Togo

Overview

Togo lies in West Africa in a narrow, elongated shape along the Gulf of Guinea, between Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Benin. The territory was colonized by Germany in the late 19th century, then divided between Britain and France as mandate territories following World War I, with the French portion gaining independence in 1960 as modern Togo. French remains the official language today, though numerous local languages are also spoken, including Ewe and Kabiye. The Vodun religion, deeply rooted in both Togo and neighboring Benin, is an officially recognized faith for a significant part of the population, and traditional ceremonies remain an actively practiced part of daily life today.

Lomé, the capital, on the Atlantic coast, with lively markets including the famous Grand Marché, where traders known as "Nana Benz" were traditionally dominant figures in the textile trade, serves as the country's commercial and political center. Koutammakou, the Batammariba landscape in the northern part of the country, where local communities live in distinctive turreted mudbrick houses (takienta), has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2004. Aného, a former German colonial capital, with colonial-era buildings and the neighboring Lake Togo, is a significant site of the region's historical heritage. Vodun markets, including the Akodessewa Fetish Market in Lomé, offering traditional healing and ceremonial goods, are among the most unusual yet culturally significant sights of local religious practice.

Togo's mountainous central region, including the coffee and cocoa plantations around Kpalimé and the Kloto Forest, offers a pleasant, cooler climate and hiking opportunities compared to the coastal heat. The country's lakes, including Lake Togo, separated from the ocean by a narrow strip of land, are sites of local fishing traditions and traditional canoe tours. Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, in the central part of the country, is home to elephants and numerous other wildlife species, though populations are considerably more modest than in East African safari parks. Local cuisine is built around cornmeal and yam, with fufu and pâte, thick grain-based pastes, as signature dishes, served with a spiced tomato- or palm oil-based sauce.