republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
republic
Independence date
9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from the Ottoman Empire; independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin); 26 March 1881 (kingdom proclaimed); 30 December 1947 (republic proclaimed)
Religions
Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51%
Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 86.8%, Protestant (various denominations including Reformate and Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) and unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1% (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)
Romanian 91% (official), Hungarian 6.7%, Romany (Gypsy) 1.1%, other 1.2%
Exports
machinery and equipment, textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products
External Debt
$125,900,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
lei (RON) per US dollar - 2.5 (2008 est.), 2.43 (2007), 2.809 (2006), 3 (2005), 3 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.900%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
8
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine
Area
56,785 km sq
238,391 km sq
Coastline
56 km
225 km
Climate
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms
