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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.gh

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

407 (2004)

Internet users [time series]

170,000 (2002)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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 - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

302,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

799,900 (2003)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

10 (2001)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $2.17 billion expenditures: $2.56 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]

cedi (GHC)

Current account balance [time series]

$83.87 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$7.396 billion (2004 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

40.7 (1999)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$6.9 billion (1999)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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 34% 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. Priorities include tighter monetary and fiscal policies, accelerated privatization, and improvement of social services. Receipts from the gold sector helped sustain GDP growth in 2004. Inflation should ease, but remain a major internal problem.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

6.137 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports [time series]

500 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports [time series]

200 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production [time series]

6.922 billion kWh (2002)

Exchange rates [time series]

cedis per US dollar - 9,004.6 (2004), 8,677.4 (2003), 7,932.7 (2002), 7,170.8 (2001), 5,455.1 (2000)

Exports [time series]

$3.01 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

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

Exports - partners [time series]

Mexico 69.8%, Netherlands 3.7%, UK 3% (2004)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]

$48.27 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 34.3% industry: 24.2% services: 41.4% (2004 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2004 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

5.4% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$3.699 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Imports - partners [time series]

Nigeria 12.6%, China 11.4%, UK 6.6%, US 6.4%, France 4.9%, Netherlands 4.2% (2004)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

3.8% (2000 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

13% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

19.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Labor force [time series]

10.24 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

11.89 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Oil - consumption [time series]

38,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

Oil - imports [time series]

Oil - production [time series]

7,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

8.255 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Population below poverty line [time series]

31.4% (1992 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$1.267 billion (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

20% (1997 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

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

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than Oregon

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

539 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

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 [time series]

8 00 N, 2 00 W

Geography - note [time series]

Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

Irrigated land [time series]

110 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

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

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural hazards [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Accra

Constitution [time series]

approved 28 April 1992

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

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 [time series]

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 [time series]

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 (Flag description) [time series]

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 [time series]

constitutional democracy

Independence [time series]

6 March 1957 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

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 [time series]

Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

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 [time series]

Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

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 parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

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 a ban on 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. John KUFUOR, who defeated former Vice President Atta MILLS in a free and fair election, succeeded him.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 4,761,226 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 2,721,239 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually [time series]

males: 250,782 (2005 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$49.2 million (2004)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

0.6% (2004)

Military service age and obligation [time series]

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

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 37.1% (male 3,946,326/female 3,862,390) 15-64 years: 59.1% (male 6,203,035/female 6,235,107) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 366,472/female 416,523) (2005 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

23.97 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate [time series]

10.84 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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 [time series]

3.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

30,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

350,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 51.43 deaths/1,000 live births male: 54.25 deaths/1,000 live births female: 48.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 58.47 years male: 57.7 years female: 59.26 years (2005 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Major infectious diseases [time series]

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Median age [time series]

total: 20.45 years male: 20.2 years female: 20.7 years (2005 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian

Net migration rate [time series]

-0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Population [time series]

21,029,853 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 2005 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.25% (2005 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

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: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

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

Illicit drugs [time series]

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

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

Transportation

Airports [time series]

12 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

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 [time series]

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

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 46,176 km paved: 8,496 km unpaved: 37,679 km (1999 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 19,086 GRT/26,185 DWT by type: petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3 foreign-owned: 1 (Brazil 1) (2005)

Pipelines [time series]

refined products 74 km (2004)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Takoradi, Tema

Railways [time series]

total: 953 km narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Waterways [time series]

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)