Kara Region

Kara Region holds outsized political significance as the home region of the Gnassingbé family that has ruled Togo since 1967—first Gnassingbé Eyadéma (1967-2005), then his son Faure Gnassingbé (2005-present). This patronage connection has channeled infrastructure investment northward: improved roads, electrification, and schools that contrast with neglect of opposition-supporting southern regions. The Kabyè people, Eyadéma's ethnic group, dominate the military and civil service disproportionately—a power structure that shapes national politics. Beyond politics, Kara's economy rests on agriculture (cotton, maize, livestock) and the iron ore deposits at Bandjeli that German colonizers first exploited. The region's rugged terrain—part of the Togo Mountains—historically isolated communities but now attracts eco-tourists to waterfalls and the Fazao-Malfakassa National Park. With Togo achieving 6.5% GDP growth (2024) and inflation down to 2.9%, Kara benefits from national stability even as political tensions simmer about dynasty succession. By 2026, the region's development trajectory remains tied to presidential favor—a path dependency that concentrates opportunity in the north while southern opposition areas receive less investment.