Ghana Facts
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page last updated on August 19, 2010 |
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Formed from the merger of the
British colony of the Gold Coast
and the Togoland trust
territory, Ghana in 1957 became
the first sub-Saharan country in
colonial Africa to gain its
independence. Ghana endured a
long series of coups before Lt.
Jerry RAWLINGS took power in
1981 and banned political
parties. After approving a new
constitution and restoring
multiparty politics in 1992,
RAWLINGS won presidential
elections in 1992 and 1996, but
was constitutionally prevented
from running for a third term in
2000. John KUFUOR succeeded him
and was reelected in 2004. John
Atta MILLS took over as head of
state in early 2009.
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Western Africa, bordering the
Gulf of Guinea, between Cote
d'Ivoire and Togo
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8 00 N, 2 00 W
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total:
238,533 sq km
country comparison to the world:
81
land:
227,533 sq km
water:
11,000 sq km
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slightly smaller than Oregon
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total:
2,094 km
border countries:
Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote
d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km
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539 km
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territorial sea:
12 nm
contiguous zone:
24 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
continental shelf:
200 nm
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Current Weather
tropical; warm and comparatively
dry along southeast coast; hot
and humid in southwest; hot and
dry in north
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mostly low plains with dissected
plateau in south-central area
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lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Mount Afadjato 880 m
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gold, timber, industrial
diamonds, bauxite, manganese,
fish, rubber, hydropower,
petroleum, silver, salt,
limestone
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arable land:
17.54%
permanent crops:
9.22%
other:
73.24% (2005)
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310 sq km (2003)
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53.2 cu km (2001)
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total:
0.98 cu km/yr (24%/10%/66%)
per capita:
44 cu m/yr (2000)
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dry, dusty, northeastern
harmattan winds occur from
January to March; droughts
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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
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party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Marine Life Conservation
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Lake Volta is the world's
largest artificial lake
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23,887,812
country comparison to the world:
48
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, higher death
rates, lower population growth
rates, and changes in the
distribution of population by
age and sex than would otherwise
be expected (July 2010 est.)
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0-14 years:
37.2% (male 4,494,633/female
4,394,074)
15-64 years:
59.2% (male 7,065,273/female
7,086,023)
65 years and over:
3.5% (male 389,886/female
457,923) (2010 est.)
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total:
21.1 years
male:
20.8 years
female:
21.3 years (2010 est.)
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1.897% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world:
66 |
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28.74 births/1,000 population
(2010 est.)
country comparison to the world:
50 |
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9.13 deaths/1,000 population
(July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world:
79 |
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-0.64 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world:
109 |
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urban population:
50% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization:
3.5% annual rate of change
(2005-10 est.)
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at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.84 male(s)/female
total population:
1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
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total:
51.18 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world:
50
male:
54.74 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
47.51 deaths/1,000 live births
(2010 est.)
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total population:
60.1 years
country comparison to the world:
185
male:
58.92 years
female:
61.31 years (2010 est.)
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3.57 children born/woman (2010
est.)
country comparison to the world:
52 |
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1.9% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world:
33 |
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260,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world:
27 |
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21,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world:
22 |
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degree of risk:
very high
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial and protozoal
diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases:
malaria
water contact disease:
schistosomiasis
respiratory disease:
meningococcal meningitis
animal contact disease:
rabies
note:
highly pathogenic H5N1 avian
influenza has been identified in
this country; it poses a
negligible risk with extremely
rare cases possible among US
citizens who have close contact
with birds (2009)
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noun:
Ghanaian(s)
adjective:
Ghanaian
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Akan 45.3%, Mole-Dagbon 15.2%,
Ewe 11.7%, Ga-Dangme 7.3%, Guan
4%, Gurma 3.6%, Grusi 2.6%,
Mande-Busanga 1%, other tribes
1.4%, other 7.8% (2000 census)
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Christian 68.8%
(Pentecostal/Charismatic 24.1%,
Protestant 18.6%, Catholic
15.1%, other 11%), Muslim 15.9%,
traditional 8.5%, other 0.7%,
none 6.1% (2000 census)
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Asante 14.8%, Ewe 12.7%, Fante
9.9%, Boron (Brong) 4.6%,
Dagomba 4.3%, Dangme 4.3%,
Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.7%, Akyem
3.4%, Ga 3.4%, Akuapem 2.9%,
other 36.1% (includes English
(official)) (2000 census)
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and
write
total population:
57.9%
male:
66.4%
female:
49.8% (2000 census)
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total:
9 years
male:
10 years
female:
9 years (2007)
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5.4% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world:
53 |
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conventional long form:
Republic of Ghana
conventional short form:
Ghana
former:
Gold Coast
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constitutional democracy
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name:
Accra
geographic coordinates:
5 33 N, 0 13 W
time difference:
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of
Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
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10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo,
Central, Eastern, Greater Accra,
Northern, Upper East, Upper
West, Volta, Western
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6 March 1957 (from the UK)
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Independence Day, 6 March (1957)
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approved 28 April 1992
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based on English common law and
customary law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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18 years of age; universal
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chief of state:
President John Evans Atta MILLS
(since 7 January 2009); Vice
President John Dramani MAHAMA
(since 7 January 2009); note -
the president is both the chief
of state and head of government
head of government:
President John Evans Atta MILLS
(since 7 January 2009); Vice
President John Dramani MAHAMA
(since 7 January 2009)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; president
nominates members subject to
approval by Parliament
(For more information visit the
World Leaders website  )
elections:
president and vice president
elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for four-year terms
(eligible for a second term);
election last held on 7 and 28
December 2008 (next to be held
on 7 December 2012)
election results:
John Evans Atta MILLS elected
president in run-off election;
percent of vote - John Evans
Atta MILLS 50.23%, Nana Addo
Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO 49.77%
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unicameral Parliament (230
seats; members elected by
direct, popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections:
last held on 7 December 2008
(next to be held on 7 December
2012)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - NDC 114, NPP
107, PNC 2, CPP 1, independent
4, other 2
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Supreme Court
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Convention People's Party or CPP
[Ladi NYLANDER]; Democratic
Freedom Party or DFP [Alhaji
Abudu Rahman ISSAKAH]; Every
Ghanaian Living Everywhere or
EGLE; Great Consolidated Popular
Party or GCPP [Dan LARTEY];
National Democratic Congress or
NDC [Dr. Kwabena ADJEI]; New
Patriotic Party or NPP [Peter
MAC-MANU]; People's National
Convention or PNC [Alhaji Amed
RAMADAN]; Reform Party [Kyeretwie
OPUKU]; United Renaissance Party
or URP [Charles WAYO]
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Christian Aid (water rights);
Committee for Joint Action or
CJA (education reform); National
Coalition Against the
Privatization of Water or CAP
(water rights); Oxfam (water
rights); Public Citizen (water
rights); Students Coalition
Against EPA [Kwabena Ososukene
OKAI] (education reform); Third
World Network (education reform)
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ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO,
G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT,
MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS
(observer), OIF (associate
member), OPCW, UN, UNAMID,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNOCI,
UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Daniel Ohene AGYEKUM
chancery:
3512 International Drive NW,
Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 686-4520
FAX:
[1] (202) 686-4527
consulate(s) general:
New York
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chief of mission:
Ambassador Donald G. TEITELBAUM
embassy:
24 4th Circular Rd. Cantonments,
Accra
mailing address:
P. O. Box 194, Accra
telephone:
[233] (21) 741-000
FAX:
[233] (21) 741-389
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three equal horizontal bands of
red (top), yellow, and green,
with a large black five-pointed
star centered in the yellow
band; red symbolizes the blood
shed for independence, yellow
represents the country's mineral
wealth, while green stands for
its forests and natural wealth;
the black star is said to be the
lodestar of African freedom
note:
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
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Well endowed with natural
resources, Ghana has roughly
twice the per capita output of
the poorest countries in West
Africa. Even so, Ghana remains
heavily dependent on
international financial and
technical assistance. Gold and
cocoa production and individual
remittances are major sources of
foreign exchange. Oil production
is expected to expand in late
2010 or early 2011. The domestic
economy continues to revolve
around agriculture, which
accounts for more than a third
of GDP and employs more than
half of the work force, mainly
small landholders. Ghana signed
a Millennium Challenge
Corporation (MCC) Compact in
2006, which aims to assist in
transforming Ghana's
agricultural sector. Ghana opted
for debt relief under the
Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC)
program in 2002, and is also
benefiting from the Multilateral
Debt Relief Initiative that took
effect in 2006. Thematic
priorities under its current
Growth and Poverty Reduction
Strategy, which also provides
the framework for development
partner assistance, are:
macroeconomic stability; private
sector competitiveness; human
resource development; and good
governance and civic
responsibility. Sound
macro-economic management along
with high prices for gold and
cocoa helped sustain GDP growth
in 2008 and 2009.
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$35.83 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world:
100
$34.62 billion (2008 est.)
$32.27 billion (2007 est.)
note:
data are in 2009 US dollars
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$15.51 billion (2009 est.)
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3.5% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world:
55
7.3% (2008 est.)
5.7% (2007 est.)
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$1,500 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world:
199
$1,500 (2008 est.)
$1,400 (2007 est.)
note:
data are in 2009 US dollars
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agriculture:
33.6%
industry:
25.1%
services:
41.2% (2006 est.)
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10.33 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world:
47 |
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agriculture:
56%
industry:
15%
services:
29% (2005 est.)
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11% (2000 est.)
country comparison to the world:
123 |
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28.5% (2007 est.)
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lowest 10%:
2%
highest 10%:
32.8% (2006)
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39.4 (2005-06)
country comparison to the world:
65
40.7 (1999)
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36.8% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world:
9 |
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revenues:
$4.539 billion
expenditures:
$6.039 billion (2009 est.)
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55.2% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world:
40
51.5% of GDP (2008 est.)
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19.3% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world:
218
16.5% (2008 est.)
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17% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world:
19
13.5% (31 December 2007)
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NA%
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$NA (31 December 2008)
$2.179 billion (31 December
2006)
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$NA (31 December 2008)
$2.174 billion (31 December
2006)
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$NA (31 December 2008)
$4.173 billion (31 December
2006)
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$2.507 billion (31 December
2009)
country comparison to the world:
89
$3.394 billion (31 December
2008)
$2.38 billion (31 December 2007)
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cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca),
peanuts, corn, shea nuts,
bananas; timber
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mining, lumbering, light
manufacturing, aluminum
smelting, food processing,
cement, small commercial ship
building
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3.5% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world:
35 |
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6.746 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world:
102 |
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5.702 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world:
105 |
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249 million kWh (2007 est.)
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435 million kWh (2007 est.)
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7,081 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world:
88 |
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57,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world:
95 |
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4,843 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world:
106 |
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45,380 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world:
92 |
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15 million bbl (1 January 2009
est.)
country comparison to the world:
86 |
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world:
193 |
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world:
182 |
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world:
76 |
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0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world:
176 |
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22.65 billion cu m (1 January
2009 est.)
country comparison to the world:
75 |
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-$1.441 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world:
141
-$3.543 billion (2008 est.)
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$5.715 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world:
100
$5.27 billion (2008 est.)
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gold, cocoa, timber, tuna,
bauxite, aluminum, manganese
ore, diamonds, horticulture
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Netherlands 13.45%, UK 7.87%,
France 5.85%, Ukraine 5.84%,
Malaysia 3.97% (2009)
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$8.437 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world:
93
$10.27 billion (2008 est.)
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capital equipment, petroleum,
foodstuffs
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China 16.8%, Nigeria 11.88%, US
6.63%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.99%,
India 5.57%, France 5.09%, UK
4.23% (2009)
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$2.45 billion (31 December 2009
est.)
country comparison to the world:
106
$2.028 billion (31 December 2008
est.)
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$5.84 billion (31 December 2009
est.)
country comparison to the world:
97
$5.055 billion (31 December 2008
est.)
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$NA
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$NA
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cedis (GHC) per US dollar - 1.4
(2009), 1.1 (2008), 0.95 (2007),
9,174.8 (2006), 9,072.5 (2005)
note:
in 2007 Ghana revalued its
currency with 10,000 old cedis
equal to 1 new cedis
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143,900 (2008)
country comparison to the world:
134 |
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11.57 million (2008)
country comparison to the world:
53 |
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general assessment:
primarily microwave radio relay;
wireless local loop has been
installed; outdated and
unreliable fixed-line
infrastructure heavily
concentrated in Accra
domestic:
competition among multiple
mobile-cellular providers has
spurred growth with a
subscribership of 50 per 100
persons and rising
international:
country code - 233; landing
point for the SAT-3/WASC, Main
One, and GLO-1 fiber-optic
submarine cables that provide
connectivity to South Africa,
Europe and Asia; satellite earth
stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean); microwave radio relay
link to Panaftel system connects
Ghana to its neighbors (2008)
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state-owned TV station, 2
state-owned radio networks;
several privately-owned TV
stations and a large number of
privately-owned radio stations;
transmissions of multiple
international broadcasters are
accessible; several cable and
satellite TV subscription
services are obtainable (2007)
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.gh
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23,850 (2009)
country comparison to the world:
97 |
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997,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world:
91 |
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11 (2010)
country comparison to the world:
155 |
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total:
7
over 3,047 m:
1
2,438 to 3,047 m:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m:
3
914 to 1,523 m:
2 (2010)
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total:
4
914 to 1,523 m:
3
under 914 m:
1 (2010)
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oil 5 km; refined products 309
km (2009)
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total:
947 km
country comparison to the world:
93
narrow gauge:
947 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)
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total:
62,221 km
country comparison to the world:
74
paved:
9,955 km
unpaved:
52,266 km (2006)
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1,293 km
country comparison to the world:
58
note:
168 km for launches and lighters
on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano
rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and
feeder waterways on Lake Volta
(2008)
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total:
4
country comparison to the world:
135
by type:
petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated
cargo 3
foreign-owned:
1 (Brazil 1) (2008)
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Tema
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Ghanaian Army, Ghanaian Navy,
Ghanaian Air Force (2010)
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18 years of age for voluntary
military service, with basic
education certificate; no
conscription (2010)
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males age 16-49:
6,126,707
females age 16-49:
6,058,958 (2010 est.)
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males age 16-49:
4,022,056
females age 16-49:
4,101,964 (2010 est.)
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male:
270,993
female:
263,961 (2010 est.)
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1.7% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world:
90 |
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Transnational Issues ::Ghana |
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Ghana struggles to accommodate
returning nationals who worked
in the cocoa plantations and
escaped fighting in Cote
d'Ivoire
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refugees (country of origin):
35,653 (Liberia); 8,517 (Togo)
(2007)
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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 money laundering
problem, but the lack of a well
developed financial
infrastructure limits the
country's utility as a money
laundering center; significant
domestic cocaine and cannabis
use
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