Compare Ghana (2005) - Costa Rica (2002)

Compare Ghana (2005) z Costa Rica (2002)

	Ghana (2005)	Costa Rica (2002)

Administrative divisions	10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western	7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
Age structure	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.)	0-14 years: 30.8% (male 603,270; female 575,766) 15-64 years: 63.9% (male 1,239,618; female 1,211,641) 65 years and over: 5.3% (male 95,182; female 109,457) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products	cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber	coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber
Airports	12 (2004 est.)	152 (2001)
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.)	total: 30 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 8 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)	total: 121 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 93 (2002)
Area	total: 239,460 sq km land: 230,940 sq km water: 8,520 sq km	total: 51,100 sq km land: 50,660 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Oregon	slightly smaller than West Virginia
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 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.	Costa Rica is a Central American success story: since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred its democratic development. Although still a largely agricultural country, it has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.
Birth rate	23.97 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)	19.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget	revenues: $2.17 billion expenditures: $2.56 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)	revenues: $1.91 billion expenditures: $2.35 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) (2000 est.)
Capital	Accra	San Jose
Climate	tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north	tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Coastline	539 km	1,290 km
Constitution	approved 28 April 1992	7 November 1949
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast	conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica conventional short form: Costa Rica local long form: Republica de Costa Rica local short form: Costa Rica
Currency	-	Costa Rican colon (CRC)
Death rate	10.84 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)	4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external	$7.396 billion (2004 est.)	$4.6 billion (2001 est.)
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	chief of mission: Ambassador John J. DANILOVICH embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose mailing address: APO AA 34020 telephone: [506] 220-3939 FAX: [506] 220-2305
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	chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime DAREMBLUM Rosenstein chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945 FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, St. Paul, and Tampa consulate(s): Austin
Disputes - international	Ghana struggles to accommodate returning nationals who worked in the cocoa plantations and escaped rebel fighting in Cote d'Ivoire	legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on border with Nicaragua
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 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.	Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism continues to bring in foreign exchange. However, traditional export sectors have not kept pace. Low coffee prices and an overabundance of bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt and with the need to modernize the state-owned electricity and telecommunications sector.
Electricity - consumption	6.137 billion kWh (2002)	5.895 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports	500 million kWh (2002)	532 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports	200 million kWh (2002)	22 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production	6.922 billion kWh (2002)	6.887 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source	-	fossil fuel: 1% hydro: 83% nuclear: 0% other: 16% (2000)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 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	deforestation and land use change, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air pollution
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	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation
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)	white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%
Exchange rates	cedis per US dollar - 9,004.6 (2004), 8,677.4 (2003), 7,932.7 (2002), 7,170.8 (2001), 5,455.1 (2000)	Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 343.08 (January 2002), 328.87 (2001), 308.19 (2000), 285.68 (1999), 257.23 (1998), 232.60 (1997)
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%	chief of state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second Vice President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since NA May 2002); Second Vice President Luis FISHMAN (since NA May 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 February 2002; run-off election held 7 April 2002 (next to be held NA February 2006) election results: Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote - Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42%
Exports	NA	$5 billion (2001)
Exports - commodities	gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds	coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic components, medical equipment
Exports - partners	Mexico 69.8%, Netherlands 3.7%, UK 3% (2004)	US 51.8%, EU 20%, Central America 10.6%, Puerto Rico 2.8%, Mexico 1.7% (2000)
Fiscal year	calendar 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	five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white disk on the hoist side of the red band
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $31.9 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 34.3% industry: 24.2% services: 41.4% (2004 est.)	agriculture: 11% industry: 37% services: 52% (2000) (2000)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2004 est.)	purchasing power parity - $8,500 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	5.4% (2004 est.)	0.3% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates	8 00 N, 2 00 W	10 00 N, 84 00 W
Geography - note	Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake	four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65
Highways	total: 46,176 km paved: 8,496 km unpaved: 37,679 km (1999 est.)	total: 37,273 km paved: 7,827 km unpaved: 29,446 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.1% (1999)	lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 35% (2001) (2001)
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 money laundering problem, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center	transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots; domestic cocaine consumption is rising, particularly crack cocaine
Imports	NA	$6.5 billion (2001)
Imports - commodities	capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs	raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum
Imports - partners	Nigeria 12.6%, China 11.4%, UK 6.6%, US 6.4%, France 4.9%, Netherlands 4.2% (2004)	US 53.2%, EU 10.3%, Mexico 6.2%, Venezuela 5.3%, Central America 4.9% (2000)
Independence	6 March 1957 (from UK)	15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate	3.8% (2000 est.)	-2.1% (2001 est.)
Industries	mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing, cement, small commercial ship building	microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Infant mortality rate	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.)	10.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	13% (2004 est.)	12.1% (2001 est.)
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	BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)
Irrigated land	110 sq km (1998 est.)	1,260 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court	Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)
Labor force	10.24 million (2004 est.)	1.9 million (1999) (1999)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.)	agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 2,094 km border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km	total: 639 km border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Land use	arable land: 16.26% permanent crops: 9.67% other: 74.07% (2001)	arable land: 4.41% permanent crops: 5.48% other: 90.11% (1998 est.)
Languages	English (official), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)	Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon
Legal system	based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has 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	unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 3 February 2002 (next to be held 3 February 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PUSC 19, PLN 17, PAC 14, PML 6, PRC 1
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 58.47 years male: 57.7 years female: 59.26 years (2005 est.)	total population: 76.22 years male: 73.68 years female: 78.89 years (2002 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 can read and write total population: 95.5% male: 95.5% female: 95.5% (1999 est.)
Location	Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo	Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Map references	Africa	Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm	exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine	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)	total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,716 GRT/NA DWT ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches	Army, Navy, Air Force	no regular indigenous military forces; Air Section, Ministry of Public Forces (Fuerza Publica)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$49.2 million (2004)	$69 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	0.6% (2004)	1.6% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 1,058,283 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 707,927 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age	-	18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 39,411 (2002 est.)
National holiday	Independence Day, 6 March (1957)	Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Nationality	noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian	noun: Costa Rican(s) adjective: Costa Rican
Natural hazards	dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts	occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes
Natural resources	gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone	hydropower
Net migration rate	-0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)	0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines	refined products 74 km (2004)	petroleum products 176 km
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]	Agricultural Labor Action or PALA [Carlos Alberto SOLIS Blanco]; Citizen Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Jose M. NUNEZ]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Alejandro MADRIGAL]; National Independent Party or PNI [Jorge GONZALEZ Marten]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Sonia PICADO]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Luis Manuel CHACON] note: mainly a two-party system - PUSC and PLN - until the 3 February 2002 election in which the PAC captured a significant percentage, forcing a run-off in April 2002
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party affiliate); Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association of Educators or ANDE; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert Brown]
Population	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.)	3,834,934 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line	31.4% (1992 est.)	21% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate	1.25% (2005 est.)	1.61% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors	Takoradi, Tema	Caldera, Golfito, Moin, Puerto Limon, Puerto Quepos, Puntarenas
Radio broadcast stations	AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001)	AM 50, FM 43, shortwave 19 (1998)
Radios	-	980,000 (1997)
Railways	total: 953 km narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)	total: 950 km narrow gauge: 950 km 1.067-m gauge (260 km electrified) (2000 est.)
Religions	Christian 63%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 21%	Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, other Protestant 0.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%
Sex ratio	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.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal and compulsory
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	general assessment: very good domestic telephone service domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave, fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is available international: connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)
Telephones - main lines in use	302,300 (2003)	450,000 (1998) note: 584,000 installed in 1997, but only about 450,000 were in use in 1998
Telephones - mobile cellular	799,900 (2003)	143,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations	10 (2001)	6 (plus 11 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain	mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area	coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes
Total fertility rate	3.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)	2.42 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate	20% (1997 est.)	5.2% (2000 est.)
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)	730 km (seasonally navigable)

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