Geography of Togo
Location: | Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana |
Geographic coordinates: | 8 00 N, 1 10 E |
Map references: | Africa |
Area: | total: 56,785 sq km land: 54,385 sq km water: 2,400 sq km |
Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than West Virginia |
Land boundaries: | total: 1,647 km border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km |
Coastline: | 56 km |
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 30 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Climate: | tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north |
Terrain: | gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes |
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Agou 986 m |
Natural resources: | phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land |
Land use: | arable land: 44.2% permanent crops: 2.11% other: 53.69% (2005) |
Irrigated land: | 70 sq km (2003) |
Natural hazards: | hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during winter; periodic droughts |
Environment - current issues: | deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban areas |
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Geography - note: | the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna |