Togolese Republic
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Flag of Togo
Five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom)
alternating with yellow; there is a white five-pointed
star on a red square in the upper
hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia.
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French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA,
installed as military ruler in 1967,
continued to rule well into the 21st century.
Despite the facade of multiparty elections instituted in the
early 1990s, the government continued to be dominated by President EYADEMA,
whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party has maintained power
almost continually since 1967. Togo has come under fire from international
organizations for human rights abuses and is plagued by political unrest.
While most bilateral and multilateral aid to Togo remains frozen,
the EU initiated a partial resumption of cooperation and development
aid to Togo in late 2004 based upon commitments by Togo to expand
opportunities for political opposition and liberalize portions of
the economy. Upon his death in February 2005, President EYADEMA was
succeeded by his son Faure GNASSINGBE. The succession, supported by
the military and in contravention of the nation's constitution,
was challenged by popular protest and a threat of sanctions from
regional leaders. GNASSINGBE succumbed to pressure and in April
2005 held elections that legitimized his succession.
- CIA World Factbook.
Togo - Fotw
A Short History of Togo.
Explanation of the flag.
www.fotw.us/flags/tg.html
Togo - wikipedia.org
Western history does not record what happened in Togo before the
Portuguese arrived in the late fifteenth century.
During the period from the eleventh century to the sixteenth century,
various tribes entered the region from all directions:
the Ewé from Nigeria and Benin; and the Mina and Guin from Ghana.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Togo
Togo - U.S. Department of State
Togo's population of 4.97 million people (2003 est.) is composed of about 21 ethnic groups. The two major groups are the Ewe in the South and the Kabye in the North. Population distribution is very uneven due to soil and terrain variations. The population is generally concentrated in the south and along the major north-south highway connecting the coast to the Sahel. Age distribution also is uneven; nearly one-half of the Togolese are less than 15 years of age. The ethnic groups of the coastal region, particularly the Ewes (about 21% of the population), constitute the bulk of the civil servants, professionals, and merchants, due in part to the former colonial administrations which provided greater infrastructure development in the south. The Kabye (12% of the population) live on marginal land and traditionally have emigrated south from their home area in the Kara region to seek employment. Their historical means of social advancement has been through the military and law enforcement forces, and they continue to dominate these services.
Most of the southern peoples use the Ewe or Mina languages, which are closely related and spoken in commercial sectors throughout Togo. French, the official language, is used in administration and documentation. The public primary schools combine French with Ewe or Kabye as languages of instruction, depending on the region. English is spoken in neighboring Ghana and is taught in Togolese secondary schools. As a result, many Togolese, especially in the south and along the Ghana border, speak some English.
www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5430.htm
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Flag of Togo