Ghana

Republic of Ghana

constitutional democracyIndependence 6 March 1957 (from UK)

Ghana as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 79 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
LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Cote d'Ivoire and
1993

Every edition of Ghana

Populationas each edition published it
16.7 million July 1993 est. · 15.17m in 1990
Population growth% a year
3.12% 1993 est. · 2.12% in 2025
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 19.8 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
55.19 years 1993 est. · 70.1 yrs in 2025
Fertility ratechildren per woman
6.21 children per woman 1993 est. · 6.4 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
84.5 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 89 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$410 1992 est. · $7,100 in 2025
GDP real growth% a year
3.9% 1992 est. · 5.7% in 2025

Geography

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Cote d'Ivoire and | Togo

14 fields

Land useshare of 238,540 km2

arable land 5%permanent crops 7%meadows and pastures 15%forest and woodland 37%other 36%irrigated 80 km2 (1989)
Area
238,540km2
land area: 230,020 km2comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon
Coastline
539km
contiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Land boundaries
2,093km
total · Burkina 548 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

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 the world's largest artificial lake

People

14 fields
Population
16,699,105
(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 3.12% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth
44.66Death
12.52Net migration
-1

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years55.19
53.27 · 57.17
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy60%
70% · 51%
MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Religions

indigenous beliefs 38%Muslim 30%Christian 24%other 8%
Labor force
3.7million
by occupation: agriculture and fishing 54.7%, industry 18.7%, sales and clerical 15.2%, services, transportation, and communications 7.7%, professional 3.7%note: 48% of population of working age (1983)

Infant mortality rate

84.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.21 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Ghanaian(s)
adjective:
Ghanaian

Ethnic divisions

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

Languages

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

Government

Constitutional democracy

20 fields

Names

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

Type

constitutional democracy

Capital

Accra

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

6 March 1957 (from UK)

Constitution

new constitution approved 28 April 1992

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Political parties and leaders

  • National Democratic Congress, Jerry John Rawlings;
  • New Patriotic Party, Albert Adu BOAHEN;
  • People's Heritage Party, Alex Erskine;
  • various other smaller parties

Suffrage

universal at 18

Elections

President:
last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA)
National Assembly:
last held 29 December 1992 (next to be held NA)

Executive branch

president, cabinet

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government: President Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 3 November 1992)

Member of

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Dr. Joseph ABBEY
chancery:
3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 686-4520
consulate general:
New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:
Ambassador Kenneth L. BROWN
embassy:
Ring Road East, East of Danquah Circle, Accra
mailing address:
P. O. Box 194, Accra
telephone:
[233] (21) 775348, 775349, 775295 or 775298
FAX:
[233] (21) 776008

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, including | moves toward privatization and relaxation of government controls.

19 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$410
(1992 est.)
Real growth rate
3.9%
(1992 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 4.6% in manufacturing (1991); accounts for almost 15% of GDP

Budget

Revenues
$1.0 billionExpenditures
$905 million
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $200 million (1991 est.)

Overview

Supported by substantial international assistance, Ghana has been implementing a steady economic rebuilding program since 1983, including moves toward privatization and relaxation of government controls. Heavily dependent on cocoa, gold, and timber exports, economic growth so far has not spread substantially to other areas of the economy.

The costs of sending peacekeeping forces to Liberia and preparing for the transition to a democratic government have boosted government expenditures and undercut structural adjustment reforms. Ghana opened a stock exchange in 1990. Meanwhile, declining world commodity prices for Ghana's exports has placed the government under severe financial pressure.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $6.6 billion (1992 est.)

Exports

$1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1992)

commodities:
cocoa 45%, gold, timber, tuna, bauxite, and aluminum
partners:
Germany 29%, UK 12%, US 12%, Japan 5%

Imports

$1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1992 est.)

commodities:
petroleum 16%, consumer goods, foods, intermediate goods, capital equipment
partners:
UK 23%, US 11%, Germany 10%, Japan 6%

External debt

$4.6 billion (1992 est.)

Electricity

1,180,000 kW capacity; 4,490 million kWh produced, 290 kWh per capita (1991)

Industries

mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum, food processing

Agriculture

  • accounts for about 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

Economic aid

  • US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $455 million;
  • Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2.6 billion;
  • OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $78 million;
  • Communist countries (1970-89), $106 million

Currency

1 cedi (C) = 100 pesewas

Exchange rates

ceolis per US$1 - 437 (July 1992)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Merchant marine, 6 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 5refrigerated cargo 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 59,293 GRT/78,246 DWT

Networkskm

Highways
32,250Railroads
953
Highways: ; 6,084 km concrete or bituminous surface, 26,166 km gravel, laterite, and improved earth surfaces · Railroads: , all 1.067-meter gauge; 32 km double track; railroads undergoing major renovation

Railroads

  • 953 km, all 1.067-meter gauge;
  • 32 km double track;
  • railroads undergoing major renovation

Highways

32,250 km total; 6,084 km concrete or bituminous surface, 26,166 km gravel, laterite, and improved earth surfaces

Inland waterways

Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers provide 168 km of perennial navigation for launches and lighters; Lake Volta provides 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways

Ports

Tema, Takoradi

Airports

total:
10
usable:
9
with permanent-surface runways:
5
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
2
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
6

Telecommunications

  • poor to fair system handled primarily by microwave radio relay links;
  • 42,300 telephones;
  • broadcast stations - 4 AM, 1 FM, 4 (8 translators) TV;
  • 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force, Civil Defense

4 fields

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force, Civil Defense

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 3,766,073;
  • fit for military service 2,105,865;
  • reach military age (18) annually 171,145 (1993 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $30 million, less than 1% of GDP (1989 est.)

Affiliation

(dependent territory of the UK)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Ghana.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/ghana/1993.

How to cite ← 1992 edition 1994 edition →