Ghana

constitutional democracyIndependence 6 March 1957 (from UK)

Ghana as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 122 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

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CapitalAccra
LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Cote
1994

Every edition of Ghana

Populationas each edition published it
17.23 million July 1994 est. · 15.17m in 1990
Population growth% a year
3.09% 1994 est. · 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
6.15 children per woman 1994 est. · 6.4 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
83.1 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 89 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$1,500 1993 est. · $410 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
3.9% 1992 est. · 3.9% in 1993

Geography

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

25 fields
Land boundaries
2,093km
total · Burkina 548 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km
Irrigated land
80sq km
(1989)

Location

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

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

238,540 sq km

land area

230,020 sq km

comparative area

slightly smaller than Oregon

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

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

arable land

5%

permanent crops

7%

meadows and pastures

15%

forest and woodland

37%

other

36%

current issues

  • recent drought in north severely affecting agricultural activities;
  • deforestation;
  • overgrazing;
  • soil erosion;
  • poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations;
  • water pollution;
  • limited supply of safe drinking water

natural hazards

dry, dusty, harmattan winds occur from January to March

international agreements

  • party to - Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands;
  • signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Marine Life Conservation

Note

Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake; northeasterly harmattan wind (January to March)

People

22 fields
Population
17,225,185
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 3.09% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
44.13Death
12.27Net migration
-0.97

Religions

indigenous beliefs 38%Muslim 30%Christian 24%other 8%
Labor force
3.7million
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1990 est.)

Infant mortality rate

83.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

55.52 years

male

53.58 years

female

57.52 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.15 children born/woman (1994 est.)

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)

total population

60%

male

70%

female

51%

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)

Government

Constitutional democracy

30 fields

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)

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Constitution

new constitution approved 28 April 1992

Suffrage

universal at 18

chief of state and head of government

President Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 3 November 1992) election last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA)

cabinet

Cabinet; president nominates members subject to approval by the Parliament

National Assembly

elections last held 29 December 1992 (next to be held NA)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

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

Member of

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, 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

chief of mission

Ambassador Ekwow SPIO-GARBRAH

chancery

3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

(202) 686-4520

FAX

(202) 686-4527

consulate(s) general

New York

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, 775297 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.

26 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,500
(1993 est.)
Real growth rate
3.9%
(1992 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate in manufacturing (1992); accounts for almost 15% of GDP

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. The agriculture sector consists largely of small traditional farm holdings, rain-fed for the most part.

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 and plans to float 5% of its stake in Ashanti Goldfields Corporation, which would make the exchange the largest in sub-Saharan Africa outside of South Africa.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $25 billion (1993 est.)

revenues

$1 billion

expenditures

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

Exports

$1 billion (f.o.b., 1992)

commodities

cocoa 40%, gold, timber, tuna, bauxite, and aluminum

partners

Germany 31%, US 12%, UK 11%, Netherlands 6%, Japan 5% (1991)

Imports

$1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1992)

commodities

petroleum 16%, consumer goods, foods, intermediate goods, capital equipment

partners

UK 22%, US 11%, Germany 9%, Japan 6%

External debt

$4.6 billion (1992 est.)

capacity

1,180,000 kW

production

4.49 billion kWh

consumption per capita

290 kWh (1991)

Industries

mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum, food processing

Agriculture

  • accounts for 43% 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; transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin destined for the US and Europe

recipient

  • 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 new cedi (C) = 100 pesewas

Exchange rates

new cedis per US$1 - 713.00 (October 1993), 437.09 (1992), 367.83 (1991), 326.33 (1990), 270.00 (1989)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

15 fields

Railroads

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

total

32,250 km

paved

concrete, bituminous 6,084 km

unpaved

gravel, crushed stone, improved earth 26,166 km

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

Merchant marine

5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 46,289 GRT/61,606 DWT, cargo 4, refrigerated cargo 1

total

11

usable

11

with permanent-surface runways

6

with runways over 3,659 m

0

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

3

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 3,867,183;
  • fit for military service 2,159,769;
  • reach military age (18) annually 170,283 (1994 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 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/ghana/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →