Ghana

militaryIndependence 6 March 1957 (from UK, formerly Gold Coast)

Ghana as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 75 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalAccra

Area238,540 km2

Populationas each edition published it

15.17 million July 1990 · 35.34m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 3.12% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 19.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 55.19 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.4 children per woman 1990 · 3.51 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

89 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 30.5 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $410 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 3.9% in 1993

Geography

14 fields

Land useshare of 238,540 km2

arable land 5%permanent crops 7%meadows and pastures 15%forest and woodland 37%other 36%includes NEGL% irrigated

Total area

238,540km2

land area: 230,020 km2Comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon

Coastline

539km

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

2,093km total

Burkina 548 km, Ivory Coast 668 km, Togo 877 km

Climate

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

Terrain

mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Natural resources

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

Environment

recent drought in north severely affecting marginal agricultural activities;
deforestation;
overgrazing;
soil erosion;
dry, northeasterly harmattan wind (January to March)

Note

Lake Volta is world's largest artificial lake

People

14 fields

Population

15,165,243

(July 1990), growth rate 3.2% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

46Death

Religion

indigenous beliefs 38%Muslim 30%Christian 24%other 8%

Literacy

53.2%

Ethnic divisions

99.8% black African (major tribes--44% Akan, 16% Moshi-Dagomba, 13% Ewe, 8% Ga), 0.2% European and other

Language

English (official); African languages include Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga

Labor force

3,700,000;
54.7% agriculture and fishing, 18.7% industry, 15.2% sales and clerical, 7.7% services, transportation, and communications, 3.7% professional;
48% of population of working age (1983)

Government

Military

18 fields

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

6 March 1957 (from UK, formerly Gold Coast)

Constitution

24 September 1979; suspended 31 December 1981

Legal system

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

Executive branch

chairman of the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC), PNDC, Cabinet

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly dissolved after 31 December 1981 coup, and legislative powers were assumed by the Provisional National Defense Council

Judicial branch

Supreme Court Chief of State and Head of Government--Chairman of the Provisional National Defense Council Flt. Lt. (Ret.) Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 31 December 1981)

Political parties and leaders

none; political parties outlawed after 31 December 1981 coup

Communists

a small number of Communists and sympathizers

ACP, AfDB, CCC, Commonwealth, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IRC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Eric K. OTOO;
Chancery at 2460 16th Street NW, Washington DC 20009;
telephone (202) 462-0761;
there is a Ghanaian Consulate General in New York;
US--Ambassador Raymond C. EWING;
Embassy at Ring Road East, East of Danquah Circle, Accra (mailing address is P. O. Box 194, Accra);
telephone 775347 through 775349

Flag

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in the gold band;
uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia;
similar to the flag of Bolivia which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

Economy

Supported by substantial international assistance, Ghana has been implementing a steady economic rebuilding program since 1983.

17 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

32.7%

(1988)

Unemployment rate

26%

(April 1987)

External debt

$3.0billion

(December 1989 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$769 millionExpenditures

$749 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $179 million (1988 est.)

Overview

Supported by substantial international assistance, Ghana has been implementing a steady economic rebuilding program since 1983. Good harvests in 1988 featured the 6% growth in GNP. Moves toward privatization and relaxation of government controls continued in 1988-89, although at a slower-than-expected pace.

In 1988 service on the $2.8 billion debt was equivalent to 75% of export earnings. As Ghana obtains concessional loans and pays off high-interest debt, however, debt service is expected to fall below 30% of export earnings in the early 1990s. The economic rebuilding program has both helped and harmed the manufacturing sector, for example, by improving the supply of raw materials and by increasing competition from imports.

The long-term outlook is favorable provided that the political structure can endure the slow pace at which living standards are improving and can manage the problems stemming from excessive population growth.

GNP

$5.2 billion, per capita $400; real growth rate 6% (1988)

Exports

$977 million (f.o.b., 1987);
commodities--cocoa 60%, timber, gold, tuna, bauxite, and aluminum;
partners--US 23%, UK, other EC

Imports

$988 million (c.i.f., 1987);
commodities--petroleum 16%, consumer goods, foods, intermediate goods, capital equipment;
partners--US 10%, UK, FRG, France, Japan, South Korea, GDR

Industrial production

growth rate 0.5% in manufacturing (1987)

Electricity

1,172,000 kW capacity; 4,110 million kWh produced, 280 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

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

Agriculture

accounts for more than 50% of GDP (including fishing and forestry);
the major cash crop is cocoa;
other principal crops--rice, coffee, cassava, peanuts, corn, shea nuts, timber;
normally self-sufficient in food

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $424 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $1.9 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $78 million;
Communist countries (1970-88), $84 million

Currency

cedi (plural--cedis); 1 cedi (C) = 100 pesewas

Exchange rates

cedis (C) per US$1--301.68 (December 1989), 270.00 (1989), 202.35 (1988), 153.73 (1987), 89.20 (1986), 54.37 (1985)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

9 fields

Airports, 10 total, 9 usable

permanent-surface runways

5runways over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

1runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Highways

28,300Railroads

953

Highways: ; 6,000 km concrete or bituminous surface, 22,300 km gravel, laterite, and improved earth surfaces · Railroads: , all 1.067-meter gauge; 32 km double track; railroads undergoing major renovation