2008 Edition

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.

Area

total: 239,460 sq km land: 230,940 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

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.98 cu km/yr (24%/10%/66%) per capita: 44 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 2 00 W

Geography - note

Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

Irrigated land

310 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 2,094 km border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km

Land use

arable land: 17.54% permanent crops: 9.22% other: 73.24% (2005)

Location

Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone

Terrain

mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Total renewable water resources

53.2 cu km (2001)

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.)

Birth rate

29.22 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

9.39 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

5.4% of GDP (2005)

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)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

3.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

30,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

350,000 (2003 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.)

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)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 59.49 years male: 58.65 years female: 60.35 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.9% male: 66.4% female: 49.8% (2000 census)

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)

Median age

total: 20.4 years male: 20.2 years female: 20.7 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian

Net migration rate

-0.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

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.)

Population growth rate

1.928% (2008 est.)

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)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 9 years (2007)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 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.)

Total fertility rate

3.78 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

name: Accra geographic coordinates: 5 33 N, 0 13 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

approved 28 April 1992

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Donald G. TEITELBAUM embassy: 24 4th Circular Rd. Cantonments, Accra mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra telephone: [233] (21) 741-000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Kwame BAWUAH-EDUSEI chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379

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

FAX

[1] (202) 785-1430 consulate(s) general: New York

[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

Government type

constitutional democracy

Independence

6 March 1957 (from UK)

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, MINURCAT, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF (associate member), OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

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

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 7 December 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPP 128, NDC 94, PNC 4, CPP 3, independent 1

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

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

Christian Aid (water rights); Committee for Joint Action or CJA (education reform); National Coalition Against the Privatization of Water or CAP (water rights); Oxfam (water rights); Public Citizen (water rights); Students Coalition Against EPA [Kwabena Ososukene OKAI] (education reform); Third World Network (education reform)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $4.262 billion expenditures: $5.481 billion (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

13.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

NA

Currency (code)

Ghana cedi (GHC)

Currency code

GHC

Current account balance

-$1.549 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$4.891 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

39.4 (2005-06)

Economic aid - recipient

$1.316 billion in loans and grants (2007)

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.

Electricity - consumption

6.76 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

755 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - imports

629 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - production

8.204 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 5% hydro: 95% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Exchange rates

cedis (GHC) 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

Exports

$4.162 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Netherlands 11%, UK 9%, France 6.2%, US 5.9%, Germany 4.6%, Belgium 4.4% (2007)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 37.3% industry: 25.3% services: 37.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,400 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.5% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$14.86 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$31.13 billion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.1% (1999)

Imports

$8.053 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

Nigeria 15.1%, China 14.9%, UK 5.2%, US 5.1% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

7.8% (2007 est.)

Industries

mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing, cement, small commercial ship building

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

10.7% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

31.6% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force

11.29 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 56% industry: 15% services: 29% (2005 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$13.01 billion (2007)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

22.65 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Oil - consumption

49,300 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

5,709 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

45,520 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

7,571 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

15 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Population below poverty line

28.5% (2007 est.)

Public debt

58.5% of GDP (2007 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.204 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

Stock of domestic credit

$4.173 billion (31 December 2006)

Stock of money

$2.179 billion (31 December 2006)

Stock of quasi money

$2.174 billion (31 December 2006)

Unemployment rate

11% (2000 est.)

Internet country code

.gh

Internet hosts

24,018 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

12 (2000)

Internet users

650,000 (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 86, shortwave 3 (2007)

Radios

12.5 million (2001)

Telephone system

general assessment: outdated and unreliable fixed-line infrastructure heavily concentrated in Accra; competition among multiple mobile-cellular providers has spurred growth with subscribership about 35 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 (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

376,500 (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular

7.604 million (2007)

Television broadcast stations

7 (2007)

Televisions

1.9 million (2001)

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)

Merchant marine

total: 4 by type: petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3 foreign-owned: 1 (Brazil 1) (2008)

Pipelines

oil 13 km; refined products 316 km (2007)

Ports and terminals

Tema

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)

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

male: 273,265 female: 267,204 (2008 est.)

Military branches

Ghanaian Army, Ghanaian Navy, Ghanaian Air Force (2007)

Military expenditures

0.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Disputes - international

Ghana struggles to accommodate returning nationals who worked in the cocoa plantations and escaped fighting in Cote d'Ivoire

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 18 December, 2008

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 35,653 (Liberia); 8,517 (Togo) (2007)