Axion 3D Atlas/ATLAS.iso/stats/89.txt

Text File | 1998-01-23 | 11KB | 316 lines

{bitmap= 26,50,"flags\Ghana.bmp"}
{bigtext=150,120,"Ghana"}



{1}Geography{4}
{4}To see a map of Ghana, click {z,"-5.736311,4.484259,3.231432,11.419653",here}{4}!

{2}Location:{4} Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo

{2}Area:{4}
{3}total area:{4} 238,540 sq km
{3}land area:{4} 230,020 sq km
{3}comparative area:{4} slightly smaller than Oregon

{2}Land boundaries:{4}
{3}total:{4} 2,093 km
{3}border countries:{4} Burkina Faso 548 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km

{2}Coastline:{4} 539 km

{2}Maritime claims:{4}
contiguous zone: 24 nm
{3}continental shelf:{4} 200 nm
{3}exclusive economic zone:{4} 200 nm
{3}territorial sea:{4} 12 nm

{2}International disputes:{4} none

{2}Climate:{4} tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest;
hot and dry in north

{2}Terrain:{4} mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area
{3}lowest point:{4} Atlantic Ocean 0 m
{3}highest point:{4} Mount Afadjato 880 m

{2}Natural resources:{4} gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber

{2}Land use:{4}
{3}arable land:{4} 5%
{3}permanent crops:{4} 7%
{3}meadows and pastures:{4} 15%
{3}forest and woodland:{4} 37%
{3}other:{4} 36%

{2}Irrigated land:{4} 80 sq km (1989)

{2}Environment:{4}
{3}current issues:{4} recent drought in north severely affecting agricultural activities; deforestation;
overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water
pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water

{2}natural hazards:{4} dry, dusty, harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts

{2}international agreements:{4} party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified -
Desertification, Marine Life Conservation

{2}Geographic note:{4} Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake; northeasterly harmattan wind
(January to March)


{1}People{4}

{2}Population:{4} 17,698,271 (July 1996 est.)

{2}Age structure:{4}
{3}0-14 years:{4} 43% (male 3,856,673; female 3,819,946)
{3}15-64 years:{4} 54% (male 4,658,142; female 4,814,060)
{3}65 years and over:{4} 3% (male 262,159; female 287,291) (July 1996 est.)

{2}Population growth rate:{4} 2.29% (1996 est.)

{2}Birth rate:{4} 35 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Death rate:{4} 11.15 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Net migration rate:{4} -0.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

{2}Sex ratio:{4}
{3}at birth:{4} 1.03 male(s)/female
{3}under 15 years:{4} 1.01 male(s)/female
{3}15-64 years:{4} 0.97 male(s)/female
{3}65 years and over:{4} 0.91 male(s)/female
{3}all ages:{4} 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

{2}Infant mortality rate:{4} 80.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

{2}Life expectancy at birth:{4}
{3}total population:{4} 56.17 years
{3}male:{4} 54.18 years
{3}female:{4} 58.22 years (1996 est.)

{2}Total fertility rate:{4} 4.59 children born/woman (1996 est.)

{2}Nationality:{4}
{3}noun:{4} Ghanaian(s)
{3}adjective:{4} Ghanaian

{2}Ethnic divisions:{4} black African 99.8% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%,
Ga 8%), European and other 0.2%

{2}Religions:{4} indigenous beliefs 38%, Muslim 30%, Christian 24%, other 8%

{2}Languages:{4} English (official), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)

{2}Literacy:{4} age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
{3}total population:{4} 64.5%
{3}male:{4} 75.9%
{3}female:{4} 53.5%


{1}Government{4}

{2}Name of country:{4}
{3}conventional long form:{4} Republic of Ghana
{3}conventional short form:{4} Ghana
{3}former:{4} Gold Coast

{2}Type of government:{4} constitutional democracy

{2}Capital:{4} Accra

{2}Administrative divisions:{4} 10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra,
Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western

{2}Independence:{4} 6 March 1957 (from UK)

{2}National holiday:{4} Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

{2}Constitution:{4} new constitution approved 28 April 1992

{2}Legal system:{4} based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

{2}Suffrage:{4} 18 years of age; universal

{2}Executive branch:{4}
chief of state and head of government: President Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 3 November
1992); elected for a four-year term by direct universal suffrage; the president can appoint a vice
president; election last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA December 1996)
{3}cabinet:{4} Cabinet; president nominates members subject to approval by the Parliament

{2}Legislative branch:{4} unicameral
Parliament: elections last held 29 December 1992 (next to be held NA December 1996); results -
opposition boycotted the election, the National Democratic Congress won 198 of the total 200
seats and 2 seats were won by independents; because of interim bye-elections, the National
Democratic Congress and its remaining coalition partner, Every Ghanian Living Everywhere
(EGLE), now control 189 seats; former coalition partner, NCP, has 8 seats; independents hold 3

{2}Judicial branch:{4} Supreme Court

{2}Political parties and leaders:{4} National Democratic Congress (NDC), Jerry John RAWLINGS; New
Patriotic Party (NPP), Peter Ala ADJETY; People's Heritage Party (PHP), Alex ERSKINE;
National Convention Party (NCP), Kow ARKAAH; Every Ghanian Living Everywhere (EGLE),
Ashang OKINE; Peoples Convention Party (PCP), B.K. NKETSIA; Peoples National Convention
(PNC), Alhaji Asuma BANDA

{2}International organization participation:{4} ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM (observer), ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, UN, UNAMIR, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO

{2}Diplomatic representation in US:{4}
{3}chief of mission:{4} Ambassador Ekwow SPIO-GARBRAH
{3}chancery:{4} 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
{3}telephone:{4} [1] [phone]
{3}FAX:{4} [1] [phone]
{3}consulate(s) general:{4} New York

{2}US diplomatic representation:{4}
{3}chief of mission:{4} Ambassador Edward BRYNN
{3}embassy:{4} Ring Road East, East of Danquah Circle, Accra
{3}mailing address:{4} P. O. Box 194, Accra
{3}telephone:{4} [233] (21) 775348
{3}FAX:{4} [233] (21) 775747

{2}Flag:{4} three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed
star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the
flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band


{1}Economy{4}

{2}Economic overview:{4} Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has twice the per capita output
of the poorer countries in West Africa. Heavily reliant on international assistance, Ghana has
made steady progress in liberalizing its economy since 1983. Overall growth continued at a rate of
approximately 5% in 1995, due largely to increased gold, timber, and cocoa production - major
sources of foreign exchange. The economy, however, continues to revolve around subsistence
agriculture, which accounts for almost half of GDP and employs 55% of the work force, mainly
small landholders. Public sector wage increases, regional peacekeeping commitments, and the
containment of internal unrest in the underdeveloped north have placed substantial demands on
the government's budget and have led to inflationary deficit financing, depreciation of the cedi, and
rising public discontent with Ghana's austerity program.

{2}GDP:{4} purchasing power parity - $25.1 billion (1995 est.)

{2}GDP real growth rate:{4} 5% (1995 est.)

{2}GDP per capita:{4} $1,400 (1995 est.)

{2}GDP composition by sector:{4}
{3}agriculture:{4} 47%
{3}industry:{4} 16%
{3}services:{4} 37% (1994 est.)

{2}Inflation rate (consumer prices):{4} 69% (1995 est.)

{2}Labor force:{4} 3.7 million
{3}by occupation:{4} agriculture and fishing 54.7%, industry 18.7%, sales and clerical 15.2%,
professional 3.7%, services, transportation, and communications 7.7%

{2}Unemployment rate:{4} 10% (1993 est.)

{2}Budget:{4}
{3}revenues:{4} $1.05 billion
{3}expenditures:{4} $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $178 million (1993)

{2}Industries:{4} mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum, food processing

{2}Industrial production growth rate:{4} 2.8% (1994 est.)

{2}Electricity:{4}
{3}capacity:{4} 1,180,000 kW
{3}production:{4} 6.1 billion kWh
{3}consumption per capita:{4} 323 kWh (1993)

{2}Agriculture:{4} cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber

{2}Illicit drugs:{4} illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; transit hub for Southwest
and Southeast Asian heroin destined for Europe and the US

{2}Exports:{4} $1 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
{3}commodities:{4} cocoa 40%, gold, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, and diamonds
{3}partners:{4} Germany , US , UK , Netherlands , Japan (1995)

{2}Imports:{4} $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
{3}commodities:{4} petroleum, consumer goods, foods, intermediate goods, capital equipment
{3}partners:{4} UK, US, Germany, Japan, Netherlands (1995)

{2}External debt:{4} $4.6 billion (December 1993 est.)

{2}Economic aid:{4}
{3}recipient:{4} ODA, $472 million (1993)

{2}Currency:{4} 1 new cedi (C) = 100 pesewas

{2}Exchange rates:{4} new cedis per US$1 - 1,246.11 (September 1995), 956.71 (1994), 649.06 (1993),
437.09 (1992), 367.83 (1991)

{2}Fiscal year:{4} calendar year


{1}Transportation{4}

{2}Railways:{4}
{3}total:{4} 953 km; note - undergoing major renovation (1995 est.)
narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge; 32 km double track

{2}Highways:{4}
{3}total:{4} 38,145 km
{3}paved:{4} 7,476 km (including 21 km of expressways)
{3}unpaved:{4} 30,669 km (1990 est.)

{2}Waterways:{4} Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers provide 168 km of perennial navigation for launches
and lighters; Lake Volta provides 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways

{2}Pipelines:{4} none

{2}Ports:{4} Takoradi, Tema

{2}Merchant marine:{4}
{3}total:{4} 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 27,427 GRT/35,894 DWT
{3}ships by type:{4} cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (1995 est.)

{2}Airports:{4}
{3}total:{4} 12
{3}with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m:{4} 3
{3}with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m:{4} 1
{3}with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m:{4} 2
{3}with paved runways under 914 m:{4} 2
{3}with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m:{4} 2
{3}with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m:{4} 2 (1995 est.)


{1}Communications{4}

{2}Telephones:{4} 70,000 (1988 est.)

{2}Telephone system:{4} poor to fair system
{3}domestic:{4} primarily microwave radio relay
{3}international:{4} satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

{2}Radio broadcast stations:{4} AM 4, FM 1, shortwave 0

{2}Radios:{4} NA

{2}Television broadcast stations:{4} 4 (repeaters 8)

{2}Televisions:{4} 250,000 (1993 est.)


{1}Defense{4}

{2}Branches:{4} Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force, Palace Guard, Civil Defense

{2}Manpower availability:{4}
{3}males age 15-49:{4} 4,135,538
{3}males fit for military service:{4} 2,303,423
{3}males reach military age (18) annually:{4} 176,332 (1996 est.)

{2}Defense expenditures:{4} exchange rate conversion - $30 million, 0.8% of GDP (1994)