The 704 kilometer Benin–Togo boundary was established in the late 19^th century when Dahomey (Benin) was part of French West Africa and Togoland was a German protectorate. Following a series of general agreements regarding Franco–German spheres of influence in west Africa, a more detailed delimitation was agreed in 1912. Although Germany lost control over Togoland following the first world war, the boundary endured and was accepted by Benin and Togo following independence from France in 1960. The boundary has a general north-south orientation and is primarily comprised of straight line segments, although it also follows several rivers and a coastal lagoon. Some reports indicate that the boundary was at least partially demarcated following the 1912 delimitation, and the two modern governments are in the process of redemarcating the entire line.