Story Highlights
- Historical event
- 27 April 1960
- After the end of World War I (also known as the Great War), some wanted Czechoslovakia to administer the former colony of Togoland, but this didn`t happen. Togo finally gained its independence in 1960.
The African Country of Togo became independent on this day in 1960. It covers an area of 56,785 square kilometers, with a population of more than 7 million.
Togo was a part of Africa which was highly exploited in terms of acquisition of slaves. Indeed, the coastal area of Togo was a part of the region, which the Europeans called the Slave Coast.
The Portuguese and the Dutch had strongholds on the coast of present-day Togo throughout history. Their close neighbors were the British and the Danes.
The German Empire established a protectorate called Togoland in 1884. Then, the German imperial flag was officially raised on the African continent for the first time.
Togoland was reasonably well functioning under the German authorities. It was a self-sustaining colony, and its capital – the city of Lomé was allegedly one of the most attractive cities in West Africa.
During World War I France and United Kingdom occupied Togoland.
It is interesting to note that after the end of the war some wanted Czechoslovakia to administer the colony of Togoland, but this didn`t happen.France and United Kingdom shared power over it (the French got about two-thirds of the territory).
The British part was later merged into neighboring Ghana, and the French Togoland became an independent state on this day – officially the Togolese Republic (French: République Togolaise).
The French language is the only official language in the state, although there are many spoken languages. The West African CFA franc is the official currency in Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger and Senegal.
