Togo
POPULATION 5,285,501
VODUN (VOODOO) 27 percent
ROMAN CATHOLIC 24 percent
SUNNI MUSLIM 12 percent
PROTESTANT 8 percent
AFRICAN INDEPENDENT CHURCHES 1 percent
OTHER AFRICAN INDIGENOUS RELIGIONS 28 percent
Country Overview
Introduction
The Republic of Togo (République-Togolaise), situated along the Gulf of Guinea, borders Ghana to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Benin to the east. One of West Africa's most ethnically and religiously diverse countries, Togo is home to some 40 ethnic groups, most of which adhere to indigenous religious practices, including Vodun (Voodoo), a polytheistic, eclectic, and dynamic faith practiced among the Ewe and related ethnic groups in southern Togo.
Islam, the most prominent monotheistic religion in northern and central Togo, was introduced in the seventeenth century and is widespread among the Tsokosi, Kotokoli, Tchamba, Bariba, Fulani, Hausa, Bisa, and Dagomba. Its practice in Togo is highly syncretic and often includes the use of traditional healing methods.
German Protestants, the first successful European missionaries in Togo, arrived in 1847 and began proselytizing in the southern and coastal regions. Germany took control of the area, calling it Togoland, in 1884. After German forces surrendered to the colonial armies of Britain and France during World War I, Togoland was divided. The western section was annexed to the British Gold Coast; the eastern half, under French colonial control, became Togo.
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