2010 Edition

Background

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.

Area

land

227,533 sq km

total

238,533 sq km

water

11,000 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Oregon

Climate

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

Coastline

539 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Afadjato 885 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

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, 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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

44 cu m/yr (2000)

total

0.98 cu km/yr (24%/10%/66%)

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 2 00 W

Geography - note

Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

Irrigated land

310 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries

Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km

total

2,094 km

Land use

arable land

17.54%

other

73.24% (2005)

permanent crops

9.22%

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone

Terrain

mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Total renewable water resources

53.2 cu km (2001)

Age structure

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.)

Birth rate

28.09 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

8.93 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

5.4% of GDP (2005)

Ethnic groups

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)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.9% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

21,000 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

260,000 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

46.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

53.38 deaths/1,000 live births

total

49.89 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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)

Life expectancy at birth

female

61.78 years (2010 est.)

male

59.36 years

total population

60.55 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

49.8% (2000 census)

male

66.4%

total population

57.9%

Major infectious diseases

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)

degree of risk

very high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

respiratory disease

meningococcal meningitis

vectorborne diseases

malaria

water contact disease

schistosomiasis

Median age

female

21.3 years (2010 est.)

male

20.8 years

total

21.1 years

Nationality

adjective

Ghanaian

noun

Ghanaian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

24,339,838 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.)

Population growth rate

1.855% (2010 est.)

Religions

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)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

9 years (2007)

male

10 years

total

10 years

Sex ratio

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.)

Total fertility rate

3.57 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

50% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western

Capital

geographic coordinates

5 33 N, 0 13 W

name

Accra

time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

approved 28 April 1992

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Ghana

conventional short form

Ghana

former

Gold Coast

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Donald G. TEITELBAUM

embassy

24 4th Circular Rd. Cantonments, Accra

FAX

[233] (21) 741-389

mailing address

P. O. Box 194, Accra

telephone

[233] (21) 741-000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Daniel Ohene AGYEKUM

consulate(s) general

New York

FAX

[1] (202) 686-4527

telephone

[1] (202) 686-4520

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by Parliament (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

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

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%

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)

head of government

President John Evans Atta MILLS (since 7 January 2009); Vice President John Dramani MAHAMA (since 7 January 2009)

Flag description

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

Government type

constitutional democracy

Independence

6 March 1957 (from the UK)

International organization participation

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, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF (associate member), OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament (230 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDC 114, NPP 107, PNC 2, CPP 1, independent 4, other 2

elections

last held on 7 December 2008 (next to be held on 7 December 2012)

National anthem

lyrics/music

unknown/Philip GBEHO note: music adopted 1957, lyrics adopted 1966; the lyrics were changed twice, once when a republic was declared in 1960 and again after a 1966 coup

name

"God Bless Our Homeland Ghana"

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Political parties and leaders

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]

Political pressure groups and leaders

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)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Central bank discount rate

18% (31 December 2009) 17% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

NA% (31 December 2009 est.) NA% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$1.871 billion (2010 est.) -$1.199 billion (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$6.483 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $5.427 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

39.4 (2005-06) 40.7 (1999)

Economy - overview

Ghana is well endowed with natural resources and agriculture accounts for roughly one-third of GDP and employs more than half of the workforce, mainly small landholders. The services sector accounts for 50% of GDP. Gold and cocoa production and individual remittances are major sources of foreign exchange. Oil production at Ghana's offshore Jubilee field began in mid-December and is expected to boost economic growth. 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. In 2009 Ghana signed a three-year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF to improve 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 2008-10. In early 2010 President John Atta MILLS targeted recovery from high inflation and current account and budget deficits as his priorities.

Electricity - consumption

5.702 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

249 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

435 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

6.746 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

cedis (GHC) per US dollar - 1.4 (2010), 1.4 (2009), 1.1 (2008), 0.95 (2007), 9,174.8 (2006)

Exports

$7.326 billion (2010 est.) $5.84 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Netherlands 13.45%, UK 7.87%, France 5.85%, Ukraine 5.84%, Malaysia 3.97% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

33.7%

industry

24.7%

services

41.6% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,600 (2010 est.) $1,500 (2009 est.) $1,500 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

4.7% (2010 est.) 4.1% (2009 est.) 7.3% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$18.06 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$38.24 billion (2010 est.) $36.53 billion (2009 est.) $35.09 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 32.8% (2006)

Imports

$10.18 billion (2010 est.) $8.046 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

China 16.8%, Nigeria 11.88%, US 6.63%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.99%, India 5.57%, France 5.09%, UK 4.23% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

5% (2010 est.)

Industries

mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing, cement, small commercial ship building

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

10.9% (2010 est.) 19.3% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

39.8% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

10.56 million (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

56%

industry

15%

services

29% (2005 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$2.508 billion (31 December 2009) $3.394 billion (31 December 2008) $2.38 billion (31 December 2007)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

22.65 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

57,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

4,843 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

45,380 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

7,081 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

15 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

28.5% (2007 est.)

Public debt

59.9% of GDP (2010 est.) 55.2% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$3.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $3.165 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$9.583 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $7.823 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

Stock of domestic credit

$7.155 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $6.987 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$6.26 billion (31 December 2010 est) $5.203 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate

11% (2000 est.)

Broadcast media

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)

Internet country code

.gh

Internet hosts

41,082 (2010)

Internet users

1.297 million (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

competition among multiple mobile-cellular providers has spurred growth with a subscribership of more than 60 per 100 persons and rising

general assessment

primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has been installed; outdated and unreliable fixed-line infrastructure heavily concentrated in Accra

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 (2009)

Telephones - main lines in use

267,400 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

15.109 million (2009)

Airports

11 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

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)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3

foreign-owned

2 (Brazil 1, South Korea 1) (2010)

total

4

Pipelines

oil 5 km; refined products 309 km (2009)

Ports and terminals

Takoradi, Tema

Railways

narrow gauge

947 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)

total

947 km

Roadways

paved

9,955 km

total

62,221 km

unpaved

52,266 km (2006)

Waterways

1,293 km 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)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 6,126,707 females age 16-49: 6,058,958 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 4,022,056 females age 16-49: 4,101,964 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

263,961 (2010 est.)

male

270,993

Military branches

Ghanaian Army, Ghanaian Navy, Ghanaian Air Force (2010)

Military expenditures

1.7% of GDP (2009)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service, with basic education certificate; no conscription (2010)

Disputes - international

Ghana struggles to accommodate returning nationals who worked in the cocoa plantations and escaped fighting in Cote d'Ivoire

Illicit 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 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 page last updated on January 20, 2011 ======================================================================

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

35,653 (Liberia); 8,517 (Togo) (2007)