Demographics

Population: 27 million

Official language: English

Ethnic groups:

• 47.5% Akan (11.5 m.)
• 16.6% Dagbani / Mole (4 m.)
• 13.9% Ewe (2.9 m.)
• 7.4% Ga-Adangbe (1.8 m.)
• 5.7% Gurma (0.7 m.)
• 3.7% Guan / Gonja (0.3 m.)
• 2.5% Gurunsi (0.1 m.)
• 1.1% Bissa / Mande (0.1 m.)
• 1.6% Other (0.1 m.)

Life expectancy: Females 67 years, Males 66 years

Infant mortality: 39 per 1,000 live births

Literacy rate: Approx. 72%

 

Geography

Capital: Accra, population 2.3 million (2012)

Area: 238,535 km2 (82nd)

Coastline: 560 km

Calling code: +233

Largest lake: Lake Volta 8,502 km2 (one of the world’s largest man-made lakes)

Highest mountain: Mount Afadjato (885 m)

Neighbouring countries: Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Togo

 

Government

Indepent from the U.K. since: 6 March 1957

Government: Constitutional Republic

President: John Dramani Mahama (since 2012)

 

Economy and technology

Currency: Ghana cedi (GHS)

GDP: $108.259 billion (total), $4,129 (per capita)

Internet users: 5.2 million (19%)

 

Climate

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Record high °C	31	32	32	32	32	29	27	27	29	30	31	31
Average high °C	27.5	27.5	28	28	27	26	25	24	26	26	27	27
Average low °C	23	23	24	24	23	23	22	21	22	22	23	23
Record low °C	15	17	20	19	21	20	19	18	20	19	21	17
Average rainfall mm	16	37	73	82	145	193	49	16	40	80	38	18
Average rainy days	2	2	5	7	11	14	7	6	8	9	4	2

 

Public holidays:

New Year’s Day	Jan 1
Independence Day	Mar 6
Good Friday	Friday before Easter Sunday
Easter Monday	Day after Easter Sunday
May Day	May 1
African Unity Day	May 25
Republic Day	Jul 1
Founder’s Day	Sep 21
Farmers’ Day	First Friday of December
Christmas Day	Dec 25
Boxing Day	Dec 26
Id-El-Fitr	A day after the end of Ramadan (date not fixed)
Id-El-Adha	3 months after Ramadan (date not fixed)

 

Emergency phone numbers

Police: 191           

Fire Service: 192/199

Ambulance: 193