Ghana
Republic of Ghana
constitutional democracyIndependence 6 March 1957 (from UK)
Ghana as the 2002 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 117 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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, who defeated former Vice President Atta MILLS in a free and fair election.
Geography
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo
18 fieldsLand useshare of 239,460 sq km
Climate
- tropical;
- warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast;
- hot and humid in southwest;
- hot and dry in north
Environment - current issues
- recurrent drought in north severely affects 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
People
19 fieldsNote
Per 1,000 population(2002 est.)
Male · female
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 40.4% (male 4,116,600; female 4,063,654)
- 15-64 years:
- 56.1% (male 5,625,397; female 5,723,786)
- 65 years and over:
- 3.5% (male 338,352; female 376,365) (2002 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:
- 0.9 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Ethnic groups
black African 98.5% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5% (1998)
People - note
there are 9,500 Liberians, 2,000 Sierra Leoneans, and 1,000 Togolese refugees residing in Ghana (2002)
Government
Constitutional democracy; President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001)
18 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Parliament, 200 seats, elected 7 December 2000one dot, one seat
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:
- 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 election; 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
Political parties and leaders
- Convention People's Party or CPP [Nii Noi DOWUONA, general secretary];
- Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA, chairman];
- Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTY];
- 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];
- Reform Party [Kyeretwie OPUKU, general secretary]
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, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Alan J. KYEREMATEN
- consulate(s) general:
- New York
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 686-4527
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 686-4520
- chancery:
- 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Mary Carlin YATES
- embassy:
- 6th and 10th Lanes, 798/1 Osu, Accra
- mailing address:
- P. O. Box 194, Accra
- telephone:
- [233] (21) 775-347, 775-348
- FAX:
- [233] (21) 701-813
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 roughly twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa.
33 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2000 est.)
Electricity
Economy - overview
Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly 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. Excessively expansionary monetary and fiscal policy prior to the 2000 elections led to accelerating inflation in early 2001.
A depressed cocoa market and continued weak growth in non-traditional exports led to disappointing growth in 2001. The late 2002 crisis in Cote d'Ivoire has boosted cocoa prices markedly. It remains to be seen if this portends a long-term shift in the cocoa market. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002.
Agriculture - products
cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber
Exchange rates
cedis per US dollar - 7,195 (January 2002), 7,170.76 (2001), 5,455.06 (2000), 2,669.30 (1999), 2,314.15 (1998), 2,050.17 (1997)
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone 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
Transportation
9 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
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
Merchant marine
- total:
- 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,450 GRT/22,097 DWT
- ships by type:
- petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 5
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Brazil 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 1 (2002 est.)
Military
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force
7 fieldsTransnational Issues
2 fieldsIllicit drugs
- illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;
- major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US;
- widespread crime and corruption have made money laundering a problem, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Ghana.” The World Factbook 2002. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/ghana/2002.