Ghana

Government
Name	Republic of Ghana
Government type	Presidential republic
Capital	Accra (2,291,352 (2013))
Currency	Ghanaian cedi (GHS)
Organization
Member State	Commonwealth of Nations
People
Population (2020)	31,072,945 (47th)
Density of population	101.5 P/km² (103rd)
Nationality	Ghanaian
Official languages
English
Ethnic groups (2010)
Akan	47.5%
Mole-Dagbon	16.6%
Ewe	13.9%
Ga-Dangme	7.4%
Gurma	5.7%
Guan	3.7%
Grusi	2.5%
Mande	1.1%
Other	1.4%
Religions (2010)
Christian	71.2%
Pentecostal/Charismatic	28.3%
Protestant	18.4%
Catholic	13.1%
Other	11.4%
Muslim	17.6%
Traditional	5.2%
Other	0.8%
None	5.2%
Life expectancy (2020)
Male	65.6 years
Female	70.8 years
Total population	68.2 years (176th)
Homicides
Total (2017)	2.1 per 100,000 people (107th)
Geography
Land area	227,533 km²
water area	11,000 km²
total area	238,533 km² (83th)
Mean elevation	190 m
Lowest point
Atlantic Ocean	0 m
Highest point
Mount Afadjato	885 m
Land use (2011)
Agricultural land	69.1%
Arable land	20.7%
Permanent crops	11.9%
Permanent pasture	36.5%
Forest	21.2%
Other	9.7%
Urbanization
Urban population (2020)	57.3%
Rate of urbanization	3.34% annual rate of change (2015 – 2020)
Economy
Labor force (2017)	12.49 million (47th)
Labor force by occupation (2013)
Agriculture	44.7%
Industry	14.4%
Services	40.9%
Unemployment rate (2015)	11.9% (158th)
GDP (PPP) (estimate 2020)
Total	$226 billion
Per capita	$7,343
GDP (nominal) (estimate 2020)
Total	$69.757 billion
Per capita	$2,266
GDP by sector (estimate 2017)
Agriculture	18.3%
Industry	24.5%
Services	57.2%
Exports (2017)	$13.84 billion (77th)
Exports partners (2017)
India	23.8%
UAE	13.4%
China	10.8%
Switzerland	10.1%
Vietnam	5.2%
Burkina Faso	4%
Imports (2017)	$12.65 billion (92nd)
Imports partners (2017)
China	16.8%
US	8%
UK	6.2%
Belgium	5.9%
India	4.1%

Ghana on the world map

Ghana top 10 largest cities (2013)

Accra (2,291,352)
Kumasi (2,069,350)
Tamale (562,919)
Sekondi-Takoradi (539,548)
Ashaiman (298,841)
Sunyani (248,496)
Cape Coast (227,269)
Obuasi (180,334)
Teshie (176,597)
Tema (161,612)

Demography

Population pyramid

Age structure data

Estimate for 2020:

0-14 years: 37.44% (male 5,524,932/female 5,460,943)
15-24 years: 18.64% (male 2,717,481/female 2,752,601)
25-54 years: 34.27% (male 4,875,985/female 5,177,959)
55-64 years: 5.21% (male 743,757/female 784,517)
65 years and over: 4.44% (male 598,387/female 703,686)

Remark: the age structure of a population affects a nation’s key socioeconomic issues. Countries with young populations (high percentage under age 15) need to invest more in schools, while countries with older populations (high percentage ages 65 and over) need to invest more in the health sector. The age structure can also be used to help predict potential political issues. For example, the rapid growth of a young adult population unable to find employment can lead to unrest.

Population from 1950 to 2020

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Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2019). World Population Prospects 2019, Online Edition. Rev. 1.

Evolution of the life expectancy from 1960 to 2018

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Source: World Development Indicators, The World Bank

Economy

Agriculture:

cocoa, rice, cassava (manioc, tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas, timber

Industries:

mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing, cement, small commercial ship building, petroleum

Exports – commodities:

oil, gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds, horticultural products