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NAVIGATION
Republic of Ghana
former: Gold Coast
former: Togoland Trust Territory
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Ghana
conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast |
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Government type:
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constitutional democracy |
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Capital:
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Accra |
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Administrative divisions:
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10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western |
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Independence:
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6 March 1957 (from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 6 March (1957) |
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Constitution:
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new constitution approved 28 April 1992 |
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Legal system:
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based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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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 election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 56.4%, John Atta MILLS 43.6% |
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Legislative branch:
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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 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court |
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Political parties and leaders:
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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] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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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, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Alan J. KYEREMATEN
consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527 telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520 chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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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 |
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy - overview:
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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 36% of GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Excessively expansionary monetary and fiscal policy prior to the 2000 elections led to accelerating inflation in early 2001. A depressed cocoa market and continued weak growth in non-traditional exports led to disappointing growth in 2001. The late 2002 crisis in Cote d'Ivoire has boosted cocoa prices markedly. It remains to be seen if this portends a long-term shift in the cocoa market. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $39.4 billion (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3% (2001 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $1,980 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 36%
industry: 25% services: 39% (2000 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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31% (1992 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 30% (1998) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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40 (1998) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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25% (2001 est.) |
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Labor force:
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9 million (2000 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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20% (1997 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $1.603 billion
expenditures: $1.975 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
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Industries:
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mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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3.8% (2000 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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5.92 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 30%
hydro: 70% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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5.484 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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422 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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400 million kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber |
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Exports:
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$1.94 billion f.o.b. (2000) |
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Exports - commodities:
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gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds |
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Exports - partners:
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Togo, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, US, France (1998) |
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Imports:
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$2.83 billion f.o.b. (2000) |
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Imports - commodities:
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capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs |
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Imports - partners:
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UK, Nigeria, US, Germany, Italy, Spain (1998) |
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Debt - external:
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$5.96 billion (2001 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$6.9 billion (1999) (1999) |
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Currency:
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cedi (GHC) |
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Currency code:
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GHC |
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Exchange rates:
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cedis per US dollar - 7,195 (January 2002), 7,170.76 (2001), 5,455.06 (2000), 2,669.30 (1999), 2,314.15 (1998), 2,050.17 (1997) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |