|RNature and climate:|N The coast have sand reefs and lagoons and inside a narrow coastal plain is a plateauland. This plateau ends in the Togo-mountains with a highest peak, Pic Baumann, reaching 986 m.a.s.l. North of the Togo-mountains a sparsely populated sandstone plateau. In the northwest is an area with strange rocks.
Most vegetation in Togo is savannah, but there are rainforests on some mountainslopes. In these rainforests live apes, birds, lizards, snakes, hippopotamus and crocodiles.
Tropical climate with rains from April to October in the north and from May to June and in October in the south. Percipitation between 900 and 1500 mm.
Average temperature between 24 and 28°C except in the northern parts where it can be up to 32°C in the dry season.
|RPeople:|N More than 30 different ethnic groups, largest are Ewe, Mina and Kabyè. More than 90% of the population live in towns.
|REconomy:|N 50% of the population is of working age, that is close to four millions, but not fully 90 000 work for payment.
75% of the labour force is occupied in agriculture and 20% in industry and trade.
Togo have vast phosphate resources that give most of the export revenues.
Cacao, coffee, cotton and peanuts are grown for export, but most of the agriculture is aimed at production for domestic consumption.
Manufacturing is small and aimed at processing the domestic resources.
|RHistory:|N In the 14th century the Ewe-people immigrated to Togo.
Portuguese sailors arrived by the end of the 15th century and soon made the whole coast an exportharbour for slaves brought from the villages in the neighborhood. From the 16th to the 19th century this coast was known as the "Slave coast".
By the mid of the 19th century germans started to explore and trade in the area and 1884 Togo became a German colony.
1919 it became a mandate of the League of Nations and was governed by France and Great Britain. The British mandate area became a part of neighbouring Ghana, while the French mandate area became a self-ruling country under French sovereignty in 1956. Full independence was achieved in 1960.
Many attempts have been made to create a democratic system in Togo, but all have failed so far. Universal suffrage is constituted but only one party allowed. Several attempts have been made to oust the presidents and some have been successful, but in the end the ruling party has been able to keep powers.
