GHANA FACTS

GHANA FACTS & FIGURES

Home Countries	Facts Summary
	Ghana is bordered to the east by Togo, to the west by the Ivory Coast, to the south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north by Burkina Faso. Ghana has 10 administrative divisions called regions. These are Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, and Western Regions. Ghana was the first place in sub-Saharan Africa where Europeans arrived to trade in gold and to capture citizens to be used as slaves in America. Ghana was the first black African nation to become independent on March 6, 1957. The first president of Ghana and the one who led the country to independence was Kwame Nkrumah. In 1966 Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown in a military coup led by Kotoka and Afrifa.

		Demography	Estimate
		Area	92,090 sq. mi.
		Population	20,244,154 (2002)
		Population Density	220 per sq. mi. (2002)
		% of Urban Population	38 (2000)
		Population Aged 15-49	9,700,000 (2001)
		Capital	Accra
		Religions	Christianity- 65%; Islam-15%
		Administrative Divisions	10 regions
		Literacy rate	91.5% (2001)
		Official Language	English
		Major Local Languages (by population)	Akan/Twi, Ga-Adangbe, Ewe
		Electricity Production	5.5 billion kWh (2000)
		GDP per Capita	purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2000)
		Main exports	Gold, cocoa, timber, bauxite, diamonds, manganese ore
		Telephone System	Internet accessible; Domestic: Primarily microwave radio relay; Wireless local loop; International: Satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors
		Electric Power System	230V, 50Hz, D & G plug type
		Major Newspapers	Daily Graphic, Ghanaian Times, Mirror
		Television	GBC/GTV, Metro TV, TV3
		Major Radio Stations	GBC Radios 1, 2 & GAR; Joy FM, Choice FM
		News Agency	Ghana News Agency
		HIV infection rate	3.6% (2001)

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