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.
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.
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: |
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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: |
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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 [10]
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 |
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Forest area (1000 ha): | 4 940 |
Source: FAOStat [11]and FAO Country Profile [12]
Links:
[1] http://www.westafricagateway.org/$
[2] http://www.ghana.gov.gh
[3] http://www.bog.gov.gh
[4] http://www.abv-volta.org
[5] http://newtimes.com.gh
[6] http://www.graphic.com.gh
[7] http://www.ghanaweb.com
[8] http://www.westafricagateway.org/files/ghana.gif
[9] http://www.westafricagateway.org/files/ghana_1.jpg
[10] http://www.westafricagateway.org/CIA%20Factbook,%20Country%20Profile%20Ghana%20
[11] http://faostat.fao.org/default.aspx
[12] http://www.fao.org/countries/55528/en/gha/
[13] http://www.westafricagateway.org/files/ghana_en_1.pdf