Ghana
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See regional map VII
Geography
Total area: 238,540 km²; land area: 230,020 km²
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries: 2,093 km total; Burkina 548 km, Ivory Coast 668 km, Togo 877 km
Coastline: 539 km
Maritime claims
- Contiguous zone: 24 nm
- Continental shelf: 200 nm
- Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
- Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north
Terrain: mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area
Natural resources: gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber
Land use: 5% arable land; 7% permanent crops; 15% meadows and pastures; 37% forest and woodland; 36% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: recent drought in north severely affecting marginal agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; dry, northeasterly harmattan wind (January to March)
Note: Lake Volta is world's largest artificial lake
People
Population: 15,165,243 (July 1990),
growth rate 3.2% (1990)
Birth rate: 46 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 13 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: -1 migrant/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 89 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 52 years male, 56 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 6.4 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Ghanaian(s); adjective—Ghanaian
Ethnic divisions: 99.8% black African (major tribes—44% Akan, 16% Moshi-Dagomba, 13% Ewe, 8% Ga), 0.2% European and other
Religion: 38% indigenous beliefs, 30% Muslim, 24% Christian, 8% other
Language: English (official); African languages include Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga
Literacy: 53.2%
Labor force: 3,700,000; 54.7% agriculture and fishing, 18.7% industry, 15.2% sales and clerical, 7.7% services, transportation, and communications, 3.7% professional; 48% of population of working age (1983)
Organized labor: 467,000 (about 13% of labor force)
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: none
Communists: a small number of Communists and sympathizers
Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, Commonwealth, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IRC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Eric K. OTOO; Chancery at 2460 16th Street NW, Washington DC 20009; telephone (202) 462-0761; 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 775347 through 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
Economy
Overview: Supported by substantial
international assistance, Ghana has been
implementing a steady economic rebuilding
program since 1983. Good harvests in
1988 featured the 6% growth in GNP.
Moves toward privatization and relaxation
of government controls continued in 1988-89,
although at a slower-than-expected
pace. In 1988 service on the $2.8 billion
debt was equivalent to 75% of export
earnings. As Ghana obtains concessional
loans and pays off high-interest debt,
however, debt service is expected to fall below
30% of export earnings in the early 1990s.
The economic rebuilding program has
both helped and harmed the manufacturing
sector, for example, by improving the
supply of raw materials and by increasing
competition from imports. The long-term
outlook is favorable provided that the
political structure can endure the slow pace
at which living standards are improving
and can manage the problems stemming
from excessive population growth.
GNP: $5.2 billion, per capita $400; real growth rate 6% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 32.7% (1988)
Unemployment rate: 26% (April 1987)
Budget: revenues $769 million; expenditures $749 million, including capital expenditures of $179 million (1988 est.)
Exports: $977 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities—cocoa 60%, timber, gold, tuna, bauxite, and aluminum; partners—US 23%, UK, other EC
Imports: $988 million (c.i.f., 1987); commodities—petroleum 16%, consumer goods, foods, intermediate goods, capital equipment; partners—US 10%, UK, FRG, France, Japan, South Korea, GDR
External debt: $3.0 billion (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 0.5% in manufacturing (1987)
Electricity: 1,172,000 kW capacity; 4,110 million kWh produced, 280 kWh per capita (1989)
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