Togo

Quick Facts

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Capital

Lomé

Population

5,682,000

Government

Republic

Religions

Indigenous beliefs, Christianity, Islam

Languages

French, Ewe, Mina, Kabye, Dagomba

Calling Code

+228

Nationality

Togolese

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Introduction

Fetish Stall

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Togo stretches inland for over 500 km, but it is its 100km coastline that attracts the vast majority of tourists. And on this coast, it is Lomé, the country's capital and once the region's most popular city, that tops the charts. While business has been tough over the past decade (with civil strife scaring most travellers away), the city's attraction is picking up. Its beaches are as good as ever and it has a nice African flair that is instantly appealing.

But while it's easy to get stuck along the coast, we recommend exploring the country's inland for some variety. The diverse cultures of the 40-some ethnic groups are fascinating. Visit a couple villages and immerse yourself in their customs and way of life. Then return to the beach for an evening dip.

Brief History

Geography

Regions

Togo consists of 5 regions.

• Centrale Region is the least populous region, located in the centre of the country. Its capital is Sokodé.
• Kara Region, north of the Centrale Region, is named after its capital Kara.
• Maritime Region is the southernmost region and only region with a shoreline. It is home to the capital Lomé.
• Plateaux Region is the largest region, situated between the Maritime and Centrale Regions.
• Savanes Region is the northern most region, bordering Burkina Faso.

Cities

• Lomé - The capital
• Atakpamé
• Kara
• Kpalimé
• Niamtougou
• Sokodé
• Mango

Sights and Activities

Lomé Grand Market

The Lomé Grand Market is a huge market in the capital. Located near the Lomé Cathedral in the city centre and this market can give a great glimpse into Togo culture. The market often has live African music. The market is a three story building occupying an entire block in the capital.

Lake Togo

Lake Togo is the largest lake in a lagoon in Southern Togo. The lake is separated from the ocean by a narrow piece of land. The lake is shallow making it very popular for water sports, such as water skiing. Agbodrafo and Togoville are the two largest towns on the lake.

Traditional Culture

With over half of the country still following native animistic beliefs this country is rich in traditional culture. In addition to a diverse religious system many of the cultures make great wooden sculptures and with hunting trophies are used instead of masks. Among the Kloto people check out the traditional batiks, which show scenes of everyday life. Then go see traditional taberma home made of adobe and earth. Make sure to check out some traditional music at the many different villages.

Other Sights and Activities

• Mount Agou - Is the highest mountain in Togo at 986 m (3234 ft).
• Cliffs of Dapaong - Visit these amazing cliffs outside of Dapaong.
• Beaches - Relax on the coast at some amazing beaches.

Events and Festivals

Weather

Getting there

By Plane

Lomé-Tokoin Airport (LFW) near the capital Lomé receives all international flights and destinations with Air Horizon are limited to several cities in Africa and the Middle East. Other airlines flying here are Afriqiyah Airways (Cotonou, Lagos and Tripoli), Air France to Paris, Toumaï Air Chad (Douala, Brazzaville, Bangui, N'Djamena) and a few others mainly in the region and to Ethiopia and Casablanca.

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Getting Around

By Plane

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

Red Tape

Money

See also Money matters

Togo uses the CFA Franc as a currency. The CFA Franc is divided into 100 centimes. Coins come in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 500 francs while banknotes come in denominations of 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000 francs
The exchange range is fixed at aproximately 656 CFA Francs for one Euro.

In Togo the West African CFA Franc (XOF) is used which has the same vallue as the Central African CFA Franc (XAF), but it's not possible to use both currencies in the same country.

Fourteen countries in Africa use this currency, eight in West Africa and six in Central Africa. The West African CFA Franc can only be used in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo, while the Central African CFA Franc can only be used in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

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