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World > Africa > Ghana
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Ghana |
Introduction:
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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. A long series of coups resulted in the suspension of Ghana's third constitution in 1981 and a ban on political parties. A new constitution, restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR, who defeated former Vice President John ATTA-MILLS in a free and fair election, succeeded him.
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| Official name: |
Republic of Ghana |
| Capital: |
name: Accra
geographic coordinates: 5 33 N, 0 13 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Government type: |
constitutional democracy |
| Population: |
22,931,299
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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) |
| 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 36.1% (includes English (official)) (2000 census) |
| Official Currency: |
Ghanaian Cedi (GHC)
Current Ghanaian Cedi Exchange Rates
Historical Ghanaian Cedi Exchange Rates
Chart Ghanaian Cedi Exchange Rates |
| Currency code: |
GHC |
| Area: |
total: 239,460 sq km
land: 230,940 sq km
water: 8,520 sq km |
| Climate: |
tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north |
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Map of Ghana
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