Loading ...Togo Africa
Once regarded as the pearl of West Africa for its tranquil beaches, exotic markets and friendly people, Togo was overwhelmed by riots and human-rights abuses in the 1990s. Sadly the saga continues. When the despotic president Gnassingbé Eyadéma died in February 2005, and his son Faure Gnassingbé seized power, hundreds were killed in street battles and thousands fled the country. But with the new president gradually winning over the Togolese population, it’s a great time to check out tiny Togo’s hilly landscape, diverse cultures, yam-based dishes, and the football team that qualified for the 2006 World Cup.
Lomé, the capital, is one of the most beautiful cities in West Africa, with the grand Blvd du 13 Janvier sweeping away from the beach and into the heart of a ribald city, heaving with nightspots. To the east, past the resorts on Lake Togo and the Atlantic beaches, Aného exudes crumbling colonial charm, and has a fetish market. Voodoo is also practised across the lake in Togoville, a fishing village with fetishes in the streets.
Time GMT/UTC
Population 5.1 million
Borders Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana
Seasons wet (May to October), dry (November to February)
Telephone County code 228; international access code 00
ATMs In Lomé and major towns
Budget US$25 to US$35 a day
Capital Lomé
Visa CFA10, 000 at border; 30-day extension CFA10, 000
Area 56, 790 sq km
Language French, Ewe, Mina, Kabyé
Money West African CFA franc; US$1 = CFA498
