Ghana
Top Sights & Landmarks
Background
Ghana is a multiethnic country rich in natural resources and is one of the most stable and democratic countries in West Africa. Ghana has been inhabited for at least several thousand years, but little is known about its early inhabitants. By the 12th century, the gold trade started to boom in Bono (Bonoman) state in what is today southern Ghana, and it became the genesis of the Akan people's power and wealth in the region. Beginning in the 15th century, the Portuguese, followed by other European powers, arrived and competed for trading rights. Numerous kingdoms and empires emerged in the area, among the most powerful were the Kingdom of Dagbon in the north and the Asante (Ashanti) Empire in the south. By the mid-18th century, Asante was a highly organized state with immense wealth; it provided enslaved people for the Atlantic slave trade, and in return received firearms that facilitated its territorial expansion. The Asante resisted increasing British influence in the coastal areas, engaging in a series of wars during the 19th century before ultimately falling under British control. 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, with Kwame NKRUMAH as its first leader. Ghana endured a series of coups before Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS took power in 1981 and banned political parties. After approving a new constitution and restoring multiparty politics in 1992, RAWLINGS won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996 but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. John Atta MILLS of the National Democratic Congress won the 2008 presidential election and took over as head of state. MILLS died in 2012 and was constitutionally succeeded by his vice president, John Dramani MAHAMA, who subsequently won the 2012 presidential election. In 2016, Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO of the NPP defeated MAHAMA, marking the third time that Ghana’s presidency had changed parties since the return to democracy. AKUFO-ADDO was reelected in 2020. In recent years, Ghana has taken an active role in promoting regional stability and is highly integrated in international affairs.
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo
Area
Elevation
Detailed Geography Information
Coastline
539 km
Geography - note
Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake (manmade reservoir) by surface area (8,482 sq km; 3,275 sq mi); the lake was created after the Akosombo Dam was completed in 1965
Irrigated land
360 sq km (2013)
Land boundaries
Major rivers (by length in km)
Volta river mouth (shared with Burkina Faso [s]) - 1,600 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Volta (410,991 sq km)
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm
Natural hazards
dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds from January to March; droughts
Natural resources
Terrain
mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area
Population & Growth
Age Distribution
Demographic Longevity
Vital Dynamics
Detailed People & Society Information
Alcohol consumption per capita
1.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
12% (2022 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
53.4% (2022 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 70.8 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 63.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 7.6 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 13.1 (2025 est.)
Education expenditure
2.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 13.2% national budget (2022 est.)
Ethnic groups
Gross reproduction rate
1.73 (2025 est.)
Health expenditure
4.2% of GDP (2021) 7.4% of national budget (2022 est.)
Hospital bed density
0.7 beds/1,000 population (2015 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 30.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 34.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
Literacy
total population: 76.5% (2021 est.) male: 81.3% (2021 est.) female: 72.1% (2021 est.)
Major urban areas - population
3.768 million Kumasi, 2.660 million ACCRA (capital), 1.078 million Sekondi Takoradi (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio
234 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
22.1 years (2022 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49
Nationality
noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
10.9% (2016)
Physician density
0.27 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Population distribution
population is concentrated in the southern half of the country, with the highest concentrations on or near the Atlantic coast, as shown in this population distribution map
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Religions
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 12 years (2022 est.) male: 12 years (2022 est.) female: 12 years (2022 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Tobacco use
total: 2.8% (2025 est.) male: 5.4% (2025 est.) female: 0.3% (2025 est.)
Climate & Issues
tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north
Land Cover
Air & Carbon Emissions
Water Resources & Use
Detailed Environmental Information
International environmental agreements
Urbanization
urban population: 59.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.06% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 3.538 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13.3% (2022 est.)
Capital & State Profile
Executive Branch
Legislative Branch
National Identity & Symbols
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green, with a large five-pointed black star centered in the yellow band
Detailed Government Information
Administrative divisions
16 regions; Ahafo, Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, North East, Northern, Oti, Savannah, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western, Western North
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent or grandparent must be a citizen of Ghana dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Constitution
history: several previous; latest drafted 31 March 1992, approved and promulgated 28 April 1992, entered into force 7 January 1993 amendment process: proposed by Parliament; consideration requires prior referral to the Council of State, a body of prominent citizens who advise the president of the republic; passage of amendments to "entrenched" constitutional articles (including those on national sovereignty, fundamental rights and freedoms, the structure and authorities of the branches of government, and amendment procedures) requires approval in a referendum by at least 40% participation of eligible voters and at least 75% of votes cast, followed by at least two-thirds majority vote in Parliament, and assent of the president; amendments to non-entrenched articles do not require referenda
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast etymology: named for a tribal chieftain who ruled a large part of the region prior to the 13th century, even though his territory was northwest of modern-day Ghana; the former name, Gold Coast, came from the gold that Portuguese explorers discovered in the region in the late 15th century
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 13 justices) judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the president in consultation with the Council of State (a small advisory body of prominent citizens) and with the approval of Parliament; other justices appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial Council (an 18-member independent body of judicial, military and police officials, and presidential nominees) and on the advice of the Council of State; justices can retire at age 60, with compulsory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Circuit Court; District Court; regional tribunals
Legal system
mixed system of English common law and customary law
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions; Asante Traditional Buildings
Political parties
All Peoples Congress or APC Convention People's Party or CPP Ghana Freedom Party or GFP Ghana Union Movement or GUM Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP Liberal Party of Ghana or LPG National Democratic Congress or NDC National Democratic Party or NDP New Patriotic Party or NPP People's National Convention or PNC Progressive People's Party or PPP United Front Party or UFP United Progressive Party or UPP
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economic Overview
West African lower-middle income economy; major gold, oil and cocoa exporter; macroeconomic challenges following nearly four decades of sustained growth; recent progress in debt restructuring, fiscal reforms, financial stability, and curbing runaway inflation under 2023-26 IMF credit facility program
Size & Performance
GDP Sector Breakdown
Trade Balance
Budget Balance
Export Profile
Top Export Partners
Major Export Commodities
Import Profile
Top Import Partners
Major Import Commodities
Labor & Employment
Income Inequality
Family Income / Consumption Share
Detailed Economic Data
Agricultural products
Current account balance
$1.407 billion (2023 est.) -$1.741 billion (2022 est.) -$2.541 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Debt - external
$29.241 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Exchange rates
cedis (GHC) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 11.02 (2023 est.) 8.272 (2022 est.) 5.806 (2021 est.) 5.596 (2020 est.) 5.217 (2019 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
Industrial production growth rate
7.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
22.8% (2024 est.) 38.1% (2023 est.) 31.3% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Remittances
3% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.8% of GDP (2022 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$3.624 billion (2023 est.) $5.205 billion (2022 est.) $9.917 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Taxes and other revenues
12.3% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Grid Infrastructure
Generation Mix
Fossil Fuels Production
Intensity & Nuclear
Digital Access
Active internet users as a percentage of the total population.
Fixed Broadband
Mobile Cellular
Broadcast Media
Aviation
Railways
Ports & Harbors
Merchant Marine
Military Expenditures
Active Duty Strengths
estimated 15-20,000 active Armed Forces (2025) note: over the past decade, Ghana has sought to increase the size of the GAF, particularly the Army, which has added a number of new units
Service & Defense Details
Ghana Armed Forces (GAF): Army, Air Force, Ghana Navy Ministry of Interior: Ghana Police Service (2025) note: the GAF also has a Medical Service/Corps
875 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 725 (plus about 275 police) South Sudan (UNMISS); 670 Sudan (UNISFA) (2025) note: since sending a contingent of troops to the Congo in 1960, the military has been a regular contributor to African- and UN-sponsored peacekeeping missions
the military's inventory is a mix of older (mostly Soviet-era) and some newer armaments from such suppliers as China, Japan, Jordan, Türkiye, the UK, and the US; the government has committed to an increase in funding for equipment acquisitions, including armor, mechanized, and special forces capabilities for the Army, light attack aircraft for the Air Force, and more modern coastal patrol vessels for the Navy (2025)
the military’s primary missions are border defense, assisting with internal security, peacekeeping, and protecting the country’s territorial waters, particularly its offshore oil and gas infrastructure; it has benefited from cooperation with foreign partners, such as the UK and the US, and experience gained from participation in multiple international peacekeeping missions in recent years, Ghana has expanded the Army and reinforced its presence in the northern part of the country to shore up porous borders, interdict smuggling routes, and counter threats from the terrorist organization Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), a coalition of al-Qa'ida linked militant groups which has a considerable presence in Burkina Faso and has conducted attacks in Cote d'Ivoire and Togo; Ghana has also made efforts to increase the Navy's capabilities to protect its maritime claims and counter threats such as piracy and illegal fishing (2025)
18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2025) note: as of 2024, women comprised approximately 15% of the military; Ghanaian women first began serving in the late 1950s
Space Agency
Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI; established 2011) (2025) note: the GSSTI is eventually slated to become the Ghana Space Agency