Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor-general Prime minister: Baldwin Spencer
Population
24,652,402
89,018
Life Expectancy
61.450 years
75.690 years
Capital City
Accra
Saint John's
Largest city
Accra (population: 1,963,260)
Saint John's (population: 24,226)
Human Development Index
0.533
0.83
GDP per capita
$3,100 US
$18,200 US
Literacy Rate
57.9%
85.8%
Corruption Perception Index
3.9
NA
Percentage of Women in Parliament
10.9%
16.7%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
11.000%
11.000%
Death Penalty
Abolished in practice
Legal
Political System
constitutional democracy
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government
Independence date
6 March 1957 (from UK)
1 November 1981 (from UK)
Religions
Christian 68.8% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 24.1%, Protestant 18.6%, Catholic 15.1%, other 11%), Muslim 15.9%, traditional 8.5%, other 0.7%, none 6.1% (2000 census)
Anglican 25.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.3%, Pentecostal 10.6%, Moravian 10.5%, Roman Catholic 10.4%, Methodist 7.9%, Baptist 4.9%, Church of God 4.5%, other Christian 5.4%, other 2%, none or unspecified 5.8% (2001 census)
Languages
Asante 14.8%, Ewe 12.7%, Fante 9.9%, Boron (Brong) 4.6%, Dagomba 4.3%, Dangme 4.3%, Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.7%, Akyem 3.4%, Ga 3.4%, Akuapem 2.9%, other 36.1% (includes English (official)) (2000 census)
petroleum products, bedding, handicrafts, electronic components, transport equipment, food and live animals
External Debt
$7,511,000,000 $
$359,800,000 US
Exchange Rate
cedis (GHC) per US dollar - 1.1 (2008 est.), 0.95 (2007), 9,174.8 (2006), 9,072.5 (2005), 9,004.6 (2004) note: in 2007 Ghana revalued its currency with 10,000 old cedis equal to 1 new cedis
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003) note: fixed rate since 1976
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.700%
0.500%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
Area
238,533 km sq
443 km sq
Coastline
539 km
153 km
Climate
tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation
