During colonization in the late 1800s, Togo became a protectorate of Germany known as Togoland. After Germany was defeated in World War I, British and French troops invaded and France took control. The name "Savanes" resulted. French remains a commonly spoken language in the region. The country was granted independence from France in 1960.
Savanes, as is suggested by its name, is characterized largely by hills and grasslands. The climate is tropical. In late fall and winter, a desert wind starting in the Sahara blows through the region, carrying large amounts of dust. The region has an area of 8,553 square kilometers, a third of which is made up of natural reserves.
The population of Togo as a whole is 99 percent native Africans, and Savanes is no exception. The Moba/Gourma and Anuform are the two major ethnic groups in the region. The land is often divided and governed by tribal usage rights; the concepts of contracts and ownership are still not widespread in the rural areas that occupy most of the region.
