2023 Edition

Background

Ghana is a multiethnic country rich in natural resources and is one of the most stable and democratic countries in West Africa. Ghana has been inhabited for at least several thousand years, however, little is known about its early inhabitants. By the 12th century, the gold trade started to boom in Bono (Bonoman) state in what is today southern Ghana, and it became the genesis of Akan power and wealth in the region. Beginning in the 15th century, the Portuguese, followed by other European powers, arrived and contested for trading rights. Numerous kingdoms and empires emerged in the area, among the most powerful were the Kingdom of Dagbon in the north and the Asante (Ashanti) Empire in the south. By the mid-18th century, Asante was a highly organized state with immense wealth; it provided enslaved people for the Atlantic slave trade, and in return received firearms that facilitated its territorial expansion. The Asante resisted increasing British influence in the coastal areas, engaging in a series of wars during the 19th century before ultimately falling under British control. 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, with Kwame NKRUMAH as its first leader.Ghana endured a 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 of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. John Atta MILLS of the National Democratic Congress won the 2008 presidential election and took over as head of state. MILLS died in July 2012 and was constitutionally succeeded by his vice president, John Dramani MAHAMA, who subsequently won the December 2012 presidential election. In 2016, Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO of the NPP defeated MAHAMA, marking the third time that Ghana’s presidency had changed parties since the return to democracy. AKUFO-ADDO was reelected in 2020. In recent years, Ghana has taken an active role in promoting regional stability and is highly integrated in international affairs.

Area

land

227,533 sq km

total

238,533 sq km

water

11,000 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

highest point

Mount Afadjato 885 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

190 m

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 2 00 W

Geography - note

Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake (manmade reservoir) by surface area (8,482 sq km; 3,275 sq mi); the lake was created following the completion of the Akosombo Dam in 1965, which holds back the White Volta and Black Volta Rivers

Irrigated land

360 sq km (2013)

Land boundaries

border countries

Burkina Faso 602 km; Cote d'Ivoire 720 km; Togo 1098 km

total

2,420 km

Land use

agricultural land

69.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 20.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 11.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 36.5% (2018 est.)

forest

21.2% (2018 est.)

other

9.7% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Major rivers (by length in km)

Volta river mouth (shared with Burkina Faso [s]) - 1,600 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Volta (410,991 sq km)

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, northeastern harmattan winds from January to March; droughts

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

population is concentrated in the southern half of the country, with the highest concentrations being on or near the Atlantic coast as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Age structure

0-14 years

37.72% (male 6,445,288/female 6,321,989)

15-64 years

57.92% (male 9,420,940/female 10,181,376)

65 years and over

4.36% (2023 est.) (male 660,991/female 815,530)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.53 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.61 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

1.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

28 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

3.9% (2018 est.)

women married by age 15

5%

women married by age 18

19.3%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

12.6% (2017/18)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

27.2% (2017/18)

Current health expenditure

4% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

54.3% (2023 est.)

Death rate

6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

Ghana has a young age structure, with approximately 56% of the population under the age of 25 as of 2020. Its total fertility rate fell significantly during the 1980s and 1990s but has stalled at around four children per woman for the last few years. Fertility remains higher in the northern region than the Greater Accra region. On average, desired fertility has remained stable for several years; urban dwellers want fewer children than rural residents. Increased life expectancy, due to better health care, nutrition, and hygiene, and reduced fertility have increased Ghana’s share of elderly persons; Ghana’s proportion of persons aged 60+ is among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Poverty has declined in Ghana, but it remains pervasive in the northern region, which is susceptible to droughts and floods and has less access to transportation infrastructure, markets, fertile farming land, and industrial centers. The northern region also has lower school enrollment, higher illiteracy, and fewer opportunities for women. Ghana was a country of immigration in the early years after its 1957 independence, attracting labor migrants largely from Nigeria and other neighboring countries to mine minerals and harvest cocoa – immigrants composed about 12% of Ghana’s population in 1960. In the late 1960s, worsening economic and social conditions discouraged immigration, and hundreds of thousands of immigrants, mostly Nigerians, were expelled. During the 1970s, severe drought and an economic downturn transformed Ghana into a country of emigration; neighboring Cote d’Ivoire was the initial destination. Later, hundreds of thousands of Ghanaians migrated to Nigeria to work in its booming oil industry, but most were deported in 1983 and 1985 as oil prices plummeted. Many Ghanaians then turned to more distant destinations, including other parts of Africa, Europe, and North America, but the majority continued to migrate within West Africa. Since the 1990s, increased emigration of skilled Ghanaians, especially to the US and the UK, drained the country of its health care and education professionals. Internally, poverty and other developmental disparities continue to drive Ghanaians from the north to the south, particularly to its urban centers.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.9

potential support ratio

17 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

68.7

youth dependency ratio

62.9

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 83.8% of population

improved: total

total: 92.4% of population

improved: urban

urban: 98.7% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 16.2% of population

unimproved: total

total: 7.6% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.3% of population

Education expenditures

3.9% of GDP (2018 est.)

Ethnic groups

Akan 45.7%, Mole-Dagbani 18.5%, Ewe 12.8%, Ga-Dangme 7.1%, Gurma 6.4%, Guan 3.2%, Grusi 2.7%, Mande 2%, other 1.6% (2021 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.78 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.9 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

female

28.4 deaths/1,000 live births

male

35.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total

31.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Asante 16%, Ewe 14%, Fante 11.6%, Boron (Brong) 4.9%, Dagomba 4.4%, Dangme 4.2%, Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.9%, Kokomba 3.5%, Akyem 3.2%, Ga 3.1%, other 31.2% (2010 est.)

note

note: English is the official language

Life expectancy at birth

female

71.4 years

male

68.1 years

total population

69.7 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

74.5% (2018)

male

83.5%

total population

79%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2023)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

note

note: on 31 August 2023, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Ghana is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine

respiratory diseases

meningococcal meningitis

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

3.768 million Kumasi, 2.660 million ACCRA (capital), 1.078 million Sekondi Takoradi (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

263 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

22.2 years

male

20.4 years

total

21.3 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.7 years (2014 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Ghanaian

noun

Ghanaian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

10.9% (2016)

Physicians density

0.17 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

33,846,114 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

population is concentrated in the southern half of the country, with the highest concentrations being on or near the Atlantic coast as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

2.19% (2023 est.)

Religions

Christian 71.3% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 31.6%, Protestant 17.4%, Catholic 10%, other 12.3%), Muslim 19.9%, traditionalist 3.2%, other 4.5%, none 1.1% (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 52.8% of population

improved: total

total: 71.1% of population

improved: urban

urban: 84.8% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 47.2% of population

unimproved: total

total: 28.9% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 15.2% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

12 years (2020)

male

12 years

total

12 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.81 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

0.3% (2020 est.)

male

6.6% (2020 est.)

total

3.5% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.61 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.06% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

59.2% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

16 regions; Ahafo, Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, North East, Northern, Oti, Savannah, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western, Western North

Capital

etymology

the name derives from the Akan word "nkran" meaning "ants," and refers to the numerous anthills in the area around the capital

geographic coordinates

5 33 N, 0 13 W

name

Accra

time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent or grandparent must be a citizen of Ghana

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by Parliament; consideration requires prior referral to the Council of State, a body of prominent citizens who advise the president of the republic; passage of amendments to "entrenched" constitutional articles (including those on national sovereignty, fundamental rights and freedoms, the structure and authorities of the branches of government, and amendment procedures) requires approval in a referendum by at least 40% participation of eligible voters and at least 75% of votes cast, followed by at least two-thirds majority vote in Parliament, and assent of the president; amendments to non-entrenched articles do not require referenda; amended 1996

history

several previous; latest drafted 31 March 1992, approved and promulgated 28 April 1992, entered into force 7 January 1993

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Ghana

conventional short form

Ghana

etymology

named for the medieval West African kingdom of the same name but whose location was actually further north than the modern country

former

Gold Coast

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Virginia E. PALMER (since 16 June 2022)

email address and website

ACSAccra@state.govhttps://gh.usembassy.gov/

embassy

No. 24, Fourth Circular Road, Cantonments, Accra, P.O. Box 2288, Accra

mailing address

2020 Accra Place, Washington DC  20521-2020

telephone

[233] (0) 30-274-1000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Alima MAHAMA (since 7 July 2021)

consulate(s) general

New York

email address and website

info@ghanaembassydc.orghttps://ghanaembassydc.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 686-4527

telephone

[1] (202) 686-4520

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers; nominated by the president, approved by Parliament

chief of state

President Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO (since 7 January 2017); Vice President Mahamudu BAWUMIA (since 7 January 2017); the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO (NPP) 51.3%, John Dramani MAHAMA (NDC) 47.4%, other 1.3% (2020)

elections/appointments

president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 December 2020 (next to be held in December 2024)

head of government

President Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO (since 7 January 2017); Vice President Mahamudu BAWUMIA (since 7 January 2017)

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green, with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; red symbolizes the blood shed for independence, yellow represents the country's mineral wealth, while green stands for its forests and natural wealth; the black star is said to be the lodestar of African freedom

note

note: 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

presidential republic

Independence

6 March 1957 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, C, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 13 justices)

judge selection and term of office

chief justice appointed by the president in consultation with the Council of State (a small advisory body of prominent citizens) and with the approval of Parliament; other justices appointed by the president upon the advice of the Judicial Council (an 18-member independent body of judicial, military and police officials, and presidential nominees) and on the advice of the Council of State; justices can retire at age 60, with compulsory retirement at age 70

subordinate courts

Court of Appeal; High Court; Circuit Court; District Court; regional tribunals

Legal system

mixed system of English common law and customary law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Parliament (275 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party (preliminary) - NPP 137, NDC 137, independent 1; composition - men 235, women 40, percent of women 14.5%

elections

last held on 7 December 2020 (next to be held in December 2024)

National anthem

lyrics/music

unknown/Philip GBEHO

name

"God Bless Our Homeland Ghana"

note

note: music adopted 1957, lyrics adopted 1966; the lyrics were changed twice, in 1960 when a republic was declared and after a 1966 coup

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions; Asante Traditional Buildings

total World Heritage Sites

2 (both cultural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

National symbol(s)

black star, golden eagle; national colors: red, yellow, green, black

Political parties and leaders

All Peoples Congress or APC [Hassan AYARIGA]Convention People's Party or CPP [Onsy Kwame NKRUMAH, acting]Ghana Freedom Party or GFP [Akua DONKOR]Ghana Union Movement or GUM [Christian Kwabena ANDREWS]Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Henry Herbert LARTEY]Liberal Party of Ghana or LPG [Kofi AKPALOO]National Democratic Congress or NDC [John Dramani MAHAMA]National Democratic Party or NDP [Nana Konadu Agyeman RAWLINGS]New Patriotic Party or NPP [Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO]People's National Convention or PNC [Janet NABIA]Progressive People's Party or PPP [Paa Kwesi NDUOM]United Front Party or UFP [Dr. Nana A. BOATENG]United Progressive Party or UPP [Akwasi Addai ODIKE]

note

note: Ghana has more than 20 registered parties; included are those which participated in the 2020 general election

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

cassava, yams, plantains, maize, oil palm fruit, taro, rice, cocoa, oranges, pineapples

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

1% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

41.3% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$14.062 billion (2018 est.)

revenues

$9.492 billion (2018 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

B (2013)

Moody's rating

B3 (2015)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

B- (2020)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$1.864 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$2.134 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$2.541 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$17.885 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$20.467 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

West African trade and agrarian economy; COVID-19 reversed nearly 4 decades of continuous growth; major diamond, gold, cocoa, and oil exporter; high public debts; financial and energy sector reform programs adding to fiscal pressures; high remittances

Exchange rates

Currency

cedis (GHC) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

4.351 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

4.585 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

5.217 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

5.596 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

5.806 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$25.592 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$22.077 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$23.901 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

gold, crude petroleum, cocoa products, cashews, manganese  (2021)

Exports - partners

Switzerland 23%, United Arab Emirates 12%, China 12%, India 9%, Netherlands 5% (2020)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

43% (2017 est.)

government consumption

8.6% (2017 est.)

household consumption

80.1% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-46.5% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

13.7% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

1.1% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

18.3% (2017 est.)

industry

24.5% (2017 est.)

services

57.2% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$65.363 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016

43.5 (2016 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

32.8% (2006)

lowest 10%

2%

Imports

Imports 2019

$26.908 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$24.545 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$25.967 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, rice, delivery trucks, iron (2020)

Imports - partners

China 42%, Netherlands 5%, United States 5%, India 5%, United Arab Emirates 3% (2020)

Industrial production growth rate

-0.8% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

7.14% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

9.89% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

9.97% (2021 est.)

Labor force

14.095 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

23.4% (2016 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

73.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

71.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$168.516 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$169.382 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$178.455 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

6.51% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

0.51% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

5.36% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$5,300 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$5,300 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$5,400 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$7.563 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$7.884 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$9.917 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

11.34% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

4.32% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

4.65% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

4.7% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

9.4%

male

9.7%

total

9.6% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

160,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

4.364 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

13.569 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

18.093 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

48,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

48,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

13,107,757,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

1.801 billion kWh (2020 est.)

imports

58 million kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

5.312 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

2.474 billion kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

74% (2021)

electrification - total population

86.3% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

95.2% (2021)

population without electricity

5 million (2020)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

63.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

35.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

11.239 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

2,224,568,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

625.915 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

production

1,598,653,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves

22.653 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

176,800 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

3,900 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

660 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

98,000 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

185,700 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

2,654 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

85,110 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

2,073 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

0.3 (2020 est.)

total

78,371 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

state-owned TV station, 2 state-owned radio networks; several privately owned TV stations and a large number of privately owned radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are accessible; several cable and satellite TV subscription services are obtainable

Internet country code

.gh

Internet users

percent of population

68% (2021 est.)

total

22.44 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line data less than 1 per 100 subscriptions; mobile-cellular subscriptions 123 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

challenged by unreliable electricity and shortage of skilled labor, Ghana seeks to extend telecom services nationally; investment in fiber infrastructure and off-grid solutions provide data coverage to over 23 million people; launch of LTE has improved mobile data services, including m-commerce and banking; moderately competitive Internet market, most through mobile networks; international submarine cables, and terrestrial cables have improved Internet capacity; LTE services are widely available; the relatively high cost of 5G-compatible devices also inhibits most subscribers from migrating from 3G and LTE platforms (2022)

international

country code - 233; landing points for the SAT-3/WASC, MainOne, ACE, WACS and GLO-1 fiber-optic submarine cables that provide connectivity to South and West Africa, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors; GhanaSat-1 nanosatellite launched in 2017 (2017)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

315,271 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

123 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

40,454,073 (2021 est.)

Airports

10 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

7

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

3

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9G

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 7, oil tanker 3, other 42

total

52 (2022)

National air transport system

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

467,438 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

21

number of registered air carriers

3 (2020)

Pipelines

681.3 km gas, 11.4 km oil, 435 km refined products (2022)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Takoradi, Tema

Railways

narrow gauge

947 km (2022) 1.067-m gauge

total

947 km (2022)

Roadways

paved

14,948 km (2021)

total

65,725 km (2021)

unpaved

50,777 km (2021)

urban

28,480 km 27% total paved 73% total unpaved

Waterways

1,293 km (2011) (168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta)

Military - note

the military’s primary missions are border defense, assisting with internal security, peacekeeping, and protecting the country’s territorial waters, particularly its offshore oil and gas infrastructure; it has benefited from cooperation with foreign partners, such as the UK and the US, and experience gained from participation in multiple international peacekeeping missions; the government in recent years has committed to an increase in funding for equipment acquisitions, including armor, mechanized, and special forces capabilities for the Army, light attack aircraft for the Air Force, and more modern coastal patrol vessels for the Navy; the Army’s primary combat forces include several battalions of light infantry, a motorized rapid reaction/presidential guard battalion, and small regiments of light armored reconnaissance and special forces; the Navy has 2 ocean-going patrol vessels, several coastal patrol craft, and a special forces unit, while the Air Force operates a few ground attack aircraft and multipurpose helicopters in 2022, Ghana began beefing up its military presence in the north of the country against threats from the terrorist organization Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), a coalition of al-Qa'ida linked militant groups, which has conducted attacks in the neighboring countries of Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, and Togo; Ghana’s northern frontier with Burkina Faso is also an area with well-established smuggling routes, porous borders, and illegal gold mining; Ghana has also pushed an initiative to bolster security cooperation and intelligence sharing among Gulf of Guinea neighbors and Sahel countries the military traces its origins to the Gold Coast Constabulary that was established in 1879 and renamed the Gold Coast Regiment in 1901; the Gold Coast Regiment was part of the West African Frontier Force (WAFF), a multi-regiment force formed by the British colonial office in 1900 to garrison the West African colonies of Gold Coast (Ghana), Nigeria (Lagos and the protectorates of Northern and Southern Nigeria), Sierra Leone, and Gambia; the WAFF served with distinction in both East and West Africa during World War I; in 1928, it received royal recognition and was re-named the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF); the RWAFF went on to serve in World War II as part of the British 81st and 82nd (West African) divisions in the East Africa and Burma campaigns; following independence in 1957, the Gold Coast Regiment formed the basis for the new Ghanaian Army (2023)

Military and security forces

Ghana Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (2023)

note

note: the Ghana Police Service is under the Ministry of the Interior

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 14,000 active personnel (10,000 Army; 2,000 Navy; 2,000 Air Force) (2023)

Military deployments

875 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 725 (plus about 275 police) South Sudan (UNMISS); 650 Sudan (UNISFA) (2023)

note

note: since sending a contingent of troops to the Congo in 1960, the military has been a regular contributor to African- and UN-sponsored peacekeeping missions

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory is a mix older and some newer Russian, Chinese, and Western equipment (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

0.3% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

0.4% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

0.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

0.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

0.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-27 years of age for voluntary military service, with basic education certificate; no conscription (2023)

Disputes - international

disputed maritime border with Cote d'Ivoire was resolved in 2017 through a decision of a Special Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS)

Illicit drugs

Ghana is a transit and destination point for illicit drugs trafficked from Asia and South America to other African countries, Europe, and to a lesser extent North America;  not a significant source for drugs entering the United States;  limited local consumption of controlled pharmaceuticals, cocaine, and heroin from Asia and South America; cannabis cultivated and produced in large quantities in most rural areas of Ghana    

Space agency/agencies

Ghana Space Science and Technology Center (GSSTC; established 2011); note – the GSSTC is slated to become the Ghana Space Agency in 2023 (2023)

Space program overview

has a small, nascent space program focused on research in space sciences and exploiting remote sensing (RS) technology for natural resource management, weather forecasting, agriculture, and national security issues; relies on foreign imagery for analysis but seeks to develop its own RS satellite capabilities; one of Africa’s leaders in satellite dish research; trains aerospace scientists and engineers; has established relations on space-related issues with China, Japan, and South Africa; cooperating with Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Sudan, and Uganda to establish a joint satellite to monitor climate changes in the African continent; partner of the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) international astronomy initiative (2023)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear Appendix S

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

16.67 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

22.75 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

46.04 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threaten wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

Marine Life Conservation

Land use

agricultural land

69.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 20.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 11.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 36.5% (2018 est.)

forest

21.2% (2018 est.)

other

9.7% (2018 est.)

Major rivers (by length in km)

Volta river mouth (shared with Burkina Faso [s]) - 1,600 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Volta (410,991 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

3.51% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

56.2 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.07 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

100 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

300 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.06% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

59.2% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

3,538,275 tons (2005 est.)