• 0.598

    Gender Inequality Index

  • 64.2

    Life expectancy at birth (years)

  • 0.541

    Human Development Index

  • 52.2

    Population, urban (% of population)

  • 66.6%

    Adult literacy rate, both sexes (% aged 15 and above)

  • 0.090

    Shares in parliament, female-male ratio

About Ghana

Ghana was the first place in sub-Saharan Africa where Europeans arrived to trade - first in gold, later in slaves.

It was also the first black African nation in the region to achieve independence from a colonial power, in this instance Britain.

Despite being rich in mineral resources, and endowed with a good education system and efficient civil service, Ghana fell victim to corruption and mismanagement soon after independence in 1957.

In 1966 its first president and pan-African hero, Kwame Nkrumah, was deposed in a coup, heralding years of mostly-military rule. In 1981 Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings staged his second coup. The country began to move towards economic stability and democracy.

In April 1992 a constitution allowing for a multi-party system was approved in a referendum, ushering in a period of democracy.

A well-administered country by regional standards, Ghana is often seen as a model for political and economic reform in Africa.

Cocoa exports are an essential part of the economy; Ghana is the world's second-largest producer.
 

At a glance

Politics: Ghana is one of the more stable nations in the region, with a good record of power changing hands peacefully
Economy: Ghana is the world's second largest cocoa producer behind Ivory Coast, and Africa's biggest gold miner after South Africa. It is one of the continent's fastest growing economies, and newest oil producer
 
 
The discovery of major offshore oil reserves was announced in June 2007, encouraging expectations of a major economic boost.

Production officially began at the end of 2010, but some analysts expressed concern over the country's ability to manage its new industry, as laws governing the oil sector had not yet been passed.

In July 2009, Ghana secured a 600 million dollar three-year loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), amid concerns about the impact of the global recession on poorer countries. The IMF said the Ghanaian economy had proved to be relatively resilient because of the high prices of cocoa and gold.

Ghana has a high-profile peacekeeping role; troops have been deployed in Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone and DR Congo.

Although Ghana has largely escaped the civil strife that has plagued other West African countries, in 1994-95 land disputes in the north erupted into ethnic violence, resulting in the deaths of 1,000 people and the displacement of a further 150,000.
 
Leaders
 
President: John Dramani Mahama

Vice-President John Dramani Mahama became head of state following the death of President John Atta Mills in July 2012.

Mr Mahama's term is due to last until December 2012, when presidential elections are due. President Mills was the first Ghanaian leader to die while in office.

Mr Mahama is a respected historian, writer and communications specialist. Regarded as a champion of the underprivileged, he has a keen interest in environmental issues, particularly the problem of plastic pollution in Africa. His book, entitled "My First Coup d'Etat" was published in July 2012.

He studied in Ghana and Moscow. Between 1991 and 1995 he worked as an information officer at the Japanese embassy in Accra. He joined the non-governmental organization PLAN International in 1995.

He was elected as a member of parliament in 1996, and served communications minister between 1998 and 2001. In opposition from 2005 to 2011, Mr Mahama served as parliamentary spokesman for foreign affairs.

Mr Mahama was born at Bole-Bamboi in the Northern Region in 1958. He is married and has seven children.

Media
 
Ghana enjoys a high degree of media freedom and the private press and broadcasters operate without significant restrictions. The media are free to criticise the authorities without fear of reprisals, says Reporters Without Borders.

The private press is lively, and often carries criticism of government policy. Animated phone-in programmes are staple fare on many radio stations.

Radio is Ghana's most popular medium, although it is being challenged by increased access to TV.

Scores of private FM stations crowd the dial; many of them are based in the main towns and cities. Most of them are chasing a limited amount of advertising revenue. State-run Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) runs national TV and radio networks.

The BBC broadcasts on 101.3 FM in Accra, and on 104.7 FM from Sekondi-Takoradi, the capital of Western Region.

There were nearly 2.1 million internet users by December 2011 (Internetworldstats.com). Mobile phones are widely used to access news. 

Press


Television


Radio


News agency/internet




Country flag
Country map
Statistics
Full name:
Republic of Ghana
Population:
25 million (UN, 2011)
Capital:
Accra
Area:
238,533 sq km (92,098 sq miles)
Major languages:
English, African languages including Akan, Ewe
Major religions:
Christianity, indigenous beliefs, Islam
Life expectancy:
64years (men), 66 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit:
Cedi
Main exports:
Gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminium, manganese ore, diamonds
GNI per capita:
US $1,230 (World Bank, 2010)
Internet domain:
.gh
International dialling code:
+233