1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 238,540 sq km land: 230,020 sq km water: 8,520 sq km
Area--comparative
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
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m
Environment--current issues
recent drought in north severely affecting 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geographic coordinates
8 00 N, 2 00 W
Geography--note
Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake; northeasterly harmattan wind (January to March)
Irrigated land
60 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 2,093 km border countries: Burkina Faso 548 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km
Land use
arable land: 12% permanent crops: 7% permanent pastures: 22% forests and woodland: 35% other: 24% (1993 est.)
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo
Map references
Africa
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards
dry, dusty, harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts
Natural resources
gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber
Terrain
mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 42% (male 4,020,493; female 3,982,816) 15-64 years: 54% (male 5,050,736; female 5,231,951) 65 years and over: 4% (male 284,423; female 317,207) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
31.79 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
10.4 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
black African 99.8% (major tribes--Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%), European and other 0.2%
Infant mortality rate
76.15 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
English (official), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 57.14 years male: 55.08 years female: 59.27 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 64.5% male: 75.9% female: 53.5% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian
Net migration rate
-0.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
18,887,626 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
2.05% (1999 est.)
Religions
indigenous beliefs 38%, Muslim 30%, Christian 24%, other 8%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
4.11 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western
Capital
Accra
Constitution
new constitution approved 28 April 1992
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast
Data code
GH
Executive branch
chief of state: President Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 7 January 1993); Vice President John Evans Atta MILLS (since 7 January 1993); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 7 January 1993); Vice President John Evans Atta MILLS (since 7 January 1993); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by the Parliament elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 December 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: Jerry John RAWLINGS reelected president; percent of vote--RAWLINGS 57%
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
Government type
constitutional democracy
Independence
6 March 1957 (from UK)
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNPREDEP, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kobena KOOMSON chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kathryn Dee ROBINSON embassy: Ring Road East, East of Danquah Circle, Accra mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra
Judicial branch
Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Congress or
Legal system
based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament (200 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 7 December 1996 (next to be held NA December 2000) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NDC 133, NPP 61, PCP 5, PNC 1
National holiday
Independence Day, 6 March (1957)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber
Budget
revenues: $1.39 billion expenditures: $1.47 billion, including capital expenditures of $370 million (1996 est.)
Currency
1 new cedi (C) = 100 pesewas
Debt--external
$5.2 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$477.3 million (1995)
Economy--overview
Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 41% of GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. In 1995-97, Ghana made mixed progress under a three-year structural adjustment program in cooperation with the IMF. On the minus side, public sector wage increases and regional peacekeeping commitments have led to continued inflationary deficit financing, depreciation of the cedi, and rising public discontent with Ghana's austerity measures. Power shortages also helped slow growth in 1998.
Electricity--consumption
5.88 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
225 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
5 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
6.1 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 0.66% hydro: 99.34% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
new cedis per US$1--2,324.70 (September 1998), 2,050.17 (1997), 1,637.23 (1996), 1,200.43 (1995), 956.71 (1994)
Exports
$1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities
gold 39%, cocoa 35%, timber 9.4%, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, and diamonds (1996 est.)
Exports--partners
UK, Germany, US, Netherlands, Japan, Nigeria
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$33.6 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 41% industry: 14% services: 45% (1996 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$1,800 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
3% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 27.3% (1992)
Imports
$2.1 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Imports--commodities
capital equipment, petroleum, consumer goods, foods, intermediate goods
Imports--partners
UK, Nigeria, US, Germany, Japan, Netherlands
Industrial production growth rate
4.2% (1996 est.)
Industries
mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
27.7% (1997 est.)
Labor force
NA
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture and fishing 61%, industry 10%, services 29% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line
31.4% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate
20% (1997 est.)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 4, FM 23, shortwave 0 (1997)
Radios
12.5 million (1997 est.)
Telephone system
poor to fair system domestic: primarily microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones
100,000 (1997 est.)
Television broadcast stations
7 (in addition, there are eight repeaters) (1997)
Televisions
1.9 million (1997 est.)
Transportation
Airports
12 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 39,409 km paved: 11,653 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 27,756 km (1997 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,552 GRT/14,839 DWT ships by type: oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 3 (1998 est.)
Pipelines
0 km Ports and harbors: Takoradi, Tema
Railways
total: 953 km (undergoing major rehabilitation) narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (32 km double track) (1997 est.)
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
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, Palace Guard, Civil Defense
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$53 million (1999)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
0.7% (1999)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 4,520,125 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,507,954 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
18 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 184,360 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
none
Illicit drugs
illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US