Legislative branch: unicameral
Parliament: elections last held 29 December 1992 (next to be held NA
December 1996); results - opposition boycotted the election, the
National Democratic Congress won 198 of the total 200 seats and 2
seats were won by independents; because of interim bye-elections,
the National Democratic Congress and its remaining coalition
partner, Every Ghanian Living Everywhere (EGLE), now control 189
seats; former coalition partner, NCP, has 8 seats; independents hold
3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Congress (NDC),
Jerry John RAWLINGS; New Patriotic Party (NPP), Peter Ala ADJETY;
People's Heritage Party (PHP), Alex ERSKINE; National Convention
Party (NCP), Kow ARKAAH; Every Ghanian Living Everywhere (EGLE),
Ashang OKINE; Peoples Convention Party (PCP), B.K. NKETSIA; Peoples
National Convention (PNC), Alhaji Asuma BANDA
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),
ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, UN, UNAMIR, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ekwow SPIO-GARBRAH
chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520
FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527
consulate(s) general: New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Edward BRYNN
embassy: Ring Road East, East of Danquah Circle, Accra
mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra
telephone: [233] (21) 775348
FAX: [233] (21) 775747
Flag: 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
Economy ———-
Economic overview: Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Heavily reliant on international assistance, Ghana has made steady progress in liberalizing its economy since 1983. Overall growth continued at a rate of approximately 5% in 1995, due largely to increased gold, timber, and cocoa production - major sources of foreign exchange. The economy, however, continues to revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for almost half of GDP and employs 55% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Public sector wage increases, regional peacekeeping commitments, and the containment of internal unrest in the underdeveloped north have placed substantial demands on the government's budget and have led to inflationary deficit financing, depreciation of the cedi, and rising public discontent with Ghana's austerity program.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $25.1 billion (1995 est.)