<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: Ghana<nl>Economy</hdr><body>
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<item><hi format=bold>Overview:</hi> Supported by substantial international assistance, Ghana has been implementing a steady economic rebuilding program since 1983, including moves toward privatization and relaxation of government controls. The agriculture sector consists largely of small traditional farm holdings, rain-fed for the most part. Heavily dependent on cocoa, gold, and timber exports, economic growth so far has not spread substantially to other areas of the economy. The costs of sending peacekeeping forces to Liberia and preparing for the transition to a democratic government have boosted government expenditures and undercut structural adjustment reforms. Ghana opened a stock exchange in 1990 and plans to float 5% of its stake in Ashanti Goldfields Corporation, which would make the exchange the largest in sub-Saharan Africa outside of South Africa.
<item><hi format=bold>National product:</hi> GDP—purchasing power equivalent—$25 billion (1993 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>National product real growth rate:</hi> 3.9% (1992 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>National product per capita:</hi> $1,500 (1993 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>Agriculture:</hi> accounts for 43% of GDP (including fishing and forestry); the major cash crop is cocoa; other principal crops—rice, coffee, cassava, peanuts, corn, shea nuts, timber; normally self-sufficient in food
<item><hi format=bold>Illicit drugs:</hi> illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin destined for the US and Europe
<item><hi format=bold>Economic aid:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>recipient:</hi> US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $455 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2.6 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $78 million; Communist countries (1970-89) $106 million
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<item><hi format=bold>Currency:</hi> 1 new cedi (C)=100 pesewas
<item><hi format=bold>Exchange rates:</hi> new cedis per US$1—713.00 (October 1993), 437.09 (1992), 367.83 (1991), 326.33 (1990), 270.00 (1989)
<item><hi format=bold>Fiscal year:</hi> calendar year