| Ghana | pos>prop. n. A country in Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo, with Burkina Faso bordering on the north, with a population of 17, 698, 271 (July 1996 est), and a total area of 238, 540 sq km. The government is a constitutional democracy, and the capital city is Accra. [ PJC ] It has a tropical climate, being warm and comparatively dry along the southeast coast, hot and humid in southwest and hot and dry in the north. Its terrain is mostly low plains with a dissected plateau in the south-central area.
The official language is English, and several African languages are spoken, including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga. The population is comprised 99.8% of black Africans and 0.2% European and other nationalities. The major tribes are: Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, and Ga 8%. The religious composition is 38% indigenous beliefs, 30% Muslim, 24% Christian and 8% others.
The unit of currency is the new cedi; 1 new cedi (C) = 100 pesewas. The exchange rates for the cedi were: new cedis per US$1 - 1, 246.11 (September 1995), 956.71 (1994), 649.06 (1993), 437.09 (1992), 367.83 (1991).
Navigable waterways include the Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers, providing 168 km of perennial navigation for launches and lighters. CIA Factbook 1996 [ PJC ] |
