Ghana

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

• 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 after the Akosombo Dam was completed in 1965

noun:

Ghanaian(s)

adjective:

Ghanaian

total:

21.6 years (2025 est.)

male:

20.6 years

female:

22.3 years

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

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

total population:

0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

30.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

34.5 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

27.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

70.1 years (2024 est.)

male:

68.4 years

female:

71.8 years

total:

1.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

0.53 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0.39 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0.61 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

2.8% (2025 est.)

male:

5.4% (2025 est.)

female:

0.3% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

3.3% (2022)

women married by age 18:

16.1% (2022)

men married by age 18:

2.4% (2022)

• drought in north;
• deforestation;
• overgrazing;
• soil erosion;
• poaching and habitat destruction;
• water pollution;
• inadequate potable water

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

urban population:

59.2% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

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

energy:

164.9 kt (2022-2024 est.)

agriculture:

166.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste:

134 kt (2019-2021 est.)

other:

28.1 kt (2019-2021 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

3.538 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

13.3% (2022 est.)

municipal:

299.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

95 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

1.07 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

Republic of Ghana

conventional short form:

Ghana

former:

Gold Coast

etymology:

• named for a tribal chieftain who ruled a large part of the region prior to the 13th century, even though his territory was northwest of modern-day Ghana;
• the former name, Gold Coast, came from the gold that Portuguese explorers discovered in the region in the late 15th century

name:

Accra

geographic coordinates:

5 33 N, 0 13 W

time difference:

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

etymology:

the name derives from the Akan word nkran , meaning "ant," and may refer to the nickname local forest dwellers gave to the Nigerian tribes who settled in the area in the 16th century

history:

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

amendment process:

• 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

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

chief of state:

President John Dramani MAHAMA (since 7 January 2025)

head of government:

President John Dramani MAHAMA (since 7 January 2025)

cabinet:

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

election/appointment process:

• 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);
• the president is both chief of state and head of government

most recent election date:

7 December 2024

election results:

2024: John Dramani MAHAMA elected president in the first round; percent of vote- John Dramani MAHAMA (NDC) 56.5%, Mahamudu BAWUMIA (NPC) 41%, other 2.5%;

• 2020: 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)

expected date of next election:

7 December 2028

legislature name:

Parliament

legislative structure:

unicameral

number of seats:

276 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

plurality/majority

scope of elections:

full renewal

term in office:

4 years

most recent election date:

12/7/2024

parties elected and seats per party:

• National Democratic Congress (NDC) (183);
• New Patriotic Party (NPP) (88);
• Other (4)

percentage of women in chamber:

14.5%

expected date of next election:

December 2028

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 on 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

• All Peoples Congress or APC
• Convention People's Party or CPP
• Ghana Freedom Party or GFP
• Ghana Union Movement or GUM
• Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP
• Liberal Party of Ghana or LPG
• National Democratic Congress or NDC
• National Democratic Party or NDP
• New Patriotic Party or NPP
• People's National Convention or PNC
• Progressive People's Party or PPP
• United Front Party or UFP
• United Progressive Party or UPP

chief of mission:

Ambassador Victor Emmanuel SMITH (since 19 September 2025)

chancery:

3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 686-4520

FAX:

[1] (202) 686-4527

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://washington.mfa.gov.gh/

consulate(s) general:

New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Rolf OLSON (since 29 May 2025)

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

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://gh.usembassy.gov/

description:

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green, with a large five-pointed black star centered in the yellow band

meaning:

• red stands for the blood shed for independence, yellow for the country's mineral wealth, and green for its forests and natural wealth;
• the black star is said to be the lodestar of African freedom

history:

uses the colors of the Pan-African movement

note: similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

title:

"God Bless Our Homeland Ghana"

lyrics/music:

unknown/Philip GBEHO

history:

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

total World Heritage Sites:

2 (both cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

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

• West African lower-middle income economy;
• major gold, oil and cocoa exporter;
• macroeconomic challenges following nearly four decades of sustained growth;
• recent progress in debt restructuring, fiscal reforms, financial stability, and curbing runaway inflation under 2023-26 IMF credit facility program

agriculture:

20.7% (2024 est.)

industry:

28.8% (2024 est.)

services:

43.9% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

total:

5.4% (2024 est.)

male:

5.5% (2024 est.)

female:

5.3% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

on food:

39.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco:

0.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

lowest 10%:

1.6% (2016 est.)

highest 10%:

32.2% (2016 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

consumption:

51,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

exports:

21 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports:

52,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

total petroleum production:

176,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption:

96,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves:

660 million barrels (2021 est.)

production:

3.116 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption:

3.755 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports:

639.204 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves:

22.653 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

total subscriptions:

269,000 (2024 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:

(2024 est.) less than 1

• 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

total:

947 km (2022)

narrow gauge:

947 km (2022) 1.067-m gauge

total ports:

4 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

1

small:

1

very small:

2

ports with oil terminals:

3

key ports:

Saltpond, Sekondi, Takoradi, Tema

Ghana Armed Forces (GAF):

Army, Air Force, Ghana Navy

Ministry of Interior:

Ghana Police Service (2025)

note: the GAF also has a Medical Service/Corps

• the military's inventory is a mix of older (mostly Soviet-era) and some newer armaments from such suppliers as China, Japan, Jordan, Türkiye, the UK, and the US;
• the government 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 (2025)

• 875 Lebanon (UNIFIL);
• 725 (plus about 275 police) South Sudan (UNMISS);
• 670 Sudan (UNISFA) (2025)

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

• has nascent space program focused on Earth observation, space science education, and telecommunications;
• seeks to exploit remote sensing (RS) technology for agriculture, natural-resource management, weather forecasting, and national security;
• relies on foreign imagery for analysis but seeks to develop its own RS satellite capabilities;
• has established cooperative relationships with China, Japan, and a number of regional states, particularly South Africa;
• working with Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Sudan, and Uganda on a satellite to monitor climate changes in the African continent;
• member of the African Space Agency;
• partner in the Square Kilometer Array radio telescope (2025)

• 2017 - first satellite (GhanaSat-1), a technology demonstration/remote sensing nanosatellite built by a Gabonese university with assistance from Japan and released from the International Space Station;
• established Ghana Radio Astronomy Observatory

2024 - released a national space policy

refugees:

17,334 (2024 est.)

IDPs:

4,937 (2024 est.)