republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
constitutional republic
Independence date
14 May 1811 (from Spain)
Religions
Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51%
Roman Catholic 89.6%, Protestant 6.2%, other Christian 1.1%, other or unspecified 1.9%, none 1.1% (2002 census)
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)