Page last updated on February 5, 2013
Country name:
conventional long form: Togolese Republic
conventional short form:
Togo
local long form:
Republique Togolaise
local short form:
none
former:
French Togoland
Government type:
republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
Capital:
name: Lome
geographic coordinates:
6 07 N, 1 13 E
time difference:
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
5 regions (regions, singular - region); Centrale, Kara, Maritime, Plateaux, Savanes
Independence:
27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 27 April (1960)
Constitution:
adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992
Legal system:
customary law system
International law organization participation:
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
[see also: Suffrage country ranks ]
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 4 May 2005);
head of government:
Prime Minister Kwesi AHOOMEY-ZUNU (since 23 July 2012)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 4 March 2010 (next to be held in 2015); prime minister appointed by the president
election results:
Faure GNASSINGBE reelected president; percent of vote - Faure GNASSINGBE 60.9%, Jean-Pierre FABRE 33.9%, Yawovi AGBOYIBO 3%, other 2.2%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections:
last held on 14 October 2007 (next to be held in October 2012)
election results:
percent of vote by party - RPT 39.4%, UFC 37.0%, CAR 8.2%, independents 2.5%, other 12.9%; seats by party - RPT 50, UFC 27, CAR 4
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; High Court of Justice; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel; Court of Audits
Political parties and leaders:
Action Committee for Renewal or CAR [Yawovi AGBOYIBO]; Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA; Democratic Party for Renewal or PDR; Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the Believers of Peace and Equality or MOCEP; National Alliance for Change or ANC [Jean-Pierre FABRE]; Pan-African Patriotic Convergence or CPP; Rally for the Support for Development and Democracy or RSDD [Harry OLYMPIO]; Rally of the Togolese People or RPT [Faure GNASSINGBE]; Socialist Pact for Renewal or PSR; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU]; Union of Forces for Change or UFC [Gilchrist OLYMPIO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (candidate country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNSC (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kadangha Limbiya BARIKI
chancery:
2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 234-4212
FAX:
[1] (202) 232-3190
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Robert E. WHITEHEAD
embassy:
4332 Blvd. Gnassingbe Eyadema, Cite OUA, Lome
mailing address:
B. P. 852, Lome; 2300 Lome Place, Washington, DC 20512-2300
telephone:
[228] 261-5470
FAX:
[228] 261-5501
Flag description:
five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating with yellow; a white five-pointed star on a red square is in the upper hoist-side corner; the five horizontal stripes stand for the five different regions of the country; the red square is meant to express the loyalty and patriotism of the people; green symbolizes hope, fertility, and agriculture; yellow represents mineral wealth and faith that hard work and strength will bring prosperity; the star symbolizes life, purity, peace, dignity, and Togo's independence
note:
uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia
National anthem:
name: "Salut a toi, pays de nos aieux" (Hail to Thee, Land of Our Forefathers)
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