Geography
Area: 238,538 sq. km. (92,100 sq. mi.); about the size of Illinois and Indiana combined.
Cities: Capital--Accra (metropolitan area pop. 3 million est.). Other cities--Kumasi (1 million est.), Tema (500,000 est.), Sekondi-Takoradi (370,000 est.).
Terrain: Plains and scrubland, rainforest, savanna.
Climate: Tropical.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Ghanaian(s).
Population (2010 est.): 24 million.
Density: 88/sq. km. (247/sq. mi.).
Population growth rate (2010 est.): 1.9%.
Ethnic groups: Akan 45.3%, Mole Dagbon 15.2%, Ewe 11.7%, Ga-Dangme 7.3%, other groups 20.4%.
Religions: Christian 68.8%, Muslim 15.9%, traditional 8.5%, other 0.7%, none 6.1%.
Languages: English (official), Akan (which includes Asante Twi, Akwapim Twi, Akyem, and Fanti) 49%, Mole-Dagbani 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga-Adangbe 8%, Guan 4%, others 10%.
Education: Years compulsory--9. Literacy--57.9%.
Health: Infant mortality rate (2010 est.)--51.2/1,000. Life expectancy--61.3 yrs. for women, 58.9 yrs. for men
Work force (11.1 million): Agriculture and fishing--47.9%; industry and transport--16.2%; sales and clerical--19.3%; services--5.9%; professional--8.9%; other--1.8%.
Government
Type: Democracy.
Independence: March 6, 1957.
Constitution: Entered into force January 7, 1993.
Branches: Executive--president popularly elected for a maximum of two 4-year terms; Council of State, a presidential appointed consultative body of 25 members required by the constitution. Legislative--unicameral Parliament popularly elected for 4-year terms. Judicial--independent Supreme Court justices nominated by president with approval of Parliament.
Subdivisions: Ten regions.
Political parties: New Patriotic Party, National Democratic Congress, Convention People's Party, People's National Convention, others.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
Economy
GDP (2009): $15.51 billion.
Real GDP growth rate (2009): 3.5%.
Per capita GDP (2009): $671.
Inflation rate (consumer prices, Government of Ghana data as of September 2009): 9.44%.
Natural resources: Gold, oil, timber, diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish.
Agriculture: Products--cocoa, wood manufactures, pineapples, cashews, spices, other food crops, rubber. Land--70% arable and forested.
Business and industry: Types--mining, lumber, light manufacturing, fishing, aluminum, tourism.
Trade (2009): Exports--$5.72 billion: gold, cocoa, timber, industrial diamonds, manganese ore, tuna. Imports--$8.44 billion: petroleum, food, industrial raw materials, machinery, equipment. Major trade partners--Nigeria, China, U.S., U.K., Netherlands, Cote d’Ivoire, France, India.
Fiscal year: Calendar year.
|
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. Kufuor is constitutionally barred from running for a
third term in upcoming Presidential elections, which are scheduled for
December 2008. |
SOURCES
All
CIA World
Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
Ghana,
Republic of Ghana
Identification
15 character
Ghana |
30 character
Ghana |
|
Country
name |
Ghana |
|
Country name > Conventional long form |
Republic of Ghana |
|
Country name > Conventional short form |
Ghana |
|
Country
name > Former |
Gold Coast |
|
ISO code
|
288 |
|
ISO long
|
GHA |
|
ISO short
|
GH |
|
Native
names |
Ghana |
|
Oceanographic code |
GH |
Translation >
Catalan
Ghana |
Translation >
French
Ghana |
Translation >
German
Ghana |
Translation >
Italian
Ghana |
|
Translation
> Portugese |
Gana |
Translation >
Spanish
Ghana |
|
UN code
|
288 |
SOURCES
CIA World Factbook,
28 July 2005; All
CIA World
Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008;
Microsoft.com; Wkipedia; IOC country
codes
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
Ghana,
Republic of Ghana
