Lomé, Togo

Lomé is the capital of the Togolese Republic, or Togo, a nation in West Africa. Located at the edge of a narrow stretch of coastline bordering the Gulf of Guinea at the southern tip of Togo, Lomé is also the nation's main shipping port. Urban Lomé is a blend of cultural influences, with German and French colonial influences interwoven with the cultural traditions of the nation's approximately thirty-seven native ethnic groups.

Landscape

Togo is a narrow nation occupying a total area of 56,785 square kilometers (21,925 square miles); it stretches 510 kilometers (317 miles) north to south, and 140 kilometers (87 miles) east to west. Lomé is located at the southwest corner of the nation's 56-kilometer (35-mile) coast along the Gulf of Guinea, a short distance from the border of Ghana. The area surrounding Lomé is a coastal plain dotted with estuaries and lakes and dominated by littoral vegetation (vegetation situated on the shore of a sea or lake).

Part of Lomé sits on a sandbar created by ocean currents that rises to approximately 4.5 to 6 meters (15 to 20 feet) above sea level. Downtown Lomé is organized in an irregular grid with several circular throughways, each of which contains a commercial area. The Boulevard de la République, which traces the coastline at the southern edge of the city, leads directly into Ghana at the city's western border. The city's main port and industrial area is northeast of the city center.

Architecture in downtown Lomé is a blend of the city's German and French colonial periods mixed in with modern structures. Most of the residential housing in Lomé reflects the relatively low income of Togo's population and is constructed of corrugated tin and stone.

Lomé's proximity to the sea and prevailing ocean wind patterns are influential in its moderate, tropical climate. There are two rainy seasons, from March to July and again from September to October. The coastal region receives less rainfall than the interior and mountainous regions, with an average of 78 centimeters (31 inches) annually. Temperatures in Lomé range from 23 degrees to 30 degrees Celsius (73 degrees to 86 degrees Fahrenheit).

Togo has undergone climate changes that have caused poor crop yields and extreme weather events. In addition to this, the country has indoor and outdoor air pollution that exceeds the guidelines recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

People

The population of Lomé was approximately 1.926 million in 2022. As Togo's largest and most diverse city, Lomé is home to members of the nation's thirty-seven or so resident ethnic groups, as well as small populations of European and Syrian, and Lebanese expatriates. The largest ethnic groups are the Ewe and Kabre (Kabye) peoples, accounting for the majority of residents living in the capital.

French is the official language of Togo and is used in administrative and educational settings. Public education is free and voluntary, with most schools offering education in French. There are a number of other languages that are common in some parts of the nation, including a variety of native African dialects. The Ewe and Mina languages are important in Lomé and other areas in southern Togo.

There is no majority religion in Togo. In Lomé itself, there are a number of Christian sects, as well as communities of Muslims and animists, while voodoo (voudoun) and other indigenous religions are practiced to a lesser extent. Overall, Islam and Christianity dominate in the urban areas, while a majority of Togolese practice some form of indigenous African religion.

Lomé has several outdoor markets that also serve as social and cultural centers. In addition, the beaches near Lomé and along the short coastline are popular for swimming, boating and other activities. On the whole, Togolese cuisine blends elements from various styles of African cooking, though the atmosphere of restaurants and other social venues borrow elements from French culture.

Economy

Togo has a small and underdeveloped economy. A majority of the population is involved in subsistence agriculture or the export of agricultural commodities. Coffee, cotton and cocoa are among the nation's principal exports, along with mineral products. Togo is also the fourth-largest producer of phosphate, which is used as a fertilizer and to create phosphorous for industrial use. Much of the exported phosphate mined in Togo travels through Lomé.

An important port city, Lomé benefits from the shipping industry and its international airport, though many of the nation's exports travel by land to neighboring nations, including Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Benin. The service sector accounts for a substantial portion of the city's revenue, including recreational and tourist services. Togo is dependent on imports for oil and dietary supplements. As of 2021, its chief import partners were China, France, and India, while its chief export partners were Bukina Faso, Mali, and Benin. In 2018, Lomé became the leading container port in West Africa.

Tourism was one of Lomé's largest industries in the 1970s, but political unrest in the latter half of the twentieth century reduced the tourist trade. The nation suffered an economic collapse in the 1980s that forced many residents of the capital to leave. Violent protests and political violence in 1993 continued to reduce the population of Lomé by more than 30 percent, as many Togolese fled to nearby Ghana, reducing the local workforce and causing a strain on the economy.

A significant transportation center, Lomé is connected by rail to other cities in neighboring African countries. The rail system is important from an economic standpoint, as many of the nation's agricultural and industrial products are brought to Lomé by rail before being shipped abroad. Though Togo has been the focus of economic international economic aid projects since the 1980s, notably from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, poverty is still common among the Togolese population. The World Bank reported that more than half the country lived in poverty as of 2020.

Landmarks

The Grand Marche, or Lomé Grand Market, is a cultural center of the city and a major attraction for tourists. A variety of goods are available at the market, from native arts and crafts to food and other goods. During cultural and religious celebrations, the grand market also serves as the site of musical and artistic performances.

Sacre Coeur Cathedral is the most prominent religious institution in the city. Located at the center of downtown Lomé, it is one of the most recognizable buildings in the skyline. The tallest building in Lomé is the Corinthina Hotel de 2 Février, or the 2 Février Sofitel Hotel, which was built in the 1980s and remains the only high-rise building in the city, standing at thirty-six stories. In addition, there is the National Museum of Togo, which serves as both an art and a history museum, and the National Library, which contains a large collection of historical books, manuscripts and articles, as well as government archives.

Lomé is also known for its beaches, many of which are a short distance from the downtown area. A number of cafés and recreational establishments have been constructed along the coast and attract residents and tourists alike. Water sports are popular in the Gulf of Guinea and there are a variety of private establishments along the coast that provide ocean tours and other services.

History

Historians are uncertain as to which African ethnic group first inhabited Togo and its coastal region, though members of the Ewe and other closely related groups are known to have inhabited Togo from at least the twelfth century. Nonetheless, the coastal area became the site of several transient towns and fishing communities before the establishment of permanent settlements. European contact first began with the Portuguese, who visited Togo in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, though they never established a lasting settlement.

Togo was the first African territory claimed by Germany and was founded by Gustav Nachtigal, who negotiated with local leaders to establish administrative rights in 1884. The Germans established their first administrative capital in Baguida, then later moved to Zebe. In 1897, Germany decided to make Lomé the new capital, mainly due to the city's growing importance as a shipping port. The Germans built many of the city's first roads and established the first schools in Togo, some of which were open to native Togolese.

rance and the United Kingdom cooperated to take control of Togo in 1914, during World War I. The British and French divided administrative control of Togo, and the French gained control of Lomé. The city grew rapidly during this period of French control, and the French invested in urbanization, building new roads and modernizing the city's port.

An independence movement began in Togo in the 1940s and 1950s, largely led by members of the Ewe majority. Both Britain and France eventually offered the Togolese a choice between remaining trustee territories or pursuing autonomy. The French portions of Togo voted for autonomy in 1956. However, the independent government, established in 1960, maintained close economic and administrative relations with France.

The nation's first president, Sylvanus Olympio, was assassinated in 1963, and the nation's republican system dissolved. After a brief period of political instability and another military coup, Gnassingbé (born Étienne) Eyadéma became president and amended the constitution, controlling the nation under a dictatorship from 1967 until his death in 2005.

In 1991, thousands of Togolese staged protests in Lomé, prompting the military to intervene. The resulting violence led to mass evacuation from the city as thousands fled to Ghana and other nearby nations. Following the incident, Éyadéma agreed to reforms that would allow Togo to establish a multi-party democratic system. However, after the political environment again deteriorated in 1993, leading to several weeks of armed conflict, there was another wave of evacuation from Lomé.

Though the political violence gradually subsided, the tenuous political situation continued to threaten stability in the city. After Eyadéma's death in February 2005, his son, Faure Gnassingbé, took his place as president, which led to unrest and rioting in the capital. Facing international pressure, Gnassingbé resigned the position until elections could be held, and Bonfoh Abass, then first vice president of the National Assembly, took over as interim president. A presidential election was held in April of that year, and Gnassingbé won with just over 60 percent of the vote. Since that time, with the support of the African Union, he has instituted significant reforms. Gnassingbé was reelected to a second five-year term on March 4, 2010, then reelected again to a third term on April 25, 2015. The city saw further protests in 2018 against alleged irregularities in the preparations for the legislative elections scheduled for December of that year. At least two protesters were killed by police.

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