Although widely known as Togo, the former German protectorate of Togoland is actually called the Togolese Republic. After the cessation of hostilities at the end of the First World War, its rule was transferred to France and Britain with British Togoland becoming part of the newly created state of Ghana in 1957 and French Togoland gaining its full independence in 1960.

Togo's first president, Sylvanus Olympio, was assassinated in 1963 in a military coup led by Sergeant Etienne Eyadema Gnassingbe and opposition leader Nicolas Grunitzky was appointed President. However Gnassingbe was later to overthrow Grunitzky in a bloodless coup in 1967 and went on to become Africa's longest serving dictator until his death in 2005.

Gnassingbé's son, Faure Gnassingbé, was then installed as president by the army, however was soon forced to stand down and called elections which he 'won' two months later, although these elections were widely regarded by the international community as rigged. He has held power since that time.

Today around one half of Togo's population lives under the international poverty line, and Togo is widely condemned for its human rights abuses. Despite tentative steps towards a more open democracy, many see these steps as stalled and Togo remains relatively unstable and one of the poorest countries in the world with many of its citizens living in neighbouring countries such as Benin.

Learn about child sponsor opportunities in Togo here.