republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
republic
Independence date
24 May 1822 (from Spain)
Religions
Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51%
Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%
Languages
French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)
Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)
Exports
petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp, cacao, coffee, hemp, wood, fish
External Debt
$10,050,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
the US dollar is used; the sucre was eliminated in 2000
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.900%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
1
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana
Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
Area
56,785 km sq
283,561 km sq
Coastline
56 km
2,237 km
Climate
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands
