Ghana (2003) | Cayman Islands (2006) | |
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Administrative divisions | 10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western | 8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 38.9% (male 4,021,570; female 3,938,454)
15-64 years: 57.5% (male 5,859,940; female 5,909,910) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 350,045; female 387,828) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years: 20.7% (male 4,708/female 4,700)
15-64 years: 70.9% (male 15,707/female 16,504) 65 years and over: 8.4% (male 1,793/female 2,024) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber | vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming |
Airports | 12 (2002) | 3 (2006) |
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 (2002) |
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) |
Area | total: 239,460 sq km
land: 230,940 sq km water: 8,520 sq km |
total: 262 sq km
land: 262 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Oregon | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
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, who defeated former Vice President Atta MILLS in a free and fair election. | The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries, and were administered by Jamaica after 1863. In 1959, the islands became a territory within the Federation of the West Indies, but when the Federation dissolved in 1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency. |
Birth rate | 25.84 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 12.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $1.603 billion
expenditures: $1.975 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
revenues: $423.8 million
expenditures: $392.6 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
Capital | Accra | name: George Town (on Grand Cayman)
geographic coordinates: 19 20 N, 81 23 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north | tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April) |
Coastline | 539 km | 160 km |
Constitution | approved 28 April 1992 | 1959; revised 1962, 1972, and 1994 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Ghana
conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands |
Currency | cedi (GHC) | - |
Death rate | 10.53 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 4.89 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | $7.2 billion (2002 est.) | $70 million (1996) |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
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 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | Ghana has received many refugees and returning nationals escaping rebel fighting in Cote d'Ivoire | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $6.9 billion (1999) | $390,000 $NA |
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 36% 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. | With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 40,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 1998, including almost 600 banks and trust companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 1.2 million in 1997, with 600,000 from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world. |
Electricity - consumption | 8.835 billion kWh (2001) | 411 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | 300 million kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | 950 million kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | 8.801 billion kWh (2001) | 441.9 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 5%
hydro: 95% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff (Cayman Brac) 43 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 | no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments |
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 98.5% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5% (1998) | mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20% |
Exchange rates | cedis per US dollar - NA (2002), 7,170.76 (2001), 5,455.06 (2000), 2,669.3 (1999), 2,314.15 (1998) | Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October 2001), 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993) |
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 election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 56.4%, John Atta MILLS 43.6% |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Governor Stuart JACK (since 23 November 2005)
head of government: Leader of Government Business Kurt TIBBETTS (since 18 May 2005) cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor, four members elected by the Legislative Assembly) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or coalition is appointed by the governor Leader of Government Business |
Exports | NA (2001) | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds | turtle products, manufactured consumer goods |
Exports - partners | Netherlands 14.8%, UK 9.9%, US 7%, Germany 6.6%, France 5.8%, Nigeria 4.8%, Belgium 4.4%, Italy 4.2% (2002) | mostly US (2004) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
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 | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $41.25 billion (2002 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 36%
industry: 25% services: 39% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 3.2% services: 95.4% (1994 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2002 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.5% (2002 est.) | 0.9% (2004 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 8 00 N, 2 00 W | 19 30 N, 80 30 W |
Geography - note | Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake | important location between Cuba and Central America |
Highways | total: 39,409 km
paved: 11,665 km unpaved: 27,744 km (1999 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.2%
highest 10%: 30.1% (1999) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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 | offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and Europe |
Imports | NA (2001) | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs | foodstuffs, manufactured goods |
Imports - partners | Nigeria 21.3%, UK 7.2%, US 6.6%, China 6.2%, Italy 6.1%, Cote d'Ivoire 6.1%, Germany 4.7%, Netherlands 4% (2002) | US, Netherlands Antilles, Japan (2004) |
Independence | 6 March 1957 (from UK) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 3.8% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Industries | mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing | tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture |
Infant mortality rate | total: 53.02 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 55.97 deaths/1,000 live births female: 49.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
total: 8 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.16 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 14.5% (2002 est.) | 4.4% (2004) |
International organization participation | ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, 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, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 12 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 110 sq km (1998 est.) | NA |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court | Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 9 million (2000 est.) | 23,450 (2004) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.) | agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 12.6% services: 86% (1995) |
Land boundaries | total: 2,094 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 15.82%
permanent crops: 7.47% other: 76.71% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 3.85%
permanent crops: 0% other: 96.15% (2005) |
Languages | English (official), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga) | English |
Legal system | based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | British common law and local statutes |
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 |
unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, 3 appointed members from the Executive Council and 15 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 11 May 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPM 9, UDP 5, independent 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 56.53 years
male: 55.66 years female: 57.43 years (2003 est.) |
total population: 80.07 years
male: 77.45 years female: 82.74 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.8% male: 82.7% female: 67.1% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
Location | Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo | Caribbean, three island (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman) group in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica |
Map references | Africa | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,559 GRT/27,531 DWT
ships by type: petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 6 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Brazil 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 1 (2002 est.) |
total: 132 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,746,290 GRT/4,366,790 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 32, cargo 14, chemical tanker 42, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 23, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: 130 (Denmark 5, Germany 13, Greece 21, Italy 12, Japan 1, Malaysia 1, Netherlands 4, Norway 2, Philippines 1, Singapore 10, Sweden 9, UK 10, US 41) (2006) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force | no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $36.01 million (FY02) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.6% (FY02) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 5,240,557 (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 2,911,474 (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 239,742 (2003 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 6 March (1957) | Constitution Day, first Monday in July |
Nationality | noun: Ghanaian(s)
adjective: Ghanaian |
noun: Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian |
Natural hazards | dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts | hurricanes (July to November) |
Natural resources | gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower | fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism |
Net migration rate | -0.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 17.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2006 est.) |
People - note | there are 9,500 Liberians, 2,000 Sierra Leoneans, and 1,000 Togolese refugees residing in Ghana (2002) | - |
Pipelines | refined products 74 km (2003) | - |
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] | no national teams (loose groupings of political organizations) were formed for the 2000 elections; United Democratic Party or UDP [leader McKeeva BUSH]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [leader Kurt TIBBETTS] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 20,467,747
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 2003 est.) |
45,436
note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 31.4% (1992 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.45% (2003 est.) | 2.56% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Takoradi, Tema | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001) | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Railways | total: 953 km
narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2002) |
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Religions | indigenous beliefs 21%, Muslim 16%, Christian 63% | United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic |
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: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 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 |
general assessment: reasonably good system
domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003 reflected in falling prices and improving services international: country code - 1-345; 2 submarine fiber optic cables (Maya-1, Cayman-Jamaica); satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 240,000 (2001) | 38,000 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 150,000 (2001) | 17,000 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 10 (2001) | 4 with cable system (2004) |
Terrain | mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area | low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs |
Total fertility rate | 3.32 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 1.9 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 20% (1997 est.) | 4.4% (2004) |
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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