TOGO

WHALES AND VOUDOUN

Togo is situated in West Africa and is bounded to the east by Benin, to the north by Burkina Faso and Ghana on the east. With a superficie of 56 785 km², Togo is one of the smallest Africa's country. This weak surface doesn't prevent the country from profiting to a large variety of landscape, according to the most beautiful in West Africa. The south is a sandy costal area, the north is a typical savanna raised in this part. In the western center, the Agou mount, highlight to 986 meters, will emerge among the many hills. After the Agou mount, there is the mountain Kloto and on the north, we can see the plateau of Danyi. There is another small chain present, the mounts Fazao and some kilometers after, the savanna appears, facilitating the presence of animals.

The chain of Atakora in Benin, is prolonged by mountains Kabiyé and Défalé in Togo, this part of the territory offers great landscapes like dry mountains overhanging oases, palm trees...

The official language is the French but the Ewe, the Kabiyé and the Mina are the languages the most used by the Togolese. There was a lot of migrations by the north and the west, so the diversity of the population is very interessant.

Between the XVI and the XIX century, Togo undergoes the slave trader. Until 1918, this country was under the protectorate of Germany. After, the colony was share between the United Kingdom and France so separating numerous ethnics groups. The independance was in 1960 and that was the CUT who gain the elections and Sylvanius Olympio became the Prime Minister. He was discharged by a seizure of power in which he died. It was Nicolas Grunitzky, a civil president who got back the power. Finally, he was discharged, one year later, further by another seizure of power. Gnassingbé Eyadema, the organizer of the seizure of the power in 1963, was promoted president in 1967. Then, many changes then took place in the country wih the introduction of the new constitution and the third republic was put there in 1979. This constitution was put in place by a referendum and this one give all the power to the president. He was reelected afterward in 1986. At this time, the situation was prosperous. Eyadéma was considerer as a privileged interlocutor. A lot of agreements was signed (example, the agreements of Lomé) to establish relations with the European Union. Further to the collapsing of the east block, The Togo was into a profound crisis because this country was deprived of a help very important. A lot of demonstrations was put in place, the situation was really difficult and the president decided to set up the fourth republic.

The following election was won by Gilchrist olympio ( son of Sylvanus Olympio). In 2003, Eyadema came back and he was reelected one more time. His death finished 38 years of presidency.

Following very discussed elections, Faure Gnassingbé was elected in 2005. Since, this young president restored confidence with the European Union after 13 years of Embargo. Actually, he is concentrating on the promotion in the development, the community property, thee peace and the national unit.