Total renewable water resources: 53.2 cu km (2011)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): 53.2 cu km (2011)
Natural hazards: dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds from January to March; droughts
Environment - current issues: recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements: party to:Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake by surface area (8,482 sq km; 3,275 sq mi)
Languages: Asante 14.8%, Ewe 12.7%, Fante 9.9%, Boron (Brong) 4.6%, Dagomba 4.3%, Dangme 4.3%, Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.7%, Akyem 3.4%, Ga 3.4%, Akuapem 2.9%, other (includes English (official)) 36.1% (2000 census)
Religions: Christian 71.2% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 28.3%, Protestant 18.4%, Catholic 13.1%, other 11.4%), Muslim 17.6%, traditional 5.2%, other 0.8%, none 5.2% (2010 census)
Population: 25,758,108country comparison to the world: 49
note:estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2014 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years:38.6% (male 4,988,823/female 4,943,451)
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 March (1957)
Constitution: several previous; latest drafted 31 March 1992, approved and promulgated 28 April 1992, entered into force 7 January 1993; amended 1996 (2012)
Legal system: mixed system of English common law and customary law
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state:President John Dramani MAHAMA (since 24 July 2012); Vice President Kwesi Bekoe AMISSAH-ARTHUR (since 6 August 2012); note - President MAHAMA assumed office due to the death of former president John Atta MILLS and subsequently won the December 2012 presidential election; the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:President John Dramani MAHAMA (since 24 July 2012); Vice President Kwesi Bekoe AMISSAH-ARTHUR (since 6 August 2012);
cabinet:Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by Parliament
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 December 2012, extended to 8 December because of technical difficulties (next to be held in December 2016)
election results:John Dramani MAHAMA elected president; percent of vote - John Dramani MAHAMA 50.7%, Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO 47.7%, other 1.6%
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (275 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote in single-seat constituencies to serve four-year terms)
elections:last held on 7 and 8 December 2012 (next to be held in December 2016)
election results:percent of vote by party - NPP 47.5%, NDC 46.4%, PNC 0.6%, independent 2.5%, other 3.0%; seats by party - NDC 151, NPP 120, PNC 1, independent 3
Judicial branch: highest court(s):Supreme Court (consists of a chief justice and 12 justices)
judge selection and term of office:chief justice appointed by the president in consultation with the Council of State (a small advisory body of prominent citizens) and with the approval of Parliament; other justices appointed by the president upon the advice of the Judicial Council (an 18-member independent body of judicial, military and police officials, and presidential nominees) and on the advice of the Council of State; justices can retire at age 60, with compulsory retirement at age 70
subordinate courts:Court of Appeal; High Court; Circuit Court; District Court; regional tribunals
Political parties and leaders: Convention People's Party or CPP [Samia NKRUMAH]
National Democratic Congress or NDC [John Dramani MAHAMA]
New Patriotic Party or NPP [Paul AFOKO]
People's National Convention or PNC [Alhaji Amed RAMADAN]
note - listed are four of the more popular political parties as of December 2012; there are more than 20 registered parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: Christian Aid (water rights)
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green, with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; red symbolizes the blood shed for independence, yellow represents the country's mineral wealth, while green stands for its forests and natural wealth; the black star is said to be the lodestar of African freedom
National symbol(s): black star; golden eagle
National anthem: name:'God Bless Our Homeland Ghana'
lyrics/music:unknown/Philip GBEHO
note:music adopted 1957, lyrics adopted 1966; the lyrics were changed twice, once when a republic was declared in 1960 and again after a 1966 coup
Economy
Economy - overview:
Ghana's economy has been strengthened by a quarter century of relatively sound management, a competitive business environment, and sustained reductions in poverty levels. In late 2010, Ghana was recategorized as a lower middle-income country. Ghana is well-endowed with natural resources and agriculture accounts for roughly one-quarter of GDP and employs more than half of the workforce, mainly small landholders. The services sector accounts for 50% of GDP. Gold and cocoa production and individual remittances are major sources of foreign exchange. Oil production at Ghana's offshore Jubilee field began in mid-December 2010,and is producing close to target levels. Additional oil projects are being developed and are expected to come on line in a few years. Estimated oil reserves have jumped to almost 700 million barrels and Ghana’s growing oil industry is expected to boost economic growth as the country faces the consequences of two years of loose fiscal policy, high budget and current account deficits, and a depreciating currency. President MAHAMA faces challenges in managing a population that is unhappy with living standards and that perceives they are not reaping the benefits of oil production because of political corruption.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$90.41 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
$83.79 billion (2012 est.)
$77.64 billion (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$45.55 billion (2013 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.9% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
7.9% (2012 est.)
15% (2011 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,500 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
$3,400 (2012 est.)
$3,200 (2011 est.)
note:data are in 2013 US dollars
Gross national saving:
21.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76
17.9% of GDP (2012 est.)
17.5% of GDP (2011 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption:64.2%
government consumption:14.2%
investment in fixed capital:31.7%
investment in inventories:0.7%
exports of goods and services:50.2%
imports of goods and services:-61%
(2013 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture:21.5%
France 13.6%, Italy 12.4%, Netherlands 8.9%, China 7.4%, Germany 4.3% (2012)
Imports:
$18.49 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
$17.76 billion (2012 est.)
Imports - commodities:
capital equipment, refined petroleum, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
China 25.6%, Nigeria 11%, US 7%, Netherlands 6.2%, Singapore 4.5%, UK 4.1%, India 4% (2012)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$6.016 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
$5.705 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Debt - external:
$14.68 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
$12.64 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
cedis (GHC) per US dollar -
2.018 (2013 est.)
1.796 (2012 est.)
1.431 (2010 est.)
1.409 (2009)
1.1 (2008)
Energy
Electricity - production:
8.213 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world:97
Electricity - consumption:
5.311 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
Electricity - exports:
1.036 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
Electricity - imports:
106 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
1.985 million kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
40.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
59.4% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
Crude oil - production:
79,630 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
Crude oil - imports:
32,060 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
Crude oil - proved reserves:
660 million bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
Refined petroleum products - production:
22,130 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
61,590 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
Refined petroleum products - exports:
9,977 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Refined petroleum products - imports:
37,240 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
Natural gas - production:
50 million cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
Natural gas - consumption:
120 million cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
Natural gas - imports:
830 million cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
Natural gas - proved reserves:
22.65 billion cu m (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
9.005 million Mt (2011 est.)
Communications
Telephones - main lines in use:
285,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world:120
Telephones - mobile cellular:
25.618 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 42
Telephone system:
general assessment:primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has been installed; outdated and unreliable fixed-line infrastructure heavily concentrated in Accra
domestic:competition among multiple mobile-cellular providers has spurred growth with a subscribership of more than 80 per 100 persons and rising
international:country code - 233; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC, Main One, and GLO-1 fiber-optic submarine cables that provide connectivity to South Africa, Europe, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors (2009)
Broadcast media:
state-owned TV station, 2 state-owned radio networks; several privately owned TV stations and a large number of privately owned radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are accessible; several cable and satellite TV subscription services are obtainable (2007)
Internet country code:
.gh
Internet hosts:
59,086 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 93
Internet users:
1.297 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 93
Transportation
Airports
10 (2013)
country comparison to the world:156
Airports - with paved runways total:7
over 3,047 m:1
2,438 to 3,047 m:1
1,524 to 2,437 m:3
914 to 1,523 m:2 (2013)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:3
914 to 1,523 m:3 (2013)
Pipelines gas 394 km; oil 20 km; refined products 361 km (2013)
Railways total:947 kmcountry comparison to the world: 91
narrow gauge:947 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)
Roadways total:109,515 kmcountry comparison to the world: 43
paved:13,787 km
unpaved:95,728 km (2009)
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)
country comparison to the world: 57
Merchant marine total:4country comparison to the world: 131
by type:petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3
foreign-owned:2 (Brazil 1, South Korea 1) (2010)
Ports and terminals major seaport(s):Takoradi, Tema
Military
Military branches Ghana Army, Ghana Navy, Ghana Air Force (2012)
Military service age and obligation 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service, with basic education certificate; no conscription; must be HIV/AIDS negative (2012)
Manpower available for military service males age 16-49:6,268,191
females age 16-49:6,194,339 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service males age 16-49:4,136,406
females age 16-49:4,220,761 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually male:267,896
female:260,992 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures
0.27% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 129
0.25% of GDP (2011)
0.27% of GDP (2010)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international disputed maritime border between Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire
Refugees and internally displaced persons refugees (country of origin):9,567 (Cote d'Ivoire; flight from 2010 post-election fighting); 5,249 (Liberia) (2013)
Illicit drugs illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US; widespread crime and money laundering problem, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money laundering center; significant domestic cocaine and cannabis use