Ghana (2001) | Indian Ocean (2008) | |
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Administrative divisions | 10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western | - |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
41.18% (male 4,123,317; female 4,068,786) 15-64 years: 55.35% (male 5,455,577; female 5,555,278) 65 years and over: 3.47% (male 328,809; female 362,247) (2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products | cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber | - |
Airports | 12 (2000 est.) | - |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
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Area | total:
238,540 sq km land: 230,020 sq km water: 8,520 sq km |
total: 68.556 million sq km
note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea, Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea, Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Oregon | about 5.5 times the size of the US |
Background | Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first 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. | The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean south of 60 degrees south latitude. |
Birth rate | 28.95 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues:
$1.39 billion expenditures: $1.47 billion, including capital expenditures of $370 million (1996 est.) |
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Capital | Accra | - |
Climate | tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north | northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February in the southern Indian Ocean |
Coastline | 539 km | 66,526 km |
Constitution | new constitution approved 28 April 1992 | - |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast |
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Currency | cedi (GHC) | - |
Death rate | 10.26 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $7 billion (1999 est.) | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Kathryn D. ROBINSON embassy: Ring Road East, East of Danquah Circle, Accra mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra telephone: [233] (21) 775348 FAX: [233] (21) 776008 |
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Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Kobena KOOMSON 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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Disputes - international | none | some maritime disputes (see littoral states) |
Economic aid - recipient | $477.3 million (1995) | - |
Economy - overview | Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has 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 36% of GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. In 1995-97, Ghana made mixed progress under a three-year structural adjustment program in cooperation with the IMF. On the minus side, public sector wage increases and regional peacekeeping commitments have led to continued inflationary deficit financing, depreciation of the cedi, and rising public discontent with Ghana's austerity measures. Political uncertainty and a depressed cocoa market led to disappointing growth in 2000. A rebound in the cocoa market should push growth over 4% in 2001-02. | The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. |
Electricity - consumption | 5.573 billion kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - exports | 400 million kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - imports | 890 million kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - production | 5.466 billion kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
26.82% hydro: 73.18% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m |
lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m
highest point: sea level 0 m |
Environment - current issues | recent drought in north severely affecting agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water | endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
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Ethnic groups | black African 99.8% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%), European and other 0.2% | - |
Exchange rates | cedis per US dollar - 6,895.77 (January 2001), 5,321.68 (2000), 2,647.32 (1999), 2,314.15 (1998), 2,050.17 (1997), 1,637.23 (1996) | - |
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 and 28 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2004) election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR elected president in runoff; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 56.4%, John Atta MILLS 43.6% |
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Exports | $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000) | - |
Exports - commodities | gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds | - |
Exports - partners | Togo, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, US, France (1998) | - |
Fiscal year | calendar year | - |
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 | - |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $37.4 billion (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
36% industry: 25% services: 39% (2000 est.) |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 3% (2000 est.) | - |
Geographic coordinates | 8 00 N, 2 00 W | 20 00 S, 80 00 E |
Geography - note | Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake; northeasterly harmattan wind (January to March) | major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait |
Highways | total:
39,409 km paved: 11,653 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 27,756 km (1997) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
3.6% highest 10%: 26.1% (1997) |
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Illicit drugs | illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US | - |
Imports | $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000) | - |
Imports - commodities | capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs | - |
Imports - partners | UK, Nigeria, US, Germany, Italy, Spain (1998) | - |
Independence | 6 March 1957 (from UK) | - |
Industrial production growth rate | 4.2% (1996 est.) | - |
Industries | mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing | - |
Infant mortality rate | 56.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | - |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 22.8% (2000 est.) | - |
International organization participation | ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | - |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 60 sq km (1993 est.) | - |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court | - |
Labor force | 9 million (2000 est.) | - |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | total:
2,093 km border countries: Burkina Faso 548 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km |
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Land use | arable land:
12% permanent crops: 7% permanent pastures: 22% forests and woodland: 35% other: 24% (1993 est.) |
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Languages | English (official), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga) | - |
Legal system | based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | - |
Legislative branch | unicameral Parliament (200 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 100, NDC 92, PNC 3, CPP 1, independents 4 |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population:
57.24 years male: 55.86 years female: 58.66 years (2001 est.) |
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Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 64.5% male: 75.9% female: 53.5% (1995 est.) |
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Location | Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo | body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, and Australia |
Map references | Africa | Political Map of the World |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Merchant marine | total:
6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 13,484 GRT/18,583 DWT ships by type: petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 4 (2000 est.) |
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Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, Palace Guard, Civil Defense | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $53 million (FY99) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.7% (FY99) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
4,890,483 (2001 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
2,713,584 (2001 est.) |
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Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
213,237 (2001 est.) |
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National holiday | Independence Day, 6 March (1957) | - |
Nationality | noun:
Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian |
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Natural hazards | dry, dusty, harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts | occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches |
Natural resources | gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower | oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules |
Net migration rate | -0.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
Pipelines | 0 km | - |
Political parties and leaders | Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA, chairman]; 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] | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | - |
Population | 19,894,014
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 2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line | 31.4% (1992 est.) | - |
Population growth rate | 1.79% (2001 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | Takoradi, Tema | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 18, shortwave 3 (1999) | - |
Radios | 4.4 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total:
953 km (undergoing major rehabilitation) narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (32 km double track) (1997 est.) |
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Religions | indigenous beliefs 38%, Muslim 30%, Christian 24%, other 8% | - |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
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Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
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: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors |
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Telephones - main lines in use | 200,000 (1998) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 30,000 (yearend 1998) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 11 (1999) | - |
Terrain | mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area | surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge |
Total fertility rate | 3.82 children born/woman (2001 est.) | - |
Unemployment rate | 20% (1997 est.) | - |
Waterways | 1,293 km
note: Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers provide 168 km of perennial navigation for launches and lighters; Lake Volta provides 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways |
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