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This page was last updated on 19 June 2008
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| Introduction | Ghana | Top of Page

Background: | Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. Ghana endured a long series of coups before Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS took power in 1981 and banned political parties. After approving a new constitution and restoring multiparty politics in 1992, RAWLINGS won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. Kufuor is constitutionally barred from running for a third term in upcoming Presidential elections, which are scheduled for December 2008.

| Geography | Ghana | Top of Page

Location: | Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo
Geographic coordinates: | 8 00 N, 2 00 W
Map references: | Africa
Area: | total: 239,460 sq km land: 230,940 sq km water: 8,520 sq km
Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries: | total: 2,094 km border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km
Coastline: | 539 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm
Climate: | tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north
Terrain: | mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m
Natural resources: | gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone
Land use: | arable land: 17.54% permanent crops: 9.22% other: 73.24% (2005)
Irrigated land: | 310 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources: | 53.2 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): | total: 0.98 cu km/yr (24%/10%/66%) per capita: 44 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards: | dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts
Environment - current issues: | recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: | Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

| People | Ghana | Top of Page

Population: | 23,382,848 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 37.8% (male 4,470,382/female 4,360,359) 15-64 years: 58.7% (male 6,852,363/female 6,866,470) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 386,150/female 447,124) (2008 est.)
Median age: | total: 20.4 years male: 20.2 years female: 20.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate: | 1.928% (2008 est.)
Birth rate: | 29.22 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate: | 9.39 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate: | -0.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 52.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 56.64 deaths/1,000 live births female: 47.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 59.49 years male: 58.65 years female: 60.35 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 3.78 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 3.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 350,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 30,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: | degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Nationality: | noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian
Ethnic groups: | Akan 45.3%, Mole-Dagbon 15.2%, Ewe 11.7%, Ga-Dangme 7.3%, Guan 4%, Gurma 3.6%, Grusi 2.6%, Mande-Busanga 1%, other tribes 1.4%, other 7.8% (2000 census)
Religions: | Christian 68.8% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 24.1%, Protestant 18.6%, Catholic 15.1%, other 11%), Muslim 15.9%, traditional 8.5%, other 0.7%, none 6.1% (2000 census)
Languages: | Asante 14.8%, Ewe 12.7%, Fante 9.9%, Boron (Brong) 4.6%, Dagomba 4.3%, Dangme 4.3%, Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.7%, Akyem 3.4%, Ga 3.4%, Akuapem 2.9%, other 36.1% (includes English (official)) (2000 census)
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.9% male: 66.4% female: 49.8% (2000 census)

| Government | Ghana | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast
Government type: | constitutional democracy
Capital: | name: Accra geographic coordinates: 5 33 N, 0 13 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions: | 10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western
Independence: | 6 March 1957 (from UK)
National holiday: | Independence Day, 6 March (1957)
Constitution: | approved 28 April 1992
Legal system: | based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: | chief of state: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by Parliament elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2008) election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR reelected president in election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 52.4%, John ATTA-MILLS 44.6%
Legislative branch: | unicameral Parliament (230 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPP 128, NDC 94, PNC 4, CPP 3, independent 1
Judicial branch: | Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: | Convention People's Party or CPP [Ladi NYLANDER]; Democratic Freedom Party or DFP [Alhaji Abudu Rahman ISSAKAH]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTEY]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Kwabena ADJEI]; New Patriotic Party or NPP [Peter MAC-MANU]; People's National Convention or PNC [Alhaji Amed RAMADAN]; Reform Party [Kyeretwie OPUKU]; United Renaissance Party or URP [Charles WAYO]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF (associate member), OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Kwame BAWUAH-EDUSEI chancery: 1156 15th St. NW #905, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379 FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela E. BRIDGEWATER embassy: 24 4th Circular Rd. Cantonments, Accra mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra telephone: [233] (21) 741-000 FAX: [233] (21) 741-389
Flag description: | three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

| Economy | Ghana | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the per capita output of the poorest countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold and cocoa production, and individual remittances, are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve around agriculture, which accounts for about 35% of GDP and employs about 55% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002, and is also benefiting from the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative that took effect in 2006. Thematic priorities under its current Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy, which also provides the framework for development partner assistance, are: macroeconomic stability; private sector competitiveness; human resource development; and good governance and civic responsibility. Sound macro-economic management along with high prices for gold and cocoa helped sustain GDP growth in 2007. Ghana signed a Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact in 2006, which aims to assist in transforming Ghana's agricultural sector.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $31.33 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | $14.86 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 6.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $1,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 37.3% industry: 25.3% services: 37.5% (2006 est.)
Labor force: | 11.29 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 56% industry: 15% services: 29% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate: | 11% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: | 28.5% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.1% (1999)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 39.4 (2005-06)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 9.6% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 31.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $4.262 billion expenditures: $5.481 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt: | 48.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products: | cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber
Industries: | mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing, cement, small commercial ship building
Industrial production growth rate: | 7.4% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production: | 7.042 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption: | 6.906 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - exports: | 256 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports: | 461 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production: | 700 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 47,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports: | 8,041 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports: | 45,010 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves: | 16.5 million bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves: | 22.81 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance: | -$1.896 billion (2007 est.)
Exports: | $4.194 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities: | gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds, horticulture
Exports - partners: | Netherlands 11.3%, UK 8.7%, US 6.7%, Spain 5.7%, Belgium 5.2%, France 4.4% (2006)
Imports: | $8.073 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities: | capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs
Imports - partners: | Nigeria 16.7%, China 13%, UK 5.7%, Belgium 4.7%, US 4.7%, South Africa 4.1%, France 4.1% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient: | $1.316 billion in loans and grants (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $2.837 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external: | $4.898 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $NA
Market value of publicly traded shares: | $13.01 billion (2007)
Currency (code): | Ghana cedi (GHC)
Exchange rates: | cedis per US dollar - 0.95 (2007), 9,174.8 (2006), 9,072.5 (2005), 9,004.6 (2004), 8,677.4 (2003) note: in 2007 Ghana revalued its currency with 10,000 old cedis equal to 1 new cedis
Fiscal year: | calendar year

| Communications | Ghana | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 356,400 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 5.207 million (2006)
Telephone system: | general assessment: fixed-line infrastructure outdated and unreliable; competition among multiple mobile-cellular providers has spurred growth with subscribership about 25 per 100 persons and rising domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has been installed international: country code - 233; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 0, FM 86, shortwave 3 (2007)
Television broadcast stations: | 7 (2007)
Internet country code: | .gh
Internet hosts: | 2,899 (2007)
Internet users: | 609,800 (2006)

| Transportation | Ghana | Top of Page

Airports: | 12 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Pipelines: | oil 13 km; refined products 316 km (2007)
Railways: | total: 953 km narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Roadways: | total: 62,221 km paved: 9,955 km unpaved: 52,266 km (2006)
Waterways: | 1,293 km note: 168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta (2007)
Merchant marine: | total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,032 GRT/7,282 DWT by type: petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2 foreign-owned: 1 (Brazil 1) (2007)
Ports and terminals: | Tema

| Military | Ghana | Top of Page

Military branches: | Ghanaian Army, Ghanaian Navy, Ghanaian Air Force (2007)
Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 5,802,096 females age 16-49: 5,729,939 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 3,737,481 females age 16-49: 3,729,699 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: | males age 16-49: 273,265 females age 16-49: 267,204 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 0.8% (2006 est.)

| Transnational Issues | Ghana | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | Ghana struggles to accommodate returning nationals who worked in the cocoa plantations and escaped fighting in Cote d'Ivoire
Refugees and internally displaced persons: | refugees (country of origin): 35,653 (Liberia); 8,517 (Togo) (2007)
Illicit drugs: | illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US; widespread crime and money laundering problem, but the lack of a well developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money laundering center; significant domestic cocaine and cannabis use

This page was last updated on 19 June 2008