1994 Edition

Administrative divisions

10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western

Agriculture

accounts for 43% 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

Airports

total: 11 usable: 11 with permanent-surface runways: 6 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 6

Area

total area: 238,540 sq km land area: 230,020 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon

Birth rate

44.13 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force, Civil Defense

Budget

revenues: $1 billion expenditures: $905 million, including capital expenditures of $200 million (1991 est.)

Capital

Accra

Climate

tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north

Coastline

539 km

Constitution

new constitution approved 28 April 1992

Currency

1 new cedi (C) = 100 pesewas

Death rate

12.27 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $30 million, less than 1% of GDP (1989 est.)

Digraph

GH

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Ekwow SPIO-GARBRAH chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 686-4520

Economic aid

recipient: 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

capacity: 1,180,000 kW production: 4.49 billion kWh consumption per capita: 290 kWh (1991)

Environment

current issues: recent drought in north severely affecting agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; limited supply of safe drinking water natural hazards: dry, dusty, harmattan winds occur from January to March international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Marine Life Conservation

Ethnic divisions

black African 99.8% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%), European and other 0.2%

Exchange rates

new cedis per US$1 - 713.00 (October 1993), 437.09 (1992), 367.83 (1991), 326.33 (1990), 270.00 (1989)

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government: President Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 3 November 1992) election last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA) cabinet: Cabinet; president nominates members subject to approval by the Parliament

Exports

$1 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: cocoa 40%, gold, timber, tuna, bauxite, and aluminum partners: Germany 31%, US 12%, UK 11%, Netherlands 6%, Japan 5% (1991)

External debt

$4.6 billion (1992 est.)

FAX

(202) 686-4527 consulate(s) general: New York

[233] (21) 776008

Fiscal year

calendar year

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

Highways

total: 32,250 km paved: concrete, bituminous 6,084 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone, improved earth 26,166 km

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin destined for the US and Europe

Imports

$1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: petroleum 16%, consumer goods, foods, intermediate goods, capital equipment partners: UK 22%, US 11%, Germany 9%, Japan 6%

Independence

6 March 1957 (from UK)

Industrial production

growth rate in manufacturing (1992); accounts for almost 15% of GDP

Industries

mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum, food processing

Infant mortality rate

83.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

10% (1992)

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

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

80 sq km (1989)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

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)

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%

Languages

English (official), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)

Legal system

based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 55.52 years male: 53.58 years female: 57.52 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 60% male: 70% female: 51%

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 3,867,183; fit for military service 2,159,769; reach military age (18) annually 170,283 (1994 est.)

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

Member of

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, 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

Merchant marine

5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 46,289 GRT/61,606 DWT, cargo 4, refrigerated cargo 1

Names

conventional long form: Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast

National Assembly

elections last held 29 December 1992 (next to be held NA)

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $25 billion (1993 est.)

National product per capita

$1,500 (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

3.9% (1992 est.)

Nationality

noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian

Natural resources

gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber

Net migration rate

-0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Note

Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake; northeasterly harmattan wind (January to March)

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. The agriculture sector consists largely of small traditional farm holdings, rain-fed for the most part. 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 and plans to float 5% of its stake in Ashanti Goldfields Corporation, which would make the exchange the largest in sub-Saharan Africa outside of South Africa.

Pipelines

none

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

Population

17,225,185 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

3.09% (1994 est.)

Ports

Tema, Takoradi

Railroads

953 km, all 1.067-meter gauge; 32 km double track; railroads undergoing major renovation

Religions

indigenous beliefs 38%, Muslim 30%, Christian 24%, other 8%

Suffrage

universal at 18

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

Terrain

mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Total fertility rate

6.15 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Type

constitutional democracy

Unemployment rate

10% (1991)

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, 775297 or 775298