Togo Geography
Togo - Geography, Togo is a small country with a coastline facing the Gulf of
Guinea at just 56 km. The low Togo and Atakora mountains divide the country into
two. To the lake lies a coastal plain and low plateaus, towards NV lies a river
plain and furthest to the north low mountains. The climate is tropical and
characterized by the intertropical convergence zone. Thus, in most places there
are two rainy seasons (April-July and September-November), but there are large
differences in rainfall from year to year. 1981-83, Togo actually experienced
drought. Outside the seasonal rains influenced weather of dry Harmattan - winds
from the Sahara.
The coastal area is an offshore coast with sandy bays, lagoons and
swamps; Behind these lies the fertile clay plateau Terre de Barre. The area is a
densely populated agricultural region, and here lies the capital, Lomé. North
of the largest of the lagoons, Lac Togo, are the important phosphate mines, and
at the end of the lagoon the old slave trading town and former capital of
Aného. Mono is border river to the east; Here lies an irrigated agricultural
area and a hydroelectric plant. The coastal region is mainly populated by ewe,
mina and gun, and the area is the center of both Togo Catholicism
and voodoo religion.
The plateau area includes several plateaus, most often less fertile. Here is
savanna vegetation with oil palms, baobab and charity trees. The dispersed
population especially came here after 1900; main crops are cotton and rice.
In the southern Togo mountains, the rainfall is greater, and here lies the
country's most fertile agricultural land. A wide variety of tropical crops are
grown, both in plantations and on small farms. The original rainforest is only
spotted. In several places there are waterfalls during the rainy season. In the
northern Atakora Mountains, the population lives scattered and cultivates the
deep-cut valleys with, among other things. rice. Here is also Sokode, the Muslim
center of the country. In the northernmost Atakora, the Kabyé people,
known for intensive farming, live on mountain terraces. Here and far from NV
many small and quite isolated ethnic groups live.
Population and Economy. Population growth is high (but declining)
and population density is high in African conditions. approximately 40% live in cities,
reflecting the dominant role of the agricultural industry. approximately 45 different
ethnic groups live in Togo, but most are few. The most important groups are ewe (22%), kabyé (14%), cotocoli and basari. During
the political unrest in the early 1990's, an estimated 400,000 fled to
neighboring countries, but many have since returned. approximately 100,000 Togolese
workers are seasonal workers in Ghana's agriculture.
- Countryaah:
Do you know how many people there are in Togo? Check this site to see
population pyramid and resident density about this country.
Agriculture is the main business. To the south, farms are small (1-3
ha) with self-contained roads, while village- or tribal-based community
ownership is common to the north. The structure makes it difficult to modernize
the profession, but in normal harvest seasons the country is self-sufficient
with basic foods, yams, cassava, corn, millet and rice. In addition, sales
crops such as cotton, peanuts, etc. Cocoa, coffee and cotton together represent
approximately 40% of the country's export revenue. Togo is not self-sufficient with
meat, but to the south there is some pig breeding, and to the north goats, sheep
and cattle. In total, only 10% of the land is cultivated, and with foreign aid
the area is sought to be expanded and productivity improved.
Togo is the world's fourth largest producer of phosphate (for fertilizers),
the country's main export commodity, and in recent years 20-30% of its export
revenue has come from it. The country has significant deposits of calcium
phosphate, which have been exploited since 1961. In 1997, the company was
partially privatized as part of a debt settlement agreement with the IMF
(International Monetary Fund). The industry contributes only 9% of GDP. In the
1970's, an ambitious state industrialization program was launched, but many of
the companies have since closed. A free zone in Lomé has attracted a number of
foreign producers. The infrastructure is poorly developed; from the colonial
period there are some railways that are now heavily run down. The energy supply
has long been dependent on imports of electricity fromAkosombo Dam in Ghana. A
natural gas pipeline from Nigeria is under construction and is expected to open
in 2006.
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