Lomé is one of the few capitals in the world located on a border. Indeed, the Aflao district is located exactly on the border of Togo and Ghana. Despite its status as a capital city, the city is actually a small metropolis that has retained a human character compared to other major centres on the coast (Abidjan, Accra, Cotonou, Lagos). The main tourist attractions of the city are concentrated around its markets: the famous Grand Marché de Lomé, the fetish market of Akodessewa, the artisanal market, the fishing port.Lomé opens onto a magnificent seafront bordered by fine sandy beaches and coconut palms where you can see fishermen hauling their nets or taking to the sea in decorated canoes every day. The city is crossed by the lagoon that delimits the north and the centre of the city (inside the "circular boulevard" - boulevard of 13-January) where most of the centres of interest, shops and services are concentrated. Once considered one of Africa's pearls, the capital has been suffering in recent years from the consequences of the socio-economic crisis that shook the country in the early 1990s. The phenomenon of "motorcycle taxis" (Oleyia) that wander the streets and take you away for a few hundred francs is striking proof of this. Nevertheless, the city remains "festive" and lively. As the country's economic centre, its streets are buzzing with activities and shops. From itinerant sellers who carry real shops on their heads to traders at the Grand Marché (including the famous nana-benz, the famous loincloth sellers who made Lomé's international reputation), from the craft market to the neighbourhood markets and the autonomous port of Lomé, we find ourselves at the heart of the country's economic activity. Lomé is also a cultural capital rich in history and traditions. There are still many vestiges of colonial architecture and its famous fetish market still testifies, today, to the entrenchment of animism among the local populations. The city is also famous for its nightlife. All along the boulevard of 13-January, there are a succession of maquis bars where the atmosphere rises as soon as night falls. The night owls will continue in one of the many discotheques that open until dawn. For those who would be more attracted by cultural life, the French Cultural Centre (CCF) and the Level offer concerts, exhibitions and theatre. Between the end of August and mid-November, you should not miss the sight of the whales that are approaching quite close to the coast.The population of Lomé is mainly made up of people from the South. The Ewe and Mina are in the majority (about 60% of the population). The minority populations of the North are concentrated in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of the city, such as the Kabyé in the Agoénivé district. It is an essentially adult population (about 55% between 15 and 65 years of age), in which there is a certain female predominance.The Lomé population is mainly employed in the tertiary sector (commerce, administration, industry), which employs nearly 70% of the local population. The main activity in this sector is undoubtedly trade, which represents about 30% of the activities. More than 50% of women are shopkeepers and about 20% are seamstresses.The other sectors are more marginal, with the primary sector (fisheries and agriculture) accounting for only 3% of activities and the secondary sector for about 25%.

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Pictures and images Lomé

Pêcheurs de Lomé qui remontent les filets. Agathe Andrieu
Partie de foot. C. THARREAU - Association 1,2,3 Déclics
Tissus traditionnels tissés à la main. Africanway - iStockphoto.com
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