Benin–Togo Border
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The Benin–Togo border is 651 km (405 m) in length and runs from the
tripoint A triple border, tripoint, trijunction, triple point, or tri-border area is a geography, geographical point at which the boundaries of three countries or Administrative division, subnational entities meet. There are 175 international tripoints ...
with
Burkina Faso Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Ivory Coast to the southwest. It covers an area of 274,223 km2 (105,87 ...
in the north down to the
Bight of Benin The Bight of Benin, or Bay of Benin, is a bight in the Gulf of Guinea area on the western African coast that derives its name from the historical Kingdom of Benin. Geography The Bight of Benin was named after the Kingdom of Benin. It extends ea ...
in the south.


Description

The border starts in the north at the tripoint with Burkina Faso. It then proceeds overland to the southwest, veers to the southeast in the vicinity of Grando Namoni, and then turns sharply southwards in the vicinity of
Gando, Benin Gando is a village in the commune of Bassila in the Donga Department of western Benin. It is located near the border with Togo Togo, officially the Togolese Republic, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to Ghana–Togo border ...
. The boundary then proceeds southwards in a roughly straight line, occasionally utilising rivers such as the Ogou and, in the southernmost stretches, the
Mono Mono may refer to: Biology * Infectious mononucleosis, "the kissing disease" * Monocyte, a type of leukocyte (white blood cell) * Monodactylidae, members of which are referred to as monos Technology and computing * Mono (audio), single-c ...
.
Mont Sokbaro Mont Sokbaro (also spelled as SagbaraoTchaboue, B.I. (2015) ''Tourisme et developpement socio-economique dans la commune de Bassila (Benin)''. Université d'Abomey-Calavi) is a hill that is mostly cited as the highest point of Benin, with an elev ...
, widely cited as the highest point of Benin, lies almost on the border here. In the far south the border turns sharply to the west before reaching the Atlantic Ocean, providing Benin with a thin strip of territory encompassing
Grand-Popo Grand-Popo is a town, Arrondissements of Benin, arrondissement, and Communes of Benin, commune in the Mono Department of south-western Benin. The commune covers an area of 289 square kilometres and as at the 2013 Census had a population of 57,636 ...
and Hilakondji.


History

During the second half of the 19th century France began creating small trading settlements on the West African coast. In 1851 a treaty of friendship was signed between France and the
Kingdom of Dahomey The Kingdom of Dahomey () was a West African kingdom located within present-day Benin that existed from approximately 1600 until 1904. It developed on the Abomey Plateau amongst the Fon people in the early 17th century and became a regional ...
in what is now southern Benin, followed by the creation of a protectorate in
Porto Novo , , ; ; ; also known as Hogbonu and Ajashe) is the capital and second-largest city of Benin. The commune covers an area of and as of 2002 had a population of 223,552 people. In 1863, following British bombardment, Porto-Novo accepted French ...
in 1863. The colony of
Dahomey The Kingdom of Dahomey () was a West African List of kingdoms in Africa throughout history, kingdom located within present-day Benin that existed from approximately 1600 until 1904. It developed on the Abomey Plateau amongst the Fon people in ...
(the former name of Benin) was declared in 1894, and later included within the much larger federal colony of
French West Africa French West Africa (, ) was a federation of eight French colonial empires#Second French colonial empire, French colonial territories in West Africa: Colonial Mauritania, Mauritania, French Senegal, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), French Guin ...
(''Afrique occidentale française'', abbreviated AOF) in 1899. The 1880s saw an intense competition for territory in Africa by the European powers, a process known as the ‘
Scramble for Africa The Scramble for Africa was the invasion, conquest, and colonialism, colonisation of most of Africa by seven Western European powers driven by the Second Industrial Revolution during the late 19th century and early 20th century in the era of ...
’.
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
began taking an interest in acquiring African colonies, signing a treaty with chiefs along the coast of modern Togo in July 1884; France recognised this claim the following year. The southernmost section of the border was agreed upon by
procès-verbal Procès-verbal ( French ''procès'', process, Late Latin ''verbalis'', from ''verbum'', word) is a legal term with a number of meanings: In law *in Francophone countries, such as France, the term "procès-verbal" is frequently mentioned as "P.V. ...
in 1887, with the rest of boundary being settled by a Franco-German protocol of July 1897. A more detailed boundary treaty was agreed upon in September 1912. During the
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
German Togoland was
conquered Conquest involves the annexation or control of another entity's territory through war or coercion. Historically, conquests occurred frequently in the international system, and there were limited normative or legal prohibitions against conquest ...
by Allied forces and split into
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
and French mandates. By
plebiscite A referendum, plebiscite, or ballot measure is a direct vote by the electorate (rather than their representatives) on a proposal, law, or political issue. A referendum may be either binding (resulting in the adoption of a new policy) or adv ...
, British Togoland was incorporated into the Gold Coast colony in 1956, which gained independence as
Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...
the following year. The remainder of Togolese territory remained under French control, however France had also initiated a process of decolonisation, which culminated in the granting of broad internal autonomy to its African territories in 1958 within the framework of the
French Community The French Community () was the constitutional organization set up in October 1958 between France and its remaining African colonies, then in the process of decolonization. It replaced the French Union, which had reorganized the colonial em ...
. French Togoland declared complete independence as Togo on 27 April 1960, followed by Dahomey on 1 August, and their mutual frontier became an international one between two independent states.


Settlements near the border


Benin

* Séméhoun-Nanbouli * Kountouri * Boukonmbé-Zongo * Kossokouangou * Tchoumi-Tchoumi * Boukombe * Kounadougou * Dompago * Ouaké * Doumé * Séméré * Aledjo-Koura * Penelan *
Bassila Bassila is a town, arrondissement, and commune located in the Donga Department of Benin. The commune covers an area of 5,661 square kilometres and as of 2013 had a population of 130,770 people. The RNIE 3 highway of Benin passes through the t ...
* Tchetti *
Aplahoué Aplahoué is a town and arrondissement in Benin Benin, officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It was formerly known as Dahomey. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north-west, ...
* Athiémé * Adjaha * Agbanaken *
Agoué Agoué is an arrondissement in the Mono department of Benin. It is an administrative division under the jurisdiction of the commune of Grand-Popo. According to the population census conducted by the Institut National de la Statistique Benin ...
*
Grand-Popo Grand-Popo is a town, Arrondissements of Benin, arrondissement, and Communes of Benin, commune in the Mono Department of south-western Benin. The commune covers an area of 289 square kilometres and as at the 2013 Census had a population of 57,636 ...
* Hilakondji


Togo

* Mandouri * Grando Namoni * Gando *
Sola Sola may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Albums * ''Saints of Los Angeles'', a 2008 album by Mötley Crüe * ''Sola'', an album by Olga Tañón * ''Sola'', an album by Zayda y los Culpables Songs * Sola (Becky G song), "Sola" (Becky G song ...
* Pagouda * Kpékplémé * Kétao * Balanka * Koussountou


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Benin-Togo border Borders of Benin Borders of Togo International borders