Chapter 48
Death rate: 10.4 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 76.15 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 57.14 years male: 55.08 years female: 59.27 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.11 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian
Ethnic groups: black African 99.8% (major tribes--Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%), European and other 0.2%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 38%, Muslim 30%, Christian 24%, other 8%
Languages: English (official), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 64.5% male: 75.9% female: 53.5% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast
Data code: GH
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: new 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 Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 7 January 1993); Vice President John Evans Atta MILLS (since 7 January 1993); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 7 January 1993); Vice President John Evans Atta MILLS (since 7 January 1993); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by the Parliament elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 December 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: Jerry John RAWLINGS reelected president; percent of vote--RAWLINGS 57%
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (200 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 7 December 1996 (next to be held NA December 2000) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NDC 133, NPP 61, PCP 5, PNC 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Congress or
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNPREDEP, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kobena KOOMSON chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kathryn Dee ROBINSON embassy: Ring Road East, East of Danquah Circle, Accra mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band
Economy
Economy--overview: Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 41% of GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. In 1995-97, Ghana made mixed progress under a three-year structural adjustment program in cooperation with the IMF. On the minus side, public sector wage increases and regional peacekeeping commitments have led to continued inflationary deficit financing, depreciation of the cedi, and rising public discontent with Ghana's austerity measures. Power shortages also helped slow growth in 1998.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$33.6 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,800 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 41% industry: 14% services: 45% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: 31.4% (1992 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 27.3% (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 27.7% (1997 est.)
Labor force: NA
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture and fishing 61%, industry 10%, services 29% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate: 20% (1997 est.)
Budget: revenues: $1.39 billion expenditures: $1.47 billion, including capital expenditures of $370 million (1996 est.)
Industries: mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing
Industrial production growth rate: 4.2% (1996 est.)
Electricity--production: 6.1 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 0.66% hydro: 99.34% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 5.88 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 225 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 5 million kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber
Exports: $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities: gold 39%, cocoa 35%, timber 9.4%, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, and diamonds (1996 est.)
Exports--partners: UK, Germany, US, Netherlands, Japan, Nigeria
Imports: $2.1 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
Imports--commodities: capital equipment, petroleum, consumer goods, foods, intermediate goods
Imports--partners: UK, Nigeria, US, Germany, Japan, Netherlands
Debt--external: $5.2 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $477.3 million (1995)
Currency: 1 new cedi (C) = 100 pesewas
Exchange rates: new cedis per US$1--2,324.70 (September 1998), 2,050.17 (1997), 1,637.23 (1996), 1,200.43 (1995), 956.71 (1994)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 100,000 (1997 est.)
Telephone system: poor to fair system domestic: primarily microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 23, shortwave 0 (1997)
Radios: 12.5 million (1997 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 7 (in addition, there are eight repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 1.9 million (1997 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 953 km (undergoing major rehabilitation) narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (32 km double track) (1997 est.)
Highways: total: 39,409 km paved: 11,653 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 27,756 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers provide 168 km of perennial navigation for launches and lighters; Lake Volta provides 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways
Pipelines: 0 km
Ports and harbors: Takoradi, Tema
Merchant marine: total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,552 GRT/14,839 DWT ships by type: oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 3 (1998 est.)
Airports: 12 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force, Palace Guard, Civil Defense
Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 4,520,125 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,507,954 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 184,360 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $53 million (1999)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 0.7% (1999)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US
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@Gibraltar ---------
Geography
Location: Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain
Geographic coordinates: 36 11 N, 5 22 W
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 6.5 sq km land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 km
Coastline: 12 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers
Terrain: a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m
Natural resources: NEGL
Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 100% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment--current issues: limited natural freshwater resources; large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rain water
Environment--international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography--note: strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
People
Population: 29,165 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 20% (male 3,129; female 2,749) 15-64 years: 66% (male 10,888; female 8,247) 65 years and over: 14% (male 1,729; female 2,423) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.39% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 12.65 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 8.81 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.32 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 1.17 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.47 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.37 years male: 75.1 years female: 81.81 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.16 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar
Ethnic groups: Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, Spanish
Religions: Roman Catholic 74%, Protestant 11% (Church of England 8%, other 3%), Muslim 8%, Jewish 2%, none or other 5% (1981)
Languages: English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian
Literacy: definition: NA total population: above 95% male: NA% female: NA%
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gibraltar
Data code: GI
Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK
Government type: NA
Capital: Gibraltar
Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday: Commonwealth Day (second Monday of March)
Constitution: 30 May 1969
Legal system: English law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been residents six months or more
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief, the Right Honorable Sir Richard LUCE (since 24 February 1997) head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the elected members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation with the chief minister note: there is also a Gibraltar Council that advises the governor elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats--15 elected, on for the Speaker, and two ex officio; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 16 May 1996 (next to be held NA May 2000) election results: percent of vote by party--SD 53%, SL 42%, NP 3%; seats by party--SD 8, SL 7
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or
Political pressure groups and leaders: Housewives Association; Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization
International organization participation: Interpol (subbureau)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description: two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band
Economy
Economy--overview: Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 11% to the local economy. The financial sector accounts for 15% of GDP; tourism (more than 5 million visitors in 1995), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. Because more than 70% of the economy is in the public sector, changes in government spending have a major impact on the level of employment.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$500 million (1997 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: NA%
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$17,500 (1997 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (1996)
Labor force: 14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers)
Labor force--by occupation: services 60%, industry 40%, agriculture NEGL%
Unemployment rate: 13.5% (1996)
Budget: revenues: $111.6 million expenditures: $115.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96)
Industries: tourism, banking and finance, ship-building and repairing; support to large UK naval and air bases; tobacco, mineral water, beer, canned fish
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 85 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 85 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: none
Exports: $83.7 million (f.o.b., 1995)
Exports--commodities: (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8%
Exports--partners: UK, Morocco, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, US, FRG
Imports: $778 million (c.i.f., 1995)
Imports--commodities: fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs
Imports--partners: UK, Spain, Japan, Netherlands
Debt--external: $NA
Economic aid--recipient: $NA
Currency: 1 Gibraltar pound (LG) = 100 pence
Exchange rates: Gibraltar pounds (LG) per US$1--0.6057 (January 1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996), 0.6335 (1995), 0.6529 (1994); note--the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound
Fiscal year: 1 July--30 June
Communications
Telephones: 19,356 (1994)
Telephone system: adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities domestic: automatic exchange facilities international: radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 1 (in addition, there are 3 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: NA
Transportation
Railways: total: NA km; 1.000-m gauge system in dockyard area only
Highways: total: 49.9 km paved: 49.9 km unpaved: 0 km
Pipelines: 0 km
Ports and harbors: Gibraltar
Merchant marine: total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 346m951 GRT/588,765 DWT ships by type: chemical tanker 2, container 4, oil tanker 11, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: source of friction between Spain and the UK
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@Glorioso Islands ----------------
Geography
Location: Southern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Madagascar
Geographic coordinates: 11 30 S, 47 20 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 5 sq km land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Glorieuse, Ile du Lys, Verte Rocks, Wreck Rock, and South Rock
Area--comparative: about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 35.2 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: NA
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 12 m
Natural resources: guano, coconuts
Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 100% (all lush vegetation and coconut palms)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: periodic cyclones
Environment--current issues: NA
People
Population: uninhabited
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Glorioso Islands local long form: none local short form: Iles Glorieuses
Data code: GO
Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
Legal system: NA
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (possession of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (possession of France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
Economy
Economy--overview: no economic activity
Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Airports: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: claimed by Madagascar
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@Greece ------
Geography
Location: Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
Geographic coordinates: 39 00 N, 22 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 131,940 sq km land: 130,800 sq km water: 1,140 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Alabama
Land boundaries: total: 1,210 km border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 228 km
Coastline: 13,676 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 6 nm
Climate: temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain: mostly mountains with ranges extending into sea as peninsulas or chains of islands
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m
Natural resources: bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble
Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 8% permanent pastures: 41% forests and woodland: 20% other: 12% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 13,140 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: severe earthquakes
Environment--current issues: air pollution; water pollution
Environment--international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography--note: strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands
People
Population: 10,707,135 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 16% (male 878,349; female 818,311) 15-64 years: 67% (male 3,619,982; female 3,587,591) 65 years and over: 17% (male 799,053; female 1,003,849) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.41% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 9.54 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9.44 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 4.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 7.13 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.43 years male: 75.87 years female: 81.18 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.3 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Greek(s) adjective: Greek
Ethnic groups: Greek 98%, other 2% note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece
Religions: Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
Languages: Greek (official), English, French
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 98% female: 93% (1991 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Hellenic Republic conventional short form: Greece local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia local short form: Ellas or Ellada former: Kingdom of Greece
Data code: GR
Government type: parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974
Capital: Athens
Administrative divisions: 51 prefectures (nomoi, singular--nomos)and 1 autonomous region*; Ayion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, Akhaia, Argolis, Arkadhia, Arta, Attiki, Dhodhekanisos, Drama, Evritania, Evros, Evvoia, Florina, Fokis, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ilia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Kardhitsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Khalkidhiki, Khania, Khios, Kikladhes, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lesvos, Levkas, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethimni, Rodhopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakinthos
Independence: 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 March (1821) (proclamation of the war of independence)
Constitution: 11 June 1975
Legal system: based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory