African News: Togo and Central African Republic

Togo

The Togolese Republic, located in West Africa, borders Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso, and against the Gulf of Guinea. Historically, Togo was comprised of various tribes, and it became part of the "Slave Coast" for European countries who came raiding for slaves. Originally under a protectorate of Germany, Togoland became a mandate under the League of Nations administered by France and the United Kingdom.

In 1960, Togo became an independent nation, and was ruled by Eyadema Gnassingbe, Africa's longest dictator in power. In 2005, the country enacted democratic elections, with Faure Gnassingbe announced as the winner.

As a sub-Saharan economy, agriculture is the main industry in Togo, with approximately 65% of the population engaged in agriculture. Industrially, phosphate mining and export is important to the economy. Currently, Togo is the region's commercial and trade center, with its capital based in Lomé.

With a population of over 6.1 million people, Togo has more than 37 ethnic groups, including the Ewe, Mina, and Kabre. The official language of Togo is French, with several indigenous Togolese languages spoken commonly.

50% of the Togolese have religious affiliations of indigenous animist, with Christianity held by 29% of the population. The remainder of the population is religiously Islamic.


Central African Republic

Central African Republic, landlocked in Central Africa, borders Chad, Sudan, Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Cameroon. The topography of the country consists of the Sudan-Guinean savanna, equatorial forests, and a Sahelo-Sudanese area.
In 1960, Central African Republic gained its independence from France, and it is currently a republic which had its first democratic elections held in 1993.
The Central African Republic's economy is highly dependent upon foreign assistance through NGOs. Although the country has agricultural self-sufficiency, the majority of the population exists at a subsistence level; in 2006, the country barely overcame the risk of starvation. Most of the economy is fueled by cash crops, and the per capita income in the country is approximately $300 annually. The export of diamonds is critical to the economy, accounting for 40% - 55% of the export revenues.
With over four million people in the population, the Central African Republic has over 80 ethnic groups and languages. Approximately 11% of the entire population is HIV positive. In terms of religion, the most prevalent are indigenous beliefs, followed by the Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Muslim religions.