republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
mixed parliamentary/presidential
Independence date
11 July 1921 (from China)
Religions
Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51%
Buddhist Lamaist 50%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim 4%, none 40% (2004)
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)