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National Map
Of |
Ghana |
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National Flag
Of |
Ghana |
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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
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
Of |
Ghana |
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National Anthem
Of |
Ghana |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Ghana |
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Background:
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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. A long series of coups resulted in the
suspension of the constitution in 1981 and a ban on
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. John
KUFUOR, who defeated former Vice President Atta MILLS in
a free and fair election, succeeded him. |
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Location:
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Western
Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote
d'Ivoire and Togo |
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Geographic coordinates:
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8 00 N, 2
00 W |
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Map references:
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Africa
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Area:
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total:
239,460 sq km
land: 230,940 sq km
water: 8,520 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
smaller than Oregon |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
2,094 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote
d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km |
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Coastline:
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539 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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tropical;
warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot
and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north |
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Terrain:
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mostly
low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m |
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Natural resources:
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gold,
timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish,
rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone
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Land use:
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arable
land: 16.26%
permanent crops: 9.67%
other: 74.07% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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110 sq km
(1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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dry,
dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January
to March; droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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Lake
Volta is the world's largest artificial lake |
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Population:
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21,029,853
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 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 37.1% (male 3,946,326/female 3,862,390)
15-64 years: 59.1% (male 6,203,035/female
6,235,107)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 366,472/female
416,523) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
20.45 years
male: 20.2 years
female: 20.7 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.25%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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23.97
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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10.84
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-0.59
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
51.43 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 54.25 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 48.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 58.47 years
male: 57.7 years
female: 59.26 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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3.02
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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3.1%
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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350,000
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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30,000
(2003 est.) |
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Major infectious diseases:
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degree
of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and
protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
are high risks in some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
(2004) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Ghanaian(s)
adjective: Ghanaian |
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Ethnic groups:
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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) |
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Religions:
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Christian
63%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 21% |
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Languages:
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English
(official), African languages (including Akan,
Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.8%
male: 82.7%
female: 67.1% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Ghana
conventional short form: Ghana
former: Gold Coast |
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Government type:
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constitutional democracy |
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Capital:
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Accra
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Administrative divisions:
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10
regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater
Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western
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Independence:
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6 March
1957 (from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 6 March (1957) |
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Constitution:
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approved
28 April 1992 |
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Legal system:
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based on
English common law and customary law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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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 government
head of government: 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 government
cabinet: Council of Ministers; president
nominates members subject to approval by Parliament
elections: president and vice president elected
on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms;
election last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held
December 2008)
election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR reelected
president in election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR
53.4%, John Atta MILLS 43.7% |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Parliament (230 seats; note - increased from
200 seats in last election; members are elected by
direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 December 2004 (next to be
held December 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - NPP 128, NDC 92, other 10 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme
Court |
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Political parties and leaders:
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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] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ACP, AfDB,
AU, C, 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, MIGA, MINURSO,
MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK,
UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Alan J. KYEREMATEN
chancery: 3512 International Drive NW,
Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520
FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527
consulate(s) general: New York |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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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
FAX: [233] (21) 701-813 |
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Flag description:
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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 |
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Economy - overview:
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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 34% 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.
Priorities include tighter monetary and fiscal policies,
accelerated privatization, and improvement of social
services. Receipts from the gold sector helped sustain
GDP growth in 2004. Inflation should ease, but remain a
major internal problem. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$48.27
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.4%
(2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 34.3%
industry: 24.2%
services: 41.4% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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10.24
million (2004 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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20% (1997
est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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31.4%
(1992 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: 2.2%
highest 10%: 30.1% (1999) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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40.7
(1999) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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13% (2004
est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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19.7% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $2.17 billion
expenditures: $2.56 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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cocoa,
rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea
nuts, bananas; timber |
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Industries:
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mining,
lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food
processing, cement, small commercial ship building |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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3.8%
(2000 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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6.922
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 5%
hydro: 95%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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6.137
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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500
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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200
million kWh (2002) |
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Oil - production:
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7,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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38,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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8.255
million bbl (1 January 2002) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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11.89
billion cu m (1 January 2002) |
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Current account balance:
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$83.87
million (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$3.01
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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gold,
cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore,
diamonds |
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Exports - partners:
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Mexico
69.8%, Netherlands 3.7%, UK 3% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$3.699
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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capital
equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs |
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Imports - partners:
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Nigeria
12.6%, China 11.4%, UK 6.6%, US 6.4%, France 4.9%,
Netherlands 4.2% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$1.267
billion (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$7.396
billion (2004 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$6.9
billion (1999) |
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Currency (code):
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cedi
(GHC) |
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Currency code:
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GHC |
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Exchange rates:
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cedis per
US dollar - 9,004.6 (2004), 8,677.4 (2003), 7,932.7
(2002), 7,170.8 (2001), 5,455.1 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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302,300
(2003) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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799,900
(2003) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: poor to fair system; Internet
accessible; many rural communities not yet connected;
expansion of services is underway
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay;
wireless local loop has been installed
international: country code - 233; satellite
earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave
radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to
its neighbors; fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
provides connectivity to Europe and Asia |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 0, FM
49, shortwave 3 (2001) |
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Radios:
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12.5
million (2001) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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10 (2001)
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Televisions:
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1.9
million (2001) |
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Internet country code:
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.gh |
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Internet hosts:
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407
(2004) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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12 (2000)
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Internet users:
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170,000
(2002) |
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Railways:
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total:
953 km
narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2004) |
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Highways:
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total:
46,176 km
paved: 8,496 km
unpaved: 37,679 km (1999 est.) |
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Waterways:
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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 (2003) |
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Pipelines:
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refined
products 74 km (2004) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Takoradi,
Tema |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 19,086 GRT/26,185 DWT
by type: petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3
foreign-owned: 1 (Brazil 1) (2005) |
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Airports:
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12 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Army,
Navy, Air Force |
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Military service age and obligation:
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18 years
of age for compulsory and volunteer military service
(2001) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 4,761,226 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 2,721,239 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males:
250,782 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$49.2
million (2004) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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0.6%
(2004) |
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Disputes - international:
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Ghana
struggles to accommodate returning nationals who worked
in the cocoa plantations and escaped rebel fighting in
Cote d'Ivoire |
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Refugees and internally displaced persons:
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refugees (country of origin): 42,466 (Liberia)
(2004) |
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Illicit drugs:
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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 |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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