Ghana

Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A long series of coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution in 1981 and the banning of political parties. A new constitution, restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992.

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

• 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

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:

Marine Life Conservation

0-14 years:

42% (male 4,120,240; female 4,063,960)

15-64 years:

55% (male 5,290,675; female 5,391,175)

65 years and over:

3% (male 318,890; female 348,620) (2000 est.)

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.91 male(s)/female

total population:

0.99 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

noun:

Ghanaian(s)

adjective:

Ghanaian

conventional long form:

Republic of Ghana

conventional short form:

Ghana

former:

Gold Coast

chief of state:

• President Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 7 January 1993);
• Vice President John Evans Atta MILLS (since 7 January 1993);
• note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:

• President Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 7 January 1993);
• Vice President John Evans Atta MILLS (since 7 January 1993);
• note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:

Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by Parliament

elections:

• president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms;
• election last held 7 December 1996 (next to be held NA December 2000)

election results:

Jerry John RAWLINGS reelected president; percent of vote - RAWLINGS 57.2%, John KUFUOR 39.8%

• Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA, chairman];
• National Convention Party or NCP [Sarpong KUMA-KUMA];
• National Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu YAHAYA, general secretary];
• New Patriotic Party or NPP [Peter Ala ADJETY];
• People's Convention Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting chairman];
• People's Heritage Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander ERSKINE];
• People's National Convention or PNC [Edward MAHAMA]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Kobena KOOMSON

chancery:

3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 686-4520

FAX:

[1] (202) 686-4527

consulate(s) general:

New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador Kathryn Dee ROBINSON

embassy:

Ring Road East, East of Danquah Circle, Accra

mailing address:

P. O. Box 194, Accra

telephone:

[233] (21) 775348

FAX:

[233] (21) 776008

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

lowest 10%:

3.4%

highest 10%:

27.3% (1992)

• poor to fair system;
• Internet accessible;
• many rural communities not yet connected;
• expansion of services is underway

domestic:

primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has been installed

international:

satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors

total:

953 km (undergoing major rehabilitation)

narrow gauge:

953 km 1.067-m gauge (32 km double track) (1997 est.)

total:

39,409 km

paved:

11,653 km (including 30 km of expressways)

unpaved:

27,756 km (1997 est.)

total:

6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 13,484 GRT/18,583 DWT

ships by type:

petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 4 (1999 est.)

• illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;
• transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]