Montserrat (2007) | Ghana (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter | 10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 23.5% (male 1,144/female 1,094)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,989/female 3,281) 65 years and over: 10.8% (male 527/female 503) (2007 est.) |
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.) |
Agriculture - products | cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products | cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber |
Airports | 2 (2007) | 12 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2007) |
total:
6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
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.) |
Area | total: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
238,540 sq km land: 230,020 sq km water: 8,520 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Oregon |
Background | English and Irish colonists from St. Kitts first settled on Montserrat in 1632; the first African slaves arrived three decades later. The British and French fought for possession of the island for most of the 18th century, but it finally was confirmed as a British possession in 1783. The island's sugar plantation economy was converted to small farm landholdings in the mid 19th century. Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995. Montserrat has endured volcanic activity since, with the last eruption occurring in July 2003. | 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. |
Birth rate | 17.51 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 28.95 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $31.4 million
expenditures: $31.6 million (1997 est.) |
revenues:
$1.39 billion expenditures: $1.47 billion, including capital expenditures of $370 million (1996 est.) |
Capital | name: Plymouth
geographic coordinates: 16 42 N, 62 13 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 because of volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat |
Accra |
Climate | tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation | tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north |
Coastline | 40 km | 539 km |
Constitution | effective 19 December 1989 | new constitution approved 28 April 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Montserrat |
conventional long form:
Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast |
Currency | - | cedi (GHC) |
Death rate | 7.02 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 10.26 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $8.9 million (1997) | $7 billion (1999 est.) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 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 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 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 |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance (2002 est.) | $477.3 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcanic activity and on public sector construction activity. The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 18.6 million kWh (2005) | 5.573 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 400 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 890 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 20 million kWh (2005) | 5.466 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
26.82% hydro: 73.18% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006) |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m |
Environment - current issues | land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation | 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 |
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 |
Ethnic groups | black, white | black African 99.8% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%), European and other 0.2% |
Exchange rates | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002)
note: fixed rate since 1976 |
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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Peter A. WATERWORTH (since 27 July 2007)
head of government: Chief Minister Lowell LEWIS (since 2 June 2006) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister |
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% |
Exports | NA bbl/day | $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
Exports - commodities | electronic components, plastic bags, apparel; hot peppers, limes, live plants; cattle | gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds |
Exports - partners | US, Antigua and Barbuda (2006) | Togo, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, US, France (1998) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross | 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: 1.2%
industry: 23.1% services: 75.7% (1999 est.) |
agriculture:
36% industry: 25% services: 39% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | -1% (2002 est.) | 3% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 16 45 N, 62 12 W | 8 00 N, 2 00 W |
Geography - note | the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages | Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake; northeasterly harmattan wind (January to March) |
Highways | - | total:
39,409 km paved: 11,653 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 27,756 km (1997) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
3.6% highest 10%: 26.1% (1997) |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe | 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 | NA bbl/day | $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials | capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada (2006) | UK, Nigeria, US, Germany, Italy, Spain (1998) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 6 March 1957 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 4.2% (1996 est.) |
Industries | tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances | mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing |
Infant mortality rate | total: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
56.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.6% (2002 est.) | 22.8% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU | 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 | NA | 60 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court) | Supreme Court |
Labor force | 4,521
note: lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.) |
9 million (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total:
2,093 km border countries: Burkina Faso 548 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km |
Land use | arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (2005) |
arable land:
12% permanent crops: 7% permanent pastures: 22% forests and woodland: 35% other: 24% (1993 est.) |
Languages | English | English (official), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga) |
Legal system | English common law and statutory law | based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)
note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members elections: last held 31 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - MCAP 36.1%, NPLM 29.4%, MDP 24.4%, independents 10.1%; seats by party - MCAP 4, NPLM 3, MDP 1, independents 1 note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council |
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 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79 years
male: 76.8 years female: 81.31 years (2007 est.) |
total population:
57.24 years male: 55.86 years female: 58.66 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1970 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 64.5% male: 75.9% female: 53.5% (1995 est.) |
Location | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico | Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Africa |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
contiguous zone:
24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
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.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2005) | 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.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
2,713,584 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males:
213,237 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) | Independence Day, 6 March (1957) |
Nationality | noun: Montserratian(s)
adjective: Montserratian |
noun:
Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian |
Natural hazards | severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995) | dry, dusty, harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts |
Natural resources | NEGL | gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | -0.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | - | 0 km |
Political parties and leaders | Montserrat Democratic Party or MDP [Lowell LEWIS]; Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Roselyn CASSELL-SEALY]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE] | 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 | NA |
Population | 9,538
note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2007 est.) |
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.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 31.4% (1992 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.048% (2007 est.) | 1.79% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Takoradi, Tema |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) | 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.) |
Religions | Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations | indigenous beliefs 38%, Muslim 30%, Christian 24%, other 8% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.046 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.911 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.048 male(s)/female total population: 0.955 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
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.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: modern and fully digitalized
domestic: NA international: country code - 1-664 |
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 |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 200,000 (1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 30,000 (yearend 1998) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 11 (1999) |
Terrain | volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland | mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area |
Total fertility rate | 1.77 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 3.82 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 6% (1998 est.) | 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 |