Ghana

Republic of Ghana

constitutional democracyIndependence 6 March 1957 (from UK)

Ghana as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 82 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 sq km

LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between

Populationas each edition published it

17.76 million July 1995 est. · 15.17m in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.06% 1995 est. · 3.12% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 19.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

55.85 years 1995 est. · 55.19 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.09 children per woman 1995 est. · 6.4 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

81.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 89 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,310 1994 est. · $410 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

5% 1994 est. · 3.9% in 1993

Geography

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

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Land useshare of 238,540 sq km

arable land 5%permanent crops 7%meadows and pastures 15%forest and woodland 37%other 36%irrigated 80 sq km (1989)

Area

238,540sq km

land area: 230,020 sq kmcomparative 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

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

current issues:: recent drought in north severely affecting agricultural activities;
deforestation;
overgrazing;
soil erosion;
poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations;
water pollution;
inadequate supplies of potable water
natural hazards:: dry, dusty, harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands;
signed, but not ratified - Climate Change, Desertification, Marine Life Conservation

Note

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

People

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Population

17,763,138

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 3.06% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

43.57Death

12.02Net migration

-0.94

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years55.85

53.88 · 57.88

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy60%

70% · 51%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

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%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 46% (female 4,030,154; male 4,069,945)
15-64 years:: 51% (female 4,638,451; male 4,494,533)
65 years and over:: 3% (female 276,186; male 253,869) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

81.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 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

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Names

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

Administrative divisions

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

Legal system

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

Executive branch

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 November 1996);
results - opposition boycotted the election, the National Democratic Congress won 198 of the total 200 seats and 2 seats were won by independents
cabinet:: Cabinet; president nominates members subject to approval by the Parliament

National Assembly

elections last held 29 December 1992 (next to be held December 1996);
results - opposition boycotted the election;
the National Democratic Congress won 198 0f 200 total seats and independents won 2

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

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

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Ekwow SPIO-GARBRAH
chancery:: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 686-4520

FAX

[1] (202) 686-4527; consulate(s) general: New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Kenneth L. BROWN (scheduled to leave in June 1995)
embassy:: Ring Road East, East of Danquah Circle, Accra
mailing address:: P. O. Box 194, Accra
telephone:: [233] (21) 775348, 775349, 775297, 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

Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana is relatively | well off, having twice the per capita output of the poorer countries | in West Africa.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$1,310

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 3.4% in manufacturing (1993); accounts for almost 15% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

25%

(1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

10%

(1991)

Budget

Revenues

$1.05 billionExpenditures

$1.2 billion (1993)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $178 million

Installed generating capacity, 1,180,000 kW

Electricity production

6.1 billionElectricity consumption per capita

323 (1993)

Overview

Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana is relatively well off, having twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Heavily reliant on international assistance, Ghana has made steady progress in liberalizing its economy since 1983. Overall growth continued at a rate of approximately 5% in 1994, due largely to increased gold, timber, and cocoa production - major sources of foreign exchange.

The economy, however, continues to revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 45% of GDP and employs 55% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Public sector wage increases, regional peacekeeping commitments, and the containment of internal unrest in the underdeveloped north have placed substantial demands on the government's budget and have led to inflationary deficit financing and a 27% depreciation of the cedi in 1994.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $22.6 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$1 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities:: cocoa 40%, gold, timber, tuna, bauxite, and aluminum
partners:: Germany 31%, US 12%, UK 11%, Netherlands 6%, Japan 5% (1991)

Imports

$1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.)

commodities:: petroleum 16%, consumer goods, foods, intermediate goods, capital equipment
partners:: UK 22%, US 11%, Germany 9%, Japan 6%

External debt

$4.6 billion (December 1993 est.)

Industries

mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum, food processing

Agriculture

accounts for almost 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; transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin destined for Europe and the US

Economic aid

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 - 1,046.74 (December 1994), 936.71 (1994), 649.06 (1993), 437.09 (1992), 367.83 (1991), 326.33 (1990)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

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Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 12 in all

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

1,524 to 2,438 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

32,250Railroads

953

Highways: paved: concrete, bituminous 6,084 km · unpaved: gravel, crushed stone, improved earth 26,166 km · Railroads: ; note - undergoing major renovation · narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (32 km double track)

Railroads

total:: 953 km; note - undergoing major renovation
narrow gauge:: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (32 km double track)

Highways

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