2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 38.9% (male 4,021,570; female 3,938,454) 15-64 years: 57.5% (male 5,859,940; female 5,909,910) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 350,045; female 387,828) (2003 est.)

Area

land

230,940 sq km

total

239,460 sq km

water

8,520 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Oregon

Background

Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A long series of coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution in 1981 and the banning of political parties. A new constitution, restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. He was succeeded by John KUFUOR, who defeated former Vice President Atta MILLS in a free and fair election. Geography Ghana

Birth rate

25.84 births/1,000 population (2003 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

approved 28 April 1992

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Ghana

conventional short form

Ghana

former

Gold Coast

Death rate

10.53 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Afadjato 880 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Marine Life Conservation

Ethnic groups

black African 98.5% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5% (1998)

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

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 2 00 W

Geography - note

Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake People Ghana

Government type

constitutional democracy

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

28,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

360,000 (2001 est.)

Independence

6 March 1957 (from UK)

Infant mortality rate

female

49.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

55.97 deaths/1,000 live births

total

53.02 deaths/1,000 live births

Irrigated land

110 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km

total

2,094 km

Land use

arable land

15.82%

other

76.71% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

7.47%

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

57.43 years (2003 est.)

male

55.66 years

total population

56.53 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

67.1% (2003 est.)

male

82.7%

total population

74.8%

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

Median age

female

20 years (2002)

male

19.5 years

total

19.8 years

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Nationality

adjective

Ghanaian

noun

Ghanaian(s)

Natural hazards

dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

-0.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

People - note

there are 9,500 Liberians, 2,000 Sierra Leoneans, and 1,000 Togolese refugees residing in Ghana (2002) Government Ghana

Population

20,467,747

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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate

1.45% (2003 est.)

Religions

indigenous beliefs 21%, Muslim 16%, Christian 63%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Terrain

mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Total fertility rate

3.32 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber

Airports

12 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total

7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

5 914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m

2 (2002) Military Ghana

Budget

expenditures

$1.975 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

revenues

$1.603 billion

Currency

cedi (GHC)

Currency code

GHC

Debt - external

$7.2 billion (2002 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Mary Carlin YATES

embassy

6th and 10th Lanes, 798/1 Osu, Accra

mailing address

P. O. Box 194, Accra

telephone

[233] (21) 775-347, 775-348

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Alan J. KYEREMATEN

consulate(s) general

New York

Disputes - international

Ghana has received many refugees and returning nationals escaping rebel fighting in Cote d'Ivoire

Distribution of family income - Gini index

40.7 (1999)

Economic aid - recipient

$6.9 billion (1999)

Economy - overview

Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly 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 36% of GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002. Policy priorities include tighter monetary and fiscal policies, accelerated privatization, and improvement of social services.

Electricity - consumption

8.835 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

300 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

950 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

8.801 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

5%

hydro

95%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Exchange rates

cedis per US dollar - NA (2002), 7,170.76 (2001), 5,455.06 (2000), 2,669.3 (1999), 2,314.15 (1998)

Exports

$2.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds

Exports - partners

Netherlands 14.8%, UK 9.9%, US 7%, Germany 6.6%, France 5.8%, Nigeria 4.8%, Belgium 4.4%, Italy 4.2% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 686-4527

[233] (21) 701-813

chancery

3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

[1] (202) 686-4520

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Ghana

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

GDP

purchasing power parity - $41.25 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

36%

industry

25%

services

39% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.5% (2002 est.)

Highways

paved

11,665 km

total

39,409 km

unpaved

27,744 km (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

30.1% (1999)

lowest 10%

2.2%

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 corruption have made money laundering a problem, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$2.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

Nigeria 21.3%, UK 7.2%, US 6.6%, China 6.2%, Italy 6.1%, Cote d'Ivoire 6.1%, Germany 4.7%, Netherlands 4% (2002)

Industrial production growth rate

3.8% (2000 est.)

Industries

mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

14.5% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Internet country code

.gh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

12 (2000)

Internet users

200,000 (2002) Transportation Ghana

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Labor force

9 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.)

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament (200 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 100, NDC 92, PNC 3, CPP 1, independents 4

elections

last held 7 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2004)

Merchant marine

convenience

Brazil 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 1 (2002 est.)

note

includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of

ships by type

petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 6

total

9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,559 GRT/27,531 DWT

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$36.01 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.6% (FY02) Transnational Issues Ghana

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

5,240,557 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

2,911,474 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

239,742 (2003 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

11.89 billion cu m (37257)

Oil - consumption

38,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

7,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

8.255 million bbl (37257)

Pipelines

refined products 74 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

Convention People's Party or CPP [Nii Noi DOWUONA, general secretary]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA, chairman]; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTY]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sarpong KUMA-KUMA]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu YAHAYA, general secretary]; New Patriotic Party or NPP [Samuel Arthur ODOI-SYKES]; People's Convention Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting chairman]; People's Heritage Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander ERSKINE]; People's National Convention or PNC [Edward MAHAMA]; Reform Party [Kyeretwie OPUKU, general secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population below poverty line

31.4% (1992 est.)

Ports and harbors

Takoradi, Tema

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios

12.5 million (2001)

Railways

narrow gauge

953 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

total

953 km

Telephone system

domestic

primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has been installed

general assessment

poor to fair system; Internet accessible; many rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is underway

international

satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors

Telephones - main lines in use

240,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular

150,000 (2001)

Television broadcast stations

10 (2001)

Televisions

1.9 million (2001)

Unemployment rate

20% (1997 est.)

Waterways

1,293 km

note

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