Lomé

Why it's the capital

In the 19th century, traders from the British Gold Coast next door began unloading goods at Lomé to stay out of reach of British customs officers. The German colony of Togoland made it its capital in 1897, and a port opened in 1904 made it Togo's only place for ships to call.

Fun facts

1. The name comes from the Ewe word Alomé, which means 'in the alo trees'.
2. In the Grand Market, the cloth sellers known as the 'Nana Benz' trade cloth made in Togo, in Europe and in India.
3. The Lomé Convention, a trade and aid agreement between the European Economic Community and African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, was first signed here in 1975.