republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch
Independence date
6 March 1957 (from UK)
1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
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)
Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%
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)
Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%
cotton, gold, energy products, mineral fertilizers, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, textiles, food products, machinery, automobiles
External Debt
$7,511,000,000 $
$8,570,000,000 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
Uzbekistani soum (UZS) per US dollar - 1,317 (2008 est.), 1,263.8 (2007), 1,219.8 (2006), 1,020 (2005), 971.265 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.700%
3.500%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
6
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo
Central Asia, north of Afghanistan
Area
238,533 km sq
447,400 km sq
Coastline
539 km
0 km
Climate
tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north
mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid grassland in east
