Ghana

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

• 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

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:

38.9% (male 4,021,570; female 3,938,454)

15-64 years:

57.5% (male 5,859,940; female 5,909,910)

65 years and over:

3.6% (male 350,045; female 387,828) (2003 est.)

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.9 male(s)/female

total population:

1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

noun:

Ghanaian(s)

adjective:

Ghanaian

conventional long form:

Republic of Ghana

conventional short form:

Ghana

former:

Gold Coast

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%

• 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]

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

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

• 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%:

2.2%

highest 10%:

30.1% (1999)

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

total:

953 km

narrow gauge:

953 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)

total:

39,409 km

paved:

11,665 km

unpaved:

27,744 km (1999 est.)

total:

9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,559 GRT/27,531 DWT

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.)

ships by type:

petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 6

• 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