Togo Population
Population Distribution
As of 2023, the latest population of Togo is 8,608,444, based on our calculation of the current data from UN (United Nations).
| Total population | 8,608,444 |
| Population growth rate | 2.56% |
| Birth rate | 33.30 births per 1,000 people |
| Life expectancy | |
| Overall life expectancy | 63.62 years |
| Men life expectancy | 61.07 years |
| Women life expectancy | 66.24 years |
| Age structure | |
| 0-14 years | 40.13% |
| 15-64 years | 56.40% |
| 65 years and above | 3.46% |
| Median age | 19.60 years |
| Gender ratio (Male to Female) | 0.98 |
| Population density | 151.60 residents per km² |
| Urbanization | 35.10% |
| Ethnicities | |
| especially Kwa (22% Ewe, 10% Watchi) and Gur peoples (13% Kabyé, Temba, Mopa, Gurma, and Losso); Hausa, Fulbe; French people | |
| Religions | |
| Indigenous religions 51%, Christians 29%, Muslims 20% | |
| Human Development Index (HDI) | 0.513 |
| HDI ranking | 167th out of 194 |
People in Togo
The residents of Togo are officially called Togoers, although we use the name Togolese more often. They belong to about 50 different peoples. Togo is therefore a multi-ethnic state.
The Ewe people (40.1 percent), who live mainly in the south, have the largest share of the population. This is followed by the Temba and Kabiyé (23.1 percent), who are the largest ethnic group in the center and north of the country. Then come the Akebu (13.2 percent), the Gurma (9.7 percent) and the Yoruba (6.8 percent).
The somba
The Koutammakou region is located near the city of Kara and in neighboring Benin. The Somba people (also called Tamberma, Tammari or Batammariba) live there in a traditional way.
They build their houses out of mud. They are called Takienta or Tata Somba and are a symbol of Togo. The houses are two-story. On the ground floor is the kitchen in the middle, all around are the stables for the animals. A ladder leads to the first floor. Everyone sleeps here. The grain is dried in an open area, while it is stored in a covered area. In front of every house there is an altar to ward off evil. The Somba believe in protective spirits and live in harmony with nature.
Children in Togo
Every woman in Togo has an average of 4.3 children. This is very much. With us each woman has only 1.4 children. Children and young people in Togo make up a large proportion of the population. 40 percent of the population is under 15 years old!
Infant mortality is 2.5 percent, child mortality 4.7 percent (as of 2018, ours: 0.2 and 0.3 percent). That means: more than two out of 100 newborn children die, almost five out of 100 do not celebrate their first birthday. The numbers have fallen in recent years, but still too high.
Urban and countryside
More and more people are moving to the cities. This is a typical phenomenon in West Africa (for example also in the Ivory Coast). This is called rural exodus. The more people come to cities, the more housing and jobs are missing. In Togo, 42 percent of the people live in the city. In comparison with other countries, this is still little, but the number is increasing from year to year.
Languages in Togo
Today’s Togo was a French mandate from 1914. With independence in 1960, French remained the official language.
But the many peoples also speak their own languages. The languages Ewe and Kabiyé, spoken by the peoples of the same name, are even national languages in Togo. They have the most speakers. Then there are other Kwa and Gur languages. A total of 39 languages are spoken in Togo. There are also people who don’t speak French, only Ewe, for example.
Ewe is spoken by the Ewe people in the south of Ghana and Togo. Ewe is a Kwa language, which in turn belongs to the Niger-Congo languages. 1400 languages belong to this language family. On the map on the left you can see their main groups and where the Kwa languages are spoken.
Would you like a little Ewe? Woezon means welcome. Akpé means thank you.
In all (75!) Kwa languages, the pitch changes the meaning of a word or phrase. Ewe also has a font. The German colonialists introduced them. The Latin alphabet is used, in which you also write in German. A few other letters belonging to the Africa alphabet are also used.
Religions in Togo
In Togo, around half of the population believes in the ancient natural religions of their peoples. These include the religion of the Ga and the religion of the Yoruba. Belief in voodoo also plays a special role. 29 percent of the population are Christians, the majority of whom belong to the Roman Catholic Church. Visiting church on Sunday is a part of her life. 20 percent profess Islam. The Muslims live more in the north of the country. There are Muslim quarters in the cities in the south.
Togo Overview
Togo, located in West Africa along the Gulf of Guinea, is known for its vibrant culture, traditional music, and bustling markets. The country’s rich history is evident in its diverse ethnic groups and colonial architecture, particularly in the capital city of Lomé. Togo is famous for its colorful festivals, such as the Voodoo Festival in Togoville, where visitors can experience traditional rituals and dances. With its palm-fringed beaches, lush landscapes, and wildlife reserves like Fazao-Malfakassa National Park, Togo offers visitors a unique blend of cultural immersion and natural beauty.
- Capital City: Lomé
- Population: Approximately 8.6 million
- Area: 56,785 square kilometers
- Full Country Name: Togolese Republic
- Currency: West African CFA franc (XOF)
- Language: French
- ISO Country Codes: ISO 3166-1 alpha-2: TG, ISO 3166-1 alpha-3: TGO
Bordering Countries of Togo
Togo is a West African country bordered by four countries: Ghana to the west, Benin to the east, Burkina Faso to the north, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south. Ghana is a West African country located between Togo and Cote d’Ivoire with a coastline on the Gulf of Guinea. It has a population of over 28 million people with most following Christianity as their religion. English is its official language while Accra serves as its capital city which houses many attractions like Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, The National Museum etc. Benin is located to the east of Togo and it has borders with Niger and Nigeria in addition to Togo. French serves as its official language while Christianity and Islam are practiced by majority of its citizens. Porto-Novo serves as its capital city which has many attractions like Château d’Ifangni, The Ethnographic Museum etc. Burkina Faso lies in West Africa with a border shared between Mali, Niger, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana in addition to Togo. Its population follows Islam as their primary religion while French serves as its official language. Ouagadougou is its capital city which has many attractions like Cathedral of Ouagadougou, Musee National etc. Finally, the Gulf of Guinea lies south of Togo across which lies Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Cameroon in addition to other coastal countries like Ivory Coast etc..
