-member judicial, advisory, and disciplinary body; other judicial appointments and judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the National Assembly; judge tenure NA
subordinate courts: Court of Assizes (sessions court); Appeal Court; tribunals of first instance (divided into civil, commercial, and correctional chambers; Court of State Security; military tribunal
Political parties: Action Committee for Renewal or CAR Alliance of Democrats for Integral Development or ADDI Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA Democratic Forces for the Republic or FDR National Alliance for Change or ANC New Togolese Commitment Pan-African National Party or PNP Pan-African Patriotic Convergence or CPP Patriotic Movement for Democracy and Development or MPDD Socialist Pact for Renewal or PSR The Togolese Party Union of Forces for Change or UFC Union for the Republic or UNIR
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Frédéric Edem HEGBE (since 24 April 2017)
chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212
FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190
email address and website: embassyoftogo@hotmail.comhttps://embassyoftogousa.com/
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Richard C. MICHAELS (since June 2025)
embassy: Boulevard EyademaB.P. 852, Lomé
mailing address: 2300 Lome Place, Washington, DC 20521-2300
telephone: [228] 2261-5470
FAX: [228] 2261-5501
email address and website: consularLome@state.govhttps://tg.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AIIB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence: 27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday: Independence Day, 27 April (1960)
Flag: description: five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow; a five-pointed white star on a red square is in the upper-left cornermeaning: the five horizontal stripes stand for the country's regions; red stands for the people's loyalty and patriotism; green for hope, fertility, and agriculture; yellow for mineral wealth and faith that hard work and strength will bring prosperity; the star symbolizes life, purity, peace, dignity, and national independencehistory: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement
National symbol(s): lion
National color(s): green, yellow, red, white
National anthem(s): title: "Salut à toi, pays de nos aieux" (Hail to Thee, Land of Our Forefathers)
lyrics/music: Alex CASIMIR-DOSSEH
history: adopted 1960, restored 1992; anthem was replaced during one-party rule between 1979 and 1992
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Koutammakou; the Land of the Batammariba

Economic overview: low-income West African economy; primarily agrarian economy; has a deep-water port; growing international shipping locale; improving privatization and public budgeting transparency; key phosphate mining industry; extremely high rural poverty
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $27.115 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $25.75 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $24.199 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 5.3% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 6.4% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 5.8% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $2,800 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $2,800 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $2,700 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $9.926 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 2.9% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 5.3% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 7.6% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 18% (2024 est.)
industry: 20% (2024 est.)
services: 52% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 78.3% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 13.1% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 22.3% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 24.4% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -38.1% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products: cassava, maize, yams, sorghum, soybeans, beans, rice, vegetables, oil palm fruit, cotton (2023)
Industries: phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts, textiles, beverages
Industrial production growth rate: 4.2% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 3.345 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 2% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 2% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 2% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 3.4% (2024 est.)
male: 3.3% (2024 est.)
female: 3.5% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 45.5% (2018 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021: 37.9 (2021 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% (2021 est.)
highest 10%: 29.6% (2021 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2023: 7.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 8% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 7.8% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget: revenues: $1.801 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures: $2.407 billion (2023 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2016: 81.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 14.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2020: -$20.738 million (2020 est.)
Current account balance 2019: -$55.444 million (2019 est.)
Current account balance 2018: -$184.852 million (2018 est.)
Exports: Exports 2020: $1.722 billion (2020 est.)
Exports 2019: $1.665 billion (2019 est.)
Exports 2018: $1.703 billion (2018 est.)
Exports - partners: UAE 40%, India 13%, Angola 13%, Burkina Faso 4%, Cote d'Ivoire 3% (2023)
Exports - commodities: gold, refined petroleum, soybeans, phosphates, coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews (2023)
Imports: Imports 2020: $2.389 billion (2020 est.)
Imports 2019: $2.261 billion (2019 est.)
Imports 2018: $2.329 billion (2018 est.)
Imports - partners: China 26%, India 26%, Belgium 6%, Netherlands 6%, USA 3% (2023)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, garments, rice, palm oil, motorcycles and cycles (2023)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023: $1.923 billion (2023 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 606.345 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 606.57 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 623.76 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 554.531 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 575.586 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 57.2% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 96.5%
electrification - rural areas: 25%
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 326,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 1.815 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 1.1 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 206.938 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 79.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 11.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 8.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal: consumption: 163,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 10 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 163,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption: 14,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Natural gas: consumption: 176.16 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 176.16 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 4.538 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 67,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.) less than 1
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 7.69 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 81 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media: 1 state-owned TV station with multiple transmission sites; five private local TV stations; cable TV available; state-owned radio network with two stations; several dozen private radio stations and a few community radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters available (2019)
Internet country code: .tg
Internet users: percent of population: 37% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 114,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 5V
Airports: 7 (2025)
Railways: total: 568 km (2014)
narrow gauge: 568 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge
Merchant marine: total: 397 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 1, container ship 10, general cargo 250, oil tanker 56, other 80
Ports: total ports: 2 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 1
small: 0
very small: 1
ports with oil terminals: 2
key ports: Kpeme, Lome

Military and security forces: Togolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Togolaise, FAT): Togolese Army, Togolese Navy, Togolese Air Force, National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale Togolaise or GNT)Ministry of Security and Civil Protection: Togolese Police (2025)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 2.2% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 4% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 2.8% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 2.8% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: estimated 20,000 active Armed Forces, including Gendarmerie (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the FAT has a small inventory of mostly obsolescent or older armaments originating from several countries, including Brazil, France, Russia/former Soviet Union, Türkiye, the UK, and the US (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18-24 years of age for military service for men and women; initial 24-month service obligation; no conscription (2025)
Military - note: the Togolese Armed Forces (FAT) are responsible for both external defense and internal security; the FAT’s primary concerns are border security, terrorism, and maritime security; in recent years, it has boosted operations in the northern border region of the country to secure the frontier and prevent banditry, illicit smuggling, and infiltrations from Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), a coalition of al-Qa'ida-affiliated militant groups based in Mali that also operates in neighboring Burkina Faso; in 2022, the Togolese Government declared a state of emergency in the north following an attack by JNIM fighters on a Togolese military post that killed several soldiers; the Navy and Air Force have increased focus on combating piracy and smuggling in the Gulf of Guineasince its creation in 1963, the Togolese military has had a history of involvement in the country’s politics, including assassinations, coups, and a crackdown in 2005 that killed hundreds of civilians; over the past decade, it has made efforts to reform and professionalize, which have included increasing its role in UN peacekeeping activities, participating in multinational exercises, and receiving training from foreign partners, particularly France and the US; in addition, Togo has established a regional peacekeeping training center for military and police in Lome (2025)

Terrorist group(s): Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 48,756 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 18,429 (2024 est.)

Togo