Population:
16,185,351 (July 1992), growth rate 3.1% (1992)
Birth rate:
45 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
13 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
- 1 migrant/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
86 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
53 years male, 57 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
6.3 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Ghanaian(s); adjective - Ghanaian
Ethnic divisions:
black African 99.8% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga
8%), European and other 0.2%
Religions:
indigenous beliefs 38%, Muslim 30%, Christian 24%, other 8%
Languages:
English (official); African languages include Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and
Ga
Literacy:
60% (male 70%, female 51%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
3,700,000; agriculture and fishing 54.7%, industry 18.7%, sales and clerical
15.2%, services, transportation, and communications 7.7%, professional 3.7%;
48% of population of working age (1983)
Organized labor:
467,000 (about 13% of labor force)
:Ghana Government
Long-form name:
Republic of Ghana
Type:
military
Capital:
Accra
Administrative divisions:
10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern,
Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western
Independence:
6 March 1957 (from UK, formerly Gold Coast)
Constitution:
24 September 1979; suspended 31 December 1981
Legal system:
based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 March (1957)
Executive branch:
chairman of the Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC), PNDC, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly dissolved after 31 December 1981 coup, and
legislative powers were assumed by the Provisional National Defense Council
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
Chairman of the Provisional National Defense Council Flt. Lt. (Ret.) Jerry
John RAWLINGS (since 31 December 1981)
Political parties and leaders:
none; political parties outlawed after 31 December 1981 coup
Suffrage:
none
Elections:
no national elections; district assembly elections held in 1988-89
Member of:
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO,
ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIIMOG, UPU, WCL,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Dr. Joseph ABBEY; Chancery at 3512 International Drive NW,
Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 686-4520; there is a Ghanaian
Consulate General in New York
US:
Ambassador Raymond C. EWING; Embassy at Ring Road East, East of Danquah
Circle, Accra (mailing address is P. O. Box 194, Accra); telephone [233]
(21) 775348, 775349
Flag:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large
black five-pointed star centered in the gold 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
:Ghana Economy
Overview:
Supported by substantial international assistance, Ghana has been
implementing a steady economic rebuilding program since 1983, including
moves toward privatization and relaxation of government controls. Heavily
dependent on cocoa, gold, and timber exports, economic growth so far has not
spread substantially to other areas of the economy. The costs of sending
peacekeeping forces to Liberia and preparing for the transition to a
democratic government have been boosting government expenditures and
undercutting structural adjustment reforms. Ghana opened a stock exchange in
1990. Much of the economic improvement in 1991 was caused by favorable
weather (following a severe drought the previous year) that led to plentiful
harvests in Ghana's agriculturally based economy.
GDP:
$6.2 billion; per capita $400; real growth rate 5% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
10% (1991)
Budget:
revenues $821 million; expenditures $782 million, including capital
expenditures of $151 million (1990 est.)
Exports:
$843 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
cocoa 45%, gold, timber, tuna, bauxite, and aluminum
partners:
US 23%, UK, other EC
Imports:
$1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.)
commodities:
petroleum 16%, consumer goods, foods, intermediate goods, capital equipment
partners:
US 10%, UK, FRG, France, Japan, South Korea, GDR
External debt:
$3.1 billion (1990 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 7.4% in manufacturing (1989); accounts for almost 1.5% of GDP
Electricity:
1,180,000 kW capacity; 4,140 million kWh produced, 265 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, fishing, aluminum, food processing
Agriculture:
accounts for more than 50% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); the
major cash crop is cocoa; other principal crops - rice, coffee, cassava,
peanuts, corn, shea nuts, timber; normally self-sufficient in food
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $455 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2.6 billion; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $78 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $106
million
Currency:
cedi (plural - cedis); 1 cedi (C) = 100 pesewas
Fiscal year:
calendar year
:Ghana Communications
Railroads:
953 km, all 1.067-meter gauge; 32 km double track; railroads undergoing
major renovation
Highways:
32,250 km total; 6,084 km concrete or bituminous surface, 26,166 km gravel,
laterite, and improved earth surfaces
Inland waterways:
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
Pipelines:
none
Ports:
Tema, Takoradi
Merchant marine:
5 cargo and 1 refrigerated cargo (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 53,435
GRT/69,167 DWT
Civil air:
8 major transport aircraft
Airports:
10 total, 9 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over
3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 7 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
poor to fair system handled primarily by microwave links; 42,300 telephones;
broadcast stations - 4 AM, 1 FM, 4 (8 translators) TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean
INTELSAT earth station
:Ghana Defense Forces
Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, National Civil Defense
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 3,661,558; 2,049,842 fit for military service; 170,742 reach
military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $30 million, less than 1% of GNP (1989 est.)
:Gibraltar Geography