Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor
Interim President: John Dramani Mahama
Population
109,011
24,652,402
Life Expectancy
73.300 years
61.450 years
Capital City
Accra
Largest city
Saint George's (population: 7,500)
Accra (population: 1,963,260)
Human Development Index
0.774
0.533
GDP per capita
$3,100 US
Literacy Rate
96%
57.9%
Corruption Perception Index
NA
3.9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
21.4%
10.9%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
11.000%
Death Penalty
Abolished in practice
Abolished in practice
Political System
parliamentary democracy
constitutional democracy
Independence date
6 March 1957 (from UK)
Religions
Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%
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)
Languages
English (official), French patois
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)
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
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.700%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo
Area
344 km sq
238,533 km sq
Coastline
121 km
539 km
Climate
tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds
tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north
