Background
Where is the nation located?
Togo is located in West Africa. It is located east of Ghana, west of Benin and south of Burkina Faso. Togo is north of the Gulf of Guinea. Togo covers an area of approximately 57,000 square kilometres.
What is its colonial history?
Togo was inhabited very early on by the Voltanic people and the Kwa. In the 14th century the Ewe came and in the 18th century the Ane inhabited Togo. The Danish claimed the land during the same century as the Ane inhabited it. 1884 saw that Germany declared Togoland as a colony. Togoland then was split between the British and the French after World War I ended, the portion ruled by the French became Togo. Togo won its independence on April 27th, 1960.
What happened to the country after Europe left?
Togo had its very first president, Sylvanus Olympio. Olympio served from 1958 to his assassination in 1963. At a the 1963 coup d'etat, during this coup d'etat members of Togo military and ex-French soldiers were involved. He was trying to gain access to the American embassy in the nations capitol, Lome. Gnassingbe Eyadema one of the coup leaders went on to be the Predsident of Togo from 1967 to his death in 2005.
Current Affairs
How has the nation successfully, or failed to, become a more democratic nation?
Togo established the Collective for Democracy in Togo (CDT) in the fall of 1992 shortly after the National Conference in Togo. This conference was organized to establish democratic institutions for the intercessory period with the first democratic elections in the country since 1963, the time of the assassination of the first president of the Republic. The Collective was founded to support civil society seeking democracy during this transitional time.
What major issues still plague the country?
Some majors issues involve environmental ones where deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel: water pollution presents health hazards and hinders the fishing industry: air pollution increasing in urban areas.
How has the nation's economy developed? What are its major exports?
Togo's economy has developed into being very modern and able to produce a decent income to supports itself. Togo has the resources of Phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement, handicrafts (Industrial). Coffee, cacao, cotton, yams; livestock; fish (Agricultural). Togo major exports are reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cacao.