1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 238,540 km2 land area: 230,020 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon
Climate
tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north
Coastline
539 km
Environment
recent drought in north severely affecting marginal agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; dry, northeasterly harmattan wind (January to March)
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
80 km2 (1989)
Land boundaries
total 2,093 km, Burkina 548 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km
Land use
arable land: 5% permanent crops: 7% meadows and pastures: 15% forest and woodland: 37% other: 36%
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo
Map references
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber
Note
Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake
Terrain
mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area
People and Society
Birth rate
44.66 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
12.52 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
black African 99.8% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%), European and other 0.2%
Infant mortality rate
84.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
3.7 million by occupation: agriculture and fishing 54.7%, industry 18.7%, sales and clerical 15.2%, services, transportation, and communications 7.7%, professional 3.7% note: 48% of population of working age (1983)
Languages
English (official), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 55.19 years male: 53.27 years female: 57.17 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 60% male: 70% female: 51%
Nationality
noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian
Net migration rate
-1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
16,699,105 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
3.12% (1993 est.)
Religions
indigenous beliefs 38%, Muslim 30%, Christian 24%, other 8%
Total fertility rate
6.21 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western
Capital
Accra
Chief of State and Head of Government
President Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 3 November 1992)
Constitution
new constitution approved 28 April 1992
Digraph
GH
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Joseph ABBEY chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 686-4520 consulate general: New York
Executive branch
president, cabinet
FAX
[233] (21) 776008
Flag
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in the gold 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
Independence
6 March 1957 (from UK)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Legal system
based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly
Member of
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Names
conventional long form: Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast
National Assembly
last held 29 December 1992 (next to be held NA)
National holiday
Independence Day, 6 March (1957)
Political parties and leaders
National Democratic Congress, Jerry John Rawlings; New Patriotic Party, Albert Adu BOAHEN; People's Heritage Party, Alex Erskine; various other smaller parties
President
last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA)
Suffrage
universal at 18
Type
constitutional democracy
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth L. BROWN embassy: Ring Road East, East of Danquah Circle, Accra mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra telephone: [233] (21) 775348, 775349, 775295 or 775298
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for about 50% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); the major cash crop is cocoa; other principal crops - rice, coffee, cassava, peanuts, corn, shea nuts, timber; normally self-sufficient in food
Budget
revenues $1.0 billion; expenditures $905 million, including capital expenditures of $200 million (1991 est.)
Currency
1 cedi (C) = 100 pesewas
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $455 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2.6 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $78 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $106 million
Electricity
1,180,000 kW capacity; 4,490 million kWh produced, 290 kWh per capita (1991)
Exchange rates
ceolis per US$1 - 437 (July 1992)
Exports
$1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: cocoa 45%, gold, timber, tuna, bauxite, and aluminum partners: Germany 29%, UK 12%, US 12%, Japan 5%
External debt
$4.6 billion (1992 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Illicit drugs
illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade
Imports
$1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: petroleum 16%, consumer goods, foods, intermediate goods, capital equipment partners: UK 23%, US 11%, Germany 10%, Japan 6%
Industrial production
growth rate 4.6% in manufacturing (1991); accounts for almost 15% of GDP
Industries
mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum, food processing
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
10% (1992 est.)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $6.6 billion (1992 est.)
National product per capita
$410 (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate
3.9% (1992 est.)
Overview
Supported by substantial international assistance, Ghana has been implementing a steady economic rebuilding program since 1983, including moves toward privatization and relaxation of government controls. Heavily dependent on cocoa, gold, and timber exports, economic growth so far has not spread substantially to other areas of the economy. The costs of sending peacekeeping forces to Liberia and preparing for the transition to a democratic government have boosted government expenditures and undercut structural adjustment reforms. Ghana opened a stock exchange in 1990. Meanwhile, declining world commodity prices for Ghana's exports has placed the government under severe financial pressure.
Unemployment rate
10% (1991)
Communications
Airports
total: 10 usable: 9 with permanent-surface runways: 5 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 6
Highways
32,250 km total; 6,084 km concrete or bituminous surface, 26,166 km gravel, laterite, and improved earth surfaces
Inland waterways
Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers provide 168 km of perennial navigation for launches and lighters; Lake Volta provides 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways
Merchant marine
6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 59,293 GRT/78,246 DWT; includes 5 cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo
Pipelines
none
Ports
Tema, Takoradi
Railroads
953 km, all 1.067-meter gauge; 32 km double track; railroads undergoing major renovation
Telecommunications
poor to fair system handled primarily by microwave radio relay links; 42,300 telephones; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 1 FM, 4 (8 translators) TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force, Civil Defense
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $30 million, less than 1% of GDP (1989 est.)
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 3,766,073; fit for military service 2,105,865; reach military age (18) annually 171,145 (1993 est.)