Ghana

Internet country code

.gh

Internet hosts

407 (2004)

Internet users

170,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001)

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: country code - 233; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors; fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Telephones - main lines in use

302,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

799,900 (2003)

Television broadcast stations

10 (2001)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $1.943 billion expenditures: $2.192 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Currency

cedi (GHC)

Currency code

GHC

Current account balance

$110 million (2003)

Debt - external

$7.398 billion (2003 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

40.7 (1999)

Economic aid - recipient

$6.9 billion (1999)

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 35% of GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002. Policy priorities include tighter monetary and fiscal policies, accelerated privatization, and improvement of social services. Receipts from the gold sector should help sustain GDP growth in 2004. Inflation should ease, but remain a major internal problem.

Electricity - consumption

8.835 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

300 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

950 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

8.801 billion kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

cedis per US dollar - NA (2003), 7,932.7 (2002), 7,170.76 (2001), 5,455.06 (2000), 2,669.3 (1999)

Exports

$2.642 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Netherlands 11.2%, UK 10.7%, France 7.7%, Germany 6.2%, Japan 5.2%, Italy 4.6%, Turkey 4.4%, US 4.3% (2003)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $44.44 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 35.4% industry: 25.4% services: 39.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.7% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.1% (1999)

Imports

$3.24 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

Nigeria 13.2%, China 9.3%, UK 7.2%, US 6.1%, Germany 4.8%, France 4.5%, South Africa 4% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

3.8% (2000 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

26.7% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

24.5% of GDP (2003)

Labor force

10 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Natural gas - proved reserves

11.89 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Oil - consumption

38,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

7,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

8.255 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Population below poverty line

31.4% (1992 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold

$1.469 billion (2003)

Unemployment rate

20% (1997 est.)

Area

total: 239,460 sq km land: 230,940 sq km water: 8,520 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

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

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 2 00 W

Geography - note

Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

Irrigated land

110 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 2,094 km border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km

Land use

arable land: 16.26% permanent crops: 9.67% other: 74.07% (2001)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 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

Terrain

mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Accra

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 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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Alan J. KYEREMATEN chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520 FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527 consulate(s) general: New York

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 December 2004 (next to be held December 2008) election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR reelected president in election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 53.4%, John Atta MILLS 43.7%

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

Government type

constitutional democracy

Independence

6 March 1957 (from UK)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, 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; note - increased from 200 seats in last election; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held December 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 128, NDC 92, other 10

National holiday

Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

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]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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. 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.

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$44 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.6% (2003)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 5,391,378 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 2,994,600 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer military service (2001)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 244,809 (2004 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 38% (male 3,988,800; female 3,904,989) 15-64 years: 58.3% (male 6,030,151; female 6,071,725) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 359,042; female 402,325) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

24.9 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

10.67 deaths/1,000 population (2004 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)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

3.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

30,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

350,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 52.22 deaths/1,000 live births male: 55.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 49.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

English (official), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 56.27 years male: 55.36 years female: 57.22 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74.8% male: 82.7% female: 67.1% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 20 years male: 19.8 years female: 20.3 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian

Net migration rate

-0.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

People - note

there are 9,500 Liberians, 2,000 Sierra Leoneans, and 1,000 Togolese refugees residing in Ghana (2002)

Population

20,757,032 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 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

1.36% (2004 est.)

Religions

Christian 63%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 21%

Sex ratio

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: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.17 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

Ghana must still deal with refugees and returning nationals escaping rebel 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 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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 42,466 (Liberia) (2004)

Airports

12 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: 39,409 km paved: 11,665 km unpaved: 27,744 km (1999 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 19,086 GRT/26,185 DWT by type: petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 5 foreign-owned: Brazil 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 1 (2004 est.)

Pipelines

refined products 74 km (2004)

Ports and harbors

Takoradi, Tema

Railways

total: 953 km narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)

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 (2003)