Ghana

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

constitutional democracyIndependence 6 March 1957 (from UK)

Ghana as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 117 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
Position8 00 N, 2 00 W
Area238,540 sq km land: 230,020 sq km water: 8,520 sq km
LocationWestern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo
2001

Every edition of Ghana

Populationas each edition published it
19.89 million July 2001 est. · 15.17m in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.79% 2001 est. · 3.12% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 19.8 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
57.24 years 2001 est. · 55.19 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.82 children per woman 2001 est. · 6.4 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
56.54 deaths per 1,000 live births 2001 est. · 89 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$1,900 2000 est. · $410 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
3% 2000 est. · 3.9% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

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. Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. He was succeeded by John KUFUOR.

Geography

Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo

18 fields
Coastline
539km
contiguous zone: 24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Irrigated land
60sq km
(1993 est.)

Location

Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo

Area

total: 238,540 sq km land: 230,020 sq km water: 8,520 sq km

Land boundaries

total: 2,093 km border countries: Burkina Faso 548 km, Cote d'Ivoire 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

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m

Natural resources

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

Land use

arable land: 12% permanent crops: 7% permanent pastures: 22% forests and woodland: 35% other: 24% (1993 est.)

Natural hazards

dry, dusty, harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts

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

Environment - international agreements

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

Geography - note

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

People

18 fields

Per 1,000 population(2001 est.)

Birth
28.95Death
10.26Net migration
-0.83

Religions

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

Population

  • 19,894,014 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS;
  • this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 41.18% (male 4,123,317; female 4,068,786) 15-64 years: 55.35% (male 5,455,577; female 5,555,278) 65 years and over: 3.47% (male 328,809; female 362,247) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate

1.79% (2001 est.)

Sex ratio

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 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

56.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 57.24 years male: 55.86 years female: 58.66 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.82 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

33,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian

Ethnic groups

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)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 64.5% male: 75.9% female: 53.5% (1995 est.)

Government

Constitutional democracy; President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001)

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

56.4%
John KUFUOR 56.4%John Atta MILLS 43.6%

Parliament, 200 seatsone dot, one seat

NPP 100NDC 92PNC 3CPP 1independents 4

Country name

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

Government 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

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
  • President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001);
  • Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);
  • note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001);
  • Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);
  • 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 and 28 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2004) election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR elected president in runoff;
  • percent of vote - John KUFUOR 56.4%, John Atta MILLS 43.6%

Legislative branch

  • unicameral Parliament (200 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 7 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%;
  • seats by party - NPP 100, NDC 92, PNC 3, CPP 1, independents 4

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

  • 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 [Samuel Arthur ODOI-SYKES];
  • 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]

International organization participation

ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Kathryn D. 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

Flag description

  • 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

Economy

Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa.

32 fields
Real growth rate
3%
(2000 est.)industrial production growth: 4.2% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate
20%
(1997 est.)

Electricity

Electricity production
5.466 billion (1999)Electricity consumption
5.573 billion (1999)Electricity exports
400 million (1999)Electricity imports
890 million (1999)

Economy - overview

Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major sources of foreign exchange.

The domestic economy continues to revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 36% of GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. In 1995-97, Ghana made mixed progress under a three-year structural adjustment program in cooperation with the IMF. On the minus side, public sector wage increases and regional peacekeeping commitments have led to continued inflationary deficit financing, depreciation of the cedi, and rising public discontent with Ghana's austerity measures.

Political uncertainty and a depressed cocoa market led to disappointing growth in 2000. A rebound in the cocoa market should push growth over 4% in 2001-02.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $37.4 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 36% industry: 25% services: 39% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 26.1% (1997)

Labor force

9 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.)

Budget

revenues: $1.39 billion expenditures: $1.47 billion, including capital expenditures of $370 million (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 26.82% hydro: 73.18% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Agriculture - products

cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber

Exports

$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities

gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds

Exports - partners

Togo, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, US, France (1998)

Imports

$2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities

capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

UK, Nigeria, US, Germany, Italy, Spain (1998)

Debt - external

$7 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$477.3 million (1995)

Currency

cedi (GHC)

Exchange rates

cedis per US dollar - 6,895.77 (January 2001), 5,321.68 (2000), 2,647.32 (1999), 2,314.15 (1998), 2,050.17 (1997), 1,637.23 (1996)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

10 fields
Mobile cellular
30,000
(yearend 1998)
Fixed lines
200,000
(1998) · country code .gh

Telephone system

general assessment:
  • 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

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 18, shortwave 3 (1999)

Radios

4.4 million (1997)

Televisions

1.73 million (1997)

Internet users

20,000 (2000)

Transportation

9 fields

Networkskm

Railways
953 (1997 est.)Pipelines
0
Railways: (undergoing major rehabilitation) narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (32 km double track)

Railways

total: 953 km (undergoing major rehabilitation) narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (32 km double track) (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 39,409 km paved: 11,653 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 27,756 km (1997)

Waterways

  • 1,293 km note: 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 and harbors

Takoradi, Tema

Merchant marine

total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 13,484 GRT/18,583 DWT ships by type: petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 4 (2000 est.)

Airports

12 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Military

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, Palace Guard, Civil Defense

7 fields

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, Palace Guard, Civil Defense

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 4,890,483 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 2,713,584 (2001 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Illicit drugs

  • 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

Central Intelligence Agency. “Ghana.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/ghana/2001.

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