The 2004 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

2004 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 38% (male 3,988,800; female 3,904,989)

       15–64 years: 58.3% (male 6,030,151; female 6,071,725)

       65 years and over: 3.7% (male 359,042; female 402,325) (2004 est.)

      Median age:

       total: 20 years

       male: 19.8 years

       female: 20.3 years (2004 est.)

      Population growth rate:

       1.36% (2004 est.)

      Birth rate:

       24.9 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

      Death rate:

       10.67 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

      Net migration rate:

       −0.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

      Sex ratio:

       at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

       under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

       15–64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

       65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

       total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

       total: 52.22 deaths/1,000 live births

       female: 49.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

       male: 55.1 deaths/1,000 live births

      Life expectancy at birth:

       total population: 56.27 years

       male: 55.36 years

       female: 57.22 years (2004 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

       3.17 children born/woman (2004 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

       3.1% (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

       350,000 (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

       30,000 (2003 est.)

      Major infectious diseases:

       typhoid fever, malaria, yellow fever, schistosomiasis

       overall degree of risk: very high (2004)

      Nationality:

       noun: Ghanaian(s)

       adjective: 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:

       definition: age 15 and over can read and write

       female: 67.1% (2003 est.)

       male: 82.7%

       total population: 74.8%

      People - note:

       there are 9,500 Liberians, 2,000 Sierra Leoneans, and 1,000

       Togolese refugees residing in Ghana (2002)

      Government Ghana

      Country name:

       conventional long form: Republic of Ghana

       conventional short form: Ghana

       former: Gold Coast

      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

      Executive branch:

       chief of state: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January

       2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);

       note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

       government

       head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January

       2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);

       note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

       government

       cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject

       to approval by Parliament

       elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket

       by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 December

       2004 (next to be held December 2008)

       election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR reelected president in

       election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 53.4%, John Atta MILLS 43.7%

      Legislative branch:

       unicameral Parliament (230 seats; note - increased from 200 seats

       in last election; members are elected by direct, popular vote to

       serve four-year terms)

       elections: last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held December 2008)

       election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -

       NPP 128, NDC 92, other 10

      Judicial branch:

       Supreme Court

      Political parties and leaders:

       Convention People's Party or CPP [Nii Noi DOWUONA, general

       secretary]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA,

       chairman]; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTY];

       National Convention Party or NCP [Sarpong KUMA-KUMA]; National

       Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu YAHAYA, general secretary];

       New Patriotic Party or NPP [Samuel Arthur ODOI-SYKES]; People's

       Convention Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting chairman];

       People's Heritage Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander ERSKINE];

       People's National Convention or PNC [Edward MAHAMA]; Reform Party

       [Kyeretwie OPUKU, general secretary]

      Political pressure groups and leaders:

       NA

      International organization participation:

       ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,

       ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,