Ghana ( Gold Coast) is a country in Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo. Ghana geographic coordinates 8 00 N, 2 00 W; area 8,520 sq km; area comparative slightly smaller than Oregon; land boundaries Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km; coastline 539 km; maritime claims 20; climate tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry; terrain mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area; elevation extremes Mount Afadjato 880 m; natural resources gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone; land use 74.07% (2001); irrigated land 110 sq km (1998 est.); natural hazards dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur 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 Marine Life Conservation; geography note Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake;

introduction

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 the 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 Atta MILLS in a free and fair election, succeeded him. government type constitutional democracy; capital Accra; administrative divisions 10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western; independence 6 March 1957 (from UK); national holiday Independence Day, 6 March (1957); constitution approved 28 April 1992; legal system based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; suffrage 18 years of age; universal;

people

Ghana population 21,029,853 estimates for this country explici; age structure 3.7% (male 366,472/female 416,523) (2005 est.); median age 20.7 years (2005 est.); population growth rate 1.25% (2005 est.); birth rate 23.97 births/1,000 population (2005 est.); death rate 10.84 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.); net migration rate -0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.); sex ratio 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.); infant mortality rate 54.25 deaths/1,000 live births; life expectancy at birth 56.99 years (2005 est.); total fertility rate 3.02 children born/woman (2005 est.); hiv adult rate 3.1% (2003 est.); hiv people with aids 350,000 (2003 est.); hiv deaths 30,000 (2003 est.); major infectious diseases malaria and ye; nationality Ghanaian; ethnic groups black African 98.5% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5% (1998); religions Christian 63%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 21%; languages English (official), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga); literacy 67.1% (2003 est.);

Regions

Cities