Chapter 72

Chapter 723,652 wordsPublic domain

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 Ghana

Economy - overview:

Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the per capita output of the poorest countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold and cocoa production, and individual remittances, are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve around agriculture, which accounts for about 35% of GDP and employs about 55% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002, and is also benefiting from the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative that took effect in 2006. Thematic priorities under its current Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy, which also provides the framework for development partner assistance, are: macroeconomic stability; private sector competitiveness; human resource development; and good governance and civic responsibility. Sound macro-economic management along with high prices for gold and cocoa helped sustain GDP growth in 2007. Ghana signed a Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact in 2006, which aims to assist in transforming Ghana's agricultural sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$31.13 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$14.86 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

5.5% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,400 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 37.3% industry: 25.3% services: 37.5% (2006 est.)

Labor force:

11.29 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 56% industry: 15% services: 29% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

11% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:

28.5% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.1% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

39.4 (2005-06)

Investment (gross fixed):

31.6% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $4.262 billion expenditures: $5.481 billion (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Public debt:

58.5% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

10.7% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

13.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

Stock of money:

$2.179 billion (31 December 2006)

Stock of quasi money:

$2.174 billion (31 December 2006)

Stock of domestic credit:

$4.173 billion (31 December 2006)

Agriculture - products:

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

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

7.8% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

8.204 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

6.76 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

755 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - imports:

629 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 5% hydro: 95% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Oil - production:

7,571 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

49,300 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

5,709 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

45,520 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

15 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

22.65 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Current account balance:

-$1.549 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$4.162 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds, horticulture

Exports - partners:

Netherlands 11%, UK 9%, France 6.2%, US 5.9%, Germany 4.6%, Belgium 4.4% (2007)

Imports:

$8.053 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Nigeria 15.1%, China 14.9%, UK 5.2%, US 5.1% (2007)

Economic aid - recipient:

$1.316 billion in loans and grants (2007)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.204 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$4.891 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$NA

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$13.01 billion (2007)

Currency (code):

Ghana cedi (GHC)

Currency code:

GHC

Exchange rates:

cedis (GHC) per US dollar - 0.95 (2007), 9,174.8 (2006), 9,072.5 (2005), 9,004.6 (2004), 8,677.4 (2003) note: in 2007 Ghana revalued its currency with 10,000 old cedis equal to 1 new cedis

Communications Ghana

Telephones - main lines in use:

376,500 (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

7.604 million (2007)

Telephone system:

general assessment: outdated and unreliable fixed-line infrastructure heavily concentrated in Accra; competition among multiple mobile-cellular providers has spurred growth with subscribership about 35 per 100 persons and rising domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has been installed international: country code - 233; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 0, FM 86, shortwave 3 (2007)

Radios:

12.5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:

7 (2007)

Televisions:

1.9 million (2001)

Internet country code:

.gh

Internet hosts:

24,018 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

12 (2000)

Internet users:

650,000 (2007)

Transportation Ghana

Airports:

12 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2007)

Pipelines:

oil 13 km; refined products 316 km (2007)

Railways:

total: 953 km narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)

Roadways:

total: 62,221 km paved: 9,955 km unpaved: 52,266 km (2006)

Waterways:

1,293 km note: 168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 4 by type: petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3 foreign-owned: 1 (Brazil 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Tema

Military Ghana

Military branches:

Ghanaian Army, Ghanaian Navy, Ghanaian Air Force (2007)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,802,096 females age 16-49: 5,729,939 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,737,481 females age 16-49: 3,729,699 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 273,265 female: 267,204 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

0.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Transnational Issues Ghana

Disputes - international:

Ghana struggles to accommodate returning nationals who worked in the cocoa plantations and escaped fighting in Cote d'Ivoire

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 35,653 (Liberia); 8,517 (Togo) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US; widespread crime and money laundering problem, but the lack of a well developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money laundering center; significant domestic cocaine and cannabis use

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Gibraltar

Introduction Gibraltar

Background:

Strategically important, Gibraltar was reluctantly ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a referendum held in 1967, Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency. The subsequent granting of autonomy in 1969 by the UK led to Spain closing the border and severing all communication links. A series of talks were held by the UK and Spain between 1997 and 2002 on establishing temporary joint sovereignty over Gibraltar. In response to these talks, the Gibraltar Government called a referendum in late 2002 in which the majority of citizens voted overwhelmingly against any sharing of sovereignty with Spain. Since the referendum, tripartite talks on other issues have been held with Spain, the UK, and Gibraltar, and in September 2006 a three-way agreement was signed. Spain agreed to remove restrictions on air movements, to speed up customs procedures, to implement international telephone dialing, and to allow mobile roaming agreements. Britain agreed to pay increased pensions to Spaniards who had been employed in Gibraltar before the border closed. Spain will be allowed to open a cultural institute from which the Spanish flag will fly. A new noncolonial constitution came into effect in 2007, but the UK retains responsibility for defense, foreign relations, internal security, and financial stability.

Geography Gibraltar

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 08 N, 5 21 W

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 6.5 sq km land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

a little less than one half the size of Rhode Island

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:

none

Land use:

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)

Irrigated land:

Natural hazards:

Environment - current issues:

limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking water) and adequate desalination plant

Geography - note:

strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

People Gibraltar

Population:

28,002 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 16.9% (male 2,426/female 2,309) 15-64 years: 66.6% (male 9,507/female 9,153) 65 years and over: 16.5% (male 2,103/female 2,504) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 40.3 years male: 39.8 years female: 40.7 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.125% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

10.71 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

9.46 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 4.91 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.46 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 80.06 years male: 77.17 years female: 83.09 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.65 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

Nationality:

noun: Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar

Ethnic groups:

Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, German, North Africans

Religions:

Roman Catholic 78.1%, Church of England 7%, other Christian 3.2%, Muslim 4%, Jewish 2.1%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 0.9%, none 2.9% (2001 census)

Languages:

English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese

Literacy:

definition: NA total population: above 80% male: NA female: NA

Education expenditures:

Government Gibraltar

Country name:

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gibraltar

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

Capital:

name: Gibraltar geographic coordinates: 36 08 N, 5 21 W time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain

Constitution:

5 June 2006; came into force 2 January 2007

Legal system:

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; and British citizens who have been residents six months or more

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Sir Robert FULTON (since 27 October 2006) head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 17 elected members of the Parliament by the governor in consultation with the chief minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament (18 seats: 17 members elected by popular vote, 1 for the Speaker appointed by Parliament; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 11 October 2007 (next to be held not later than October 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 49.3%, GSLP 31.8%, Gibraltar Liberal Party 13.6%; seats by party - GSD 10, GSLP 4, Gibraltar Liberal Party 3

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:

Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization; Women's Association

International organization participation:

Interpol (subbureau), UPU

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 Gibraltar

Economy - overview:

Self-sufficient 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 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping sector, and tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP. Telecommunications accounts for another 10%. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but changes in government spending still have a major impact on the level of employment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.066 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.066 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$38,200 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Labor force:

12,690 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: negligible industry: 40% services: 60% (2001)

Unemployment rate:

3% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $455.1 million expenditures: $423.6 million (2005 est.)

Fiscal year:

1 July - 30 June

Public debt:

15.7% of GDP (2005 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.9% (2005)

Agriculture - products:

none

Industries:

tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

142 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

142 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

22,620 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:

25,080 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Exports:

$271 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

(principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8%

Exports - partners:

UK 30.8%, Spain 22.7%, Germany 13.7%, Turkmenistan 10.4%, Switzerland 8.3%, Italy 6.7% (2006)

Imports:

$2.967 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Imports - partners:

Spain 23.4%, Russia 12.3%, Italy 12%, UK 9%, France 8.9%, Netherlands 6.8%, US 4.7% (2006)

Economic aid - recipient:

$NA

Debt - external:

$NA

Currency (code):

Gibraltar pound (GIP)

Currency code:

GIP

Exchange rates:

Gibraltar pounds (GIP) per US dollar - 0.4993 (2007), 0.5434 (2006), 0.5504 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003) note: the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound

Communications Gibraltar

Telephones - main lines in use:

24,512 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

9,797 (2002)

Telephone system:

general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities domestic: automatic exchange facilities international: country code - 350; radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:

37,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (plus 3 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

10,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.gi

Internet hosts:

1,904 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

6,200 (2002)

Transportation Gibraltar

Airports:

1 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)

Roadways:

total: 29 km paved: 29 km (2007)

Merchant marine:

total: 240 by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 125, chemical tanker 51, container 43, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 5 foreign-owned: 225 (Belgium 2, Cyprus 1, Denmark 7, Finland 3, Germany 129, Greece 6, Iceland 1, Morocco 4, Netherlands 21, Norway 33, Sweden 13, UAE 3, UK 2) registered in other countries: 7 (Liberia 5, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Gibraltar

Military Gibraltar

Military branches:

Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,308 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,244 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 190 female: 185 (2008 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK; the Royal Gibraltar Regiment replaced the last British regular infantry forces in 1992

Transnational Issues Gibraltar

Disputes - international:

in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement; the government of Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar even greater autonomy

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Greece

Introduction Greece

Background:

Greece achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II, Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war between supporters of the king and Communist rebels. Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. The 1974 democratic elections and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. In 1981, Greece joined the EC (now the EU); it became the 12th member of the European Economic and Monetary Union in 2001.

Geography Greece

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: 1,228 km border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, Macedonia 246 km

Coastline:

13,676 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:

temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain:

mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Natural resources:

lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel, magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential

Land use:

arable land: 20.45% permanent crops: 8.59% other: 70.96% (2005)

Irrigated land:

14,530 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

72 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 8.7 cu km/yr (16%/3%/81%) per capita: 782 cu m/yr (1997)

Natural hazards:

severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

air pollution; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, 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

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 Greece

Population:

10,722,816 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 14.3% (male 789,137/female 742,469) 15-64 years: 66.6% (male 3,568,101/female 3,575,572) 65 years and over: 19.1% (male 898,337/female 1,149,200) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 41.5 years male: 40.4 years female: 42.6 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.146% (2008 est.)

Birth rate: