GhanaDownload light PDF version

Overview

Ghana is often presented as a success story of democracy in Africa, having experienced two peaceful democratic transitions in 2000 and 2008. From Kwame Nkrumah (the pioneer of Pan-Africanism) to Kofi Annan (the first African UN Secretary-General) to John Kufuor (Ghana’s second president), the former Gold Coast has benefited from political figures who helped promote a positive image of the country. This good reputation was affirmed during President Obama’s visit in July 2009, when he praised Ghana for being an example of effective governance. The whole nation is still shocked by the unexpected death of President John Atta-Mills on 24 July 2012. Interim President John Dramani Mahama has been accepted by all political parties and is expected to lead a peaceful transition until presidential elections are held this autumn.
 
Although Ghana did experience record inflation hikes of 21% during the 2007/2008 global economic crisis, strong global demand and high prices for Ghana’s two main exports, gold and cocoa, helped the country escape from the global economic downturn. New oil income will provide an additional source of revenues to further bolster the economy.
Ghana’s fiscal deficit did, however, expanded to an estimated 15% of GDP. A three-year IMF loan of USD 600 million helped to strengthen the Central Bank’s international reserves and stabilise the local currency (the Cedi). Many believe that Ghana would benefit from sharing a common currency with its francophone neighbours, which are all members of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).

Regional co-operation is a key part of Ghana’s economic activity and infrastructure development. Ghana jointly manages the Volta River basin with Burkina Faso and works with its neighbours on improving the main transport corridors linking landlocked areas to the ports of Tema (near Accra) and Takoradi. Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire also share the world’s largest cocoa production basin, which accounts for 60% of world cocoa production. The Ghanaian government has played an active role in the construction of the West African Gas Pipeline (WAPC) that links the Niger Delta (Nigeria) to Takoradi (Ghana) via Benin and Togo. The WAPC headquarters are based in Accra.

Institutional Framework

Government type:

Constitutional Democracy

Constitution:
approved 28 April 1992
Legal system:
mixed system of English common law and customary law
Administrative division
10 regions: Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western
Executive branch:
  • Chief of state: Interim President John Dramani MAHAMA (since 24 July 2012); Vice President (vacant); President MAHAMA assumed office due to the death of former president MILLS
  • Head of government:  Interim President John Dramani MAHAMA (since 24 July 2012);
  • Cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by Parliament
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (230 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote in single-seat constituencies to serve four-year terms)
Judical branch:
Supreme Court; High Court; Court of Appeal; regional tribunals
Political parties:
  • Convention People's Party or CPP;
  • Democratic Freedom Party or DFP;
  • Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE;
  • Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP ;
  • National Democratic Congress or NDC ;
  • New Patriotic Party or NPP ;
  • People's National Convention or PNC ;
  • Reform Party ;
  • United Renaissance Party or URP
Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Elections: President and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 and 28 December 2008 (next to be held on 7 December 2012)
Election results: John Evans Atta MILLS elected president in run-off election; percent of vote - John Evans Atta MILLS 50.23%, Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO 49.77%
Central bank: Central Bank of Ghana
Military branches:

Ghana Army, Ghana Navy, Ghana Air Force (2011)

Military age and obligations:

18 years of age for voluntary military service, with basic education certificate ; no conscription

Membership in regional organisations:

ECOWAS, AU, AfDB, ABV

Source: CIA Factbook, Country Profile Ghana

Regional Indicators

  • Land boundaries: 2094 km
  • Border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Côte d’Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km
  • Coastline: 539 km
  • Airports: 11 with paved runways:  7 (2010)
  • Railways: 947 km
  • Roadways:  62 221 km ; paved: 9 955 km; unpaved: 52 266 km (2006)
  • Waterways: 1,293 km (168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta) (2011)
  • Ports and terminals:   Takoradi, Tema

 

Demographic Trends

  • Population 2010: 24 392 000
  • Projection 2050: 49 107 000
  • Population < 15 years: 9 415 312 (38.6% *24 392 000 = 9 415 312)
  • Population density: 102/ sq.km
  • Urban agglomeration: Accra (2 342 000 =9.6%), Kumasi (1 834 000 =7.5%)
  • Annual Growth: 2.09% (2005-2010) > 2.26% (2010-2015)
  • Woman fertility (children per women): 4.31 (2005-2010) > 3.99 (2010-2015)
  • Median age: 20.5
  • Dependency ratio: 112

Migration and Mobility

 

  • Number of emigrants (2010): 824 900 =3.4% of pop
  • Number of immigrants (2010): 1 851 800 = 7.6% of pop
  • Top destination countries: Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, the United States, the United Kingdom, Burkina Faso, Italy, Togo, Germany, Canada, Liberia
  • Refugees within country: 18 200(2009)



Economic Indicators

  • GDP total 2010: USD 37 135 million
  • GDP per capita: USD 1526
  • Annual Growth: 4.7%
  • Average growth 2002-10: 5.9%
  • Currency: Cedis (GHC)
  • Inflation Rate: 19.3% (2009)
  • Main Exports: gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds, horticulture
  • Main Export Partners:  Netherlands 13.2%, UK 7.7%, France 5.8%, Ukraine 5.7% (2009)
  • Main Imports:  capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs
  • Main Import Partners:  China 16.5%, Nigeria 12.2%, US 6.8%, Côte d’Ivoire 6.2%, France 5.2%, UK 4.3% (2009)
  • Trade balance: USD -2177 million
  • Foreign Direct Investment inflows: USD 1 685 million
  • Estimated Diaspora Remittances 2009: 0.7% of GDP
  • = USD 114 million
  • = USD 4.67 per capita
  • ODA received: USD 1583 million
  • =as % of GDP: 4.26%
  • =per capita: USD 64.89
  • Category: lower middle income
  • Public Spending on:
  • Education as a percentage of total government expenditure (2000-2007): N.A
  • Health as a percentage of total government expenditure (WHO, 2009): 6.8%
  • Military: 113 million USD =0.7% GDP (2009)
  • External Debt: 7269 million USD
  • Debt service (as % of Exports 2010e): 3.8%
  • Public finance (% of GDP 2009):
  • Revenue and grants: 34%
  • Expenditures and net lending: 41.5%
  • Overall balance: -7.6
  • IMF Adjustment Programme: yes
  • Corruption Perception Index (xx/10):  4.1 (62/178)
  • Index of Economic Freedom (xx/100):  59.2 (95/179)
  • WB Doing Business index 2011: 67/183
  • Ibrahim African Governance index: 70.1

 

Food Security

Global Hunger Index (IFPRI, 2011): 8.7
Food supply (kcal per capita/day) 2 849
Number of people undernourished:
1.2 million

:Percentage of people undernourished:

 5%
Child malnutrition, underweight: 18%
Child malnutrition, stunting
 22%

Land use

Land area (1 000 ha): 22 754
Agricultural land area (1 000 ha):
15 500

Arable land (1 000 ha):

 4 400
Permanent crops (1 000 ha): 2 850
Pastures (1 000 ha): 8 350
Irrigated land (1 000 ha): 34
Share in total water use by
  • agriculture: 66.4%
  • industry: 9.7
  • domestic use: 23.9%
Forest area (1000 ha): 4 940

Source: FAOStat and FAO Country Profile

Social Indicators

Religion & Ethnicity

  • Ethnic Groups : Akan 45.3%, Mole-Dagbon 15.2%, Ewe 11.7%, Ga-Dangme 7.3%, Guan 4%, Gurma 3.6%, Grusi 2.6%, Mande-Busanga 1%, other tribes 1.4%, other 7.8% (2000 census)
  • Major Religions: Christian 68.8% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 24.1%, Protestant 18.6%, Catholic 15.1%, other 11%), Muslim 15.9%, traditional 8.5%, other 0.7%, none 6.1% (2000 census)

Health

  • Life Expectancy: 56.5 (2005-2010)
  • Under-five Mortality Rate (per 1000 live births) (2008): 76
  • Number of physicians (for 100 000 people) (2004): 14.7
  • Hospital Beds (for 10 000 people): 9 (2005)
  • Estimated HIV prevalence (2007): 1.9%

Education:

  • Adult literacy rate: (% age 15 and above): 65,8% (2008)
  • Youth Literacy Rate: 79,3% (2008)
  • Net Primary Enrolment Ratio: 3625178 (2008)
  • Net Secondary Enrolment Ration: 1723734 (2008)
  • Tertiary Students: 28765 (2008)
  • University attendance Ration: 6,2% (2007)

ICT & Media:

  • Internet Access (per 100 inhabitants): 5.44
  • Internet domain: .gh
  • International dialing code: 233 (Accra add 21, Tamale add 71, Kumasi add 51)
  • Mobile line (per 100 inhabitants) 2009: 63.38
  • Main telephone line (per 100 inhabitants) 2009: 1.12
  • Access to electricity 2007: kWh 6819 millions
  • Water supply coverage 2008: 82% (urban 90%, rural 74%)
  • Sanitation coverage2008: 13% (urban 18%, rural 7%)