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, who defeated former Vice
President Atta MILLS in a free and fair election.
Geography Ghana
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire
and Togo
Geographic coordinates:
8 00 N, 2 00 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 239,460 sq km
land: 230,940 sq km
water: 8,520 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries:
total: 2,094 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo
877 km
Coastline:
539 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 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
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m
Natural resources:
gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish,
rubber, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 15.82% permanent crops: 7.47% other: 76.71% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
110 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to
March; droughts
Environment - current issues: recurrent drought in north severely affects 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
Geography - note:
Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake
People Ghana
Population:
20,467,747
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
2003 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 38.9% (male 4,021,570; female 3,938,454)
15–64 years: 57.5% (male 5,859,940; female 5,909,910)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 350,045; female 387,828) (2003 est.)
Median age:
total: 19.8 years
male: 19.5 years
female: 20 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
1.45% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
25.84 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
10.53 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
−0.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 53.02 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 49.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 55.97 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.53 years
male: 55.66 years
female: 57.43 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.32 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
360,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
28,000 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Ghanaian(s)
adjective: Ghanaian
Ethnic groups:
black African 98.5% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%,
Ewe 13%, Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5% (1998)
Religions:
indigenous beliefs 21%, Muslim 16%, Christian 63%
Languages:
English (official), African languages (including Akan,
Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 67.1% (2003 est.)
male: 82.7%
total population: 74.8%
People - note:
there are 9,500 Liberians, 2,000 Sierra Leoneans, and 1,000
Togolese refugees residing in Ghana (2002)
Government