Aného
Aného, previously known as Anecho is a town in southeastern Togo, lying on the Gulf of Guinea near the border of Benin. Founded in the late 17th century by Ane people fleeing from Denkyira attacks in Elmina (now in Ghana), Aného developed as a slave port and commercial center. It was the capital of German Togoland from 1885 to 1887 and of the French occupation from 1914 to 1920. Aného remains an important intellectual center for Togo, though it has not grown as rapidly as Togo’s other major cities. Its estimated population in 2005 was 25,400.
It is situated 45 km east of the capital Lomé, between the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Togo in Maritime Region. Historically it was known as Petit Popo and it had a Portuguese slave market. The nearby town of Zebe became the second capital of German Togoland in 1887. It gradually declined in importance after the capital was transferred to Lomé in 1897, a decline exacerbated by coastal erosion.
The town's main industries are farming and fishing, while it is still a center for Voodoo. Notable buildings include Aneho Protestant Church (built in 1895) and Aneho Peter and Paul Church, cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Aného, dating from 1898. These buildings were together added to the UNESCO Tentative List on December 12, 2000, in the Cultural category.
It is situated 45 km east of the capital Lomé, between the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Togo in Maritime Region. Historically it was known as Petit Popo and it had a Portuguese slave market. The nearby town of Zebe became the second capital of German Togoland in 1887. It gradually declined in importance after the capital was transferred to Lomé in 1897, a decline exacerbated by coastal erosion.
The town's main industries are farming and fishing, while it is still a center for Voodoo. Notable buildings include Aneho Protestant Church (built in 1895) and Aneho Peter and Paul Church, cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Aného, dating from 1898. These buildings were together added to the UNESCO Tentative List on December 12, 2000, in the Cultural category.
Map - Aného
Map
Country - Togo
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| Flag of Togo | |
Various people groups settled the boundaries of present day Togo between the 11th to 16th centuries. Between the 16th and 18th centuries, the coastal region served primarily as a European slave trading outpost, earning Togo and the surrounding region the name "The Slave Coast". In 1884, Germany declared a region including a protectorate called Togoland. After World War I, rule over Togo was transferred to France. Togo gained its independence from France in 1960. In 1967, Gnassingbé Eyadéma led a successful military coup d'état, after which he became president of an anti-communist, single-party state. In 1993, Eyadéma faced multiparty elections marred by irregularities, and won the presidency three times. At the time of his death, Eyadéma was the "longest-serving leader in modern African history", having been president for 38 years. In 2005, his son Faure Gnassingbé was elected president.
Currency / Language
| ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| XOF | West African CFA franc | Fr | 0 |
| ISO | Language |
|---|---|
| EE | Ewe language |
| FR | French language |
| HA | Hausa language |