Ghana
Country Guide

Explore Ghana

Ghana with its capital Accra is located in Africa (Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea). It covers some 238,534 square kilometers (slightly smaller than Oregon) with 27,499,900 citizens. English, Akan, Ewe and Twi are the common languages used in Ghana (consider regional differences). Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Togo are bordering countries.

Ghana is in West Africa. It borders Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north and Togo to the east. There are two main seasons in Ghana, the wet and the dry seasons. Northern Ghana experiences its rainy season from March to November while the south, including the capital Accra, experiences the season from April to Mid-November. Among the sites equiped for tourists are the slave castles in coastal towns, including Cape Coast, Elmina and others. A Tro-Tro ride away from Accra is Kakum National Park, where you can walk the wood-and-rope bridges though the rainforest canopy. A wonderful experience, abeit a bit touristy. Prices have skyrocketed in recent years, but nonetheless it is a great opportunity to see some flora and fauna (if there are not too many tourists, you have a fairly good chance of seeing some monkeys in the trees).

Popular Destinations in Ghana

Administrative regions of Ghana

• Ashanti Region
• Brong-Ahafo Region
• Central Region
• Eastern Region
• Greater Accra Region
• Northern Region
• Upper East Region
• Upper West Region
• Volta Region
• Western Region

About the country

The landscape is mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area. The average density of population is about 115 per km². The climate in Ghana can be described as tropicalwarm and comparatively dry along southeast coast, hot and humid in southwest, hot and dry in north. Potential threats by nature are droughts dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds from January to March

To reach someone Ghana dial +233 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".gh". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: D, G). The sign for the locally used currency Cedi is GHC.

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.

Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. Ghana endured a series of coups before Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS took power in 1981 and banned political parties. After approving a new constitution and restoring multiparty politics in 1992, RAWLINGS won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996 but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. John Atta MILLS of the National Democratic Congress won the 2008 presidential election and took over as head of state, but he died in July 2012 and was constitutionally succeeded by his vice president, John Dramani MAHAMA, who subsequently won the December 2012 presidential election. In 2016, however, Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO of the NPP defeated MAHAMA, marking the third time that the Ghana’s presidency has changed parties since the return to democracy.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 83)	238,533	sq km
Land (World Rank: 82)	227,533	sq km
Water (World Rank: 44)	11,000	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 43)	36.50	%
Comparative	slightly smaller than Oregon
Coastline
539
Landborder
2420
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 174)	885	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 27)	69.10	%
Arable (World Rank: 51)	20.70	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 23)	11.90	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 43)	36.50	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 120)	340	sq km
Map reference
Africa
Environment
Issues	- deforestation - inadequate supplies of potable water - overgrazing - poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations - recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities - soil erosion - water pollution
Agreement party	- 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
Agreement signed	Marine Life Conservation
Hazzards	- droughts - dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds from January to March
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo
Climate
tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north
Terrain
mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 49)	27,499,900
Deathrate (World Rank: 132)	0.70	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 35)	3.05	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 38)	2.17	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 120)	-0.18	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 33)	4.00	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 183)	20.60
Female (World Rank: 180)	21.60
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 38)	5,253,430
0 14 female (World Rank: 37)	5,198,890
15 24 male (World Rank: 48)	2,548,660
15 24 female (World Rank: 45)	2,575,160
25 54 male (World Rank: 53)	4,554,970
25 54 female (World Rank: 50)	4,834,760
55 64 male (World Rank: 55)	664,866
55 64 female (World Rank: 57)	701,277
65 x male (World Rank: 64)	538,790
65 x female (World Rank: 65)	629,111
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 53)	3.52	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 169)	67	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 169)	70	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 170)	65	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 162)	0.10
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 154)	0.90
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 202)	14.90	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 136)	10.90	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 142)	88.70	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 95)	11,090,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 98)	8,377,000,000	kWh
Export (World Rank: 65)	552,000,000	kWh
Import (World Rank: 89)	223,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 162)	44.10	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 31)	55.70	%
Source renew (World Rank: 135)	1.00	%
Crude oil
Production (World Rank: 43)	100,500	bbl / day
Exports (World Rank: 37)	99,890	bbl / day
Imports (World Rank: 71)	13,860	bbl / day
Proved reserves (World Rank: 43)	660,000,000	bbl
Refined products
Production (World Rank: 102)	2,815	bbl / day
Consumption (World Rank: 90)	79,000	bbl / day
Export (World Rank: 102)	2,761	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 63)	80,350	bbl / day
Natural gas
Production (World Rank: 83)	63,540,000	m³
Consumption (World Rank: 91)	1,325,000,000	m³
Import (World Rank: 76)	0	m³
Carbon footprint
11000000

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Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 30)	6	% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 148)	0	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 168)	4	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 184)	-8	% of GDP
National symbol
golden eagle
National colours
yellow
Adjective
Ghanaian
Noun
Ghanaian(s)
Background
Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. Ghana endured a series of coups before Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS took power in 1981 and banned political parties. After approving a new constitution and restoring multiparty politics in 1992, RAWLINGS won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996 but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. John Atta MILLS of the National Democratic Congress won the 2008 presidential election and took over as head of state, but he died in July 2012 and was constitutionally succeeded by his vice president, John Dramani MAHAMA, who subsequently won the December 2012 presidential election. In 2016, however, Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO of the NPP defeated MAHAMA, marking the third time that the Ghana’s presidency has changed parties since the return to democracy.
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

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 81)	120,900,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 77)	3.50	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 171)	4,400	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 50)	19.70	%
Source industry (World Rank: 115)	25.30	%
Source service (World Rank: 132)	59.40	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 45)	12,130,000
In poverty (World Rank: 80)	24.20	%
Products
Industries	- aluminum smelting - cement - food processing - light manufacturing - lumbering - mining - petroleum - small commercial ship building
Agriculture	- bananas - cassava - cocoa - corn - manioc - peanuts - rice - shea nuts - tapioca - timber
Exports	- aluminum - bauxite - cocoa - diamonds - gold - horticultural products - manganese ore - oil - timber - tuna
Imports	- capital equipment - foodstuffs - refined petroleum

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 119)	251,490
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 211)	1.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 35)	142.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 48)	9,328,020
Population (World Rank: 146)	34.70	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 136)	7.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 164)	3.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 93)	947
Road
Total length (World Rank: 45)	109,515
Paved length (World Rank: 70)	13,787
Unpaved length (World Rank: 22)	95,728
Water
Total length (World Rank: 58)	1,293

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