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Togo

Map of Togo showing the different regions

Togoland was made a protectorate of Germany in 1884. The Germans established the port city of Lome. They surrendered the region after French and British troops invaded in the first month (August) of World War I.

In 1920 Britain and France divided the territory between them. The French portion would eventually become the Republic of Togo while the British portion got incorporated into Ghana. In February 1960 Ghana sought unification of the two countries but Togo rejected the proposal.

A 1958 plebiscite, supervised by the United Nations, was won by independence-favoring National Union Party. Sylvanus Olympio, the party leader, became premier. France granted Togo independence on April 27, 1960.