A republic in western Africa, lying between GHANA on its west and BENIN on its east. Its capital is Lome. Togo was the eastern part of the German protectorate of Togoland from 1884 until it was captured by Anglo-French forces in 1914. It became an autonomous republic within the French Union in 1956, achieving independence in 1960. The country probably derives its name from Lake Togo, to (water) + go (edge or shore). (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p1216 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p548).
