Ghana

 **__ Location __ ** 
 * **__Ghana __**
 * Western Africa
 * Bordering the Gulf of Guinea
 * __Land Use-__ **
 * Arable land: 17.54%
 * Permanent crops: 9.22%

​ ** __Background__ It was formed from the British colony of the Gold Coast. It takes its name from one of the great inland trading empires that flourish in West Sfrica from the fourth to the eleventh centuries. Portuguese traders arrived in 1471. They mined gold, and established slave trade. In 1874 Britain took control of the Gold Coast. They also established Accra as capital in 1876. Britain gained control of Ghana in 1901. On March 6, 1957 Ghana became the first Black African Colony to gain independence from Britain. Lt. Jerry Rawlings took power in 1981, and banned political parties. Rawlings won the Presidential election in 1992 and 1996. The constitution prevented Rawlings from running in the presidential election again for a third term in 2000. John Kufuor was elected in 2000 and was re-elected in 2004. John Atta Mills took over as Head of State in early 2000. ** **__ Land __ ** __Climate- __ **It has three climate zones. They include Southern Forest Belt, Coastal Belt, and Nothern Grasslands. The Southern Forest Belt is warm and humid. The Coastal Belt is warm and dry. The Northern Grasslands is hot and dry. Rainfall fall usually falls between the months April-October. Temperatures usually reach above 100°F (40°C). Late November to early January it's hot, dry, and dusty. The winds usually blows across the north. In the southeast temperatures range from 74°F (23°C) to 86°F (30°C). **
 * __Terrain-__** Mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area
 * It covers 92,100 square miles, the same size as Oregon. It has the largest man-made lake in the world, called Lake Volta.**

=
 __**People**__ **__ Population __** <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;"><span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The population is 23,832,495. The population is rising at a rate of 1.93% annually. <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 121%;">__Life Expectancy__ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Male- 58.98 years Female- 60.75 years <span style="color: #008000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__ Net Migration Rate __ ** <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 90%;">-0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population A total of 51.09 deaths and 1,000 live births. Male- <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;"> 55.32 deaths/1,000 live births, female- <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">46.74 deaths/1,000 live births <span style="color: #ff1100; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 121%;">__**Ethnic Groups**__ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The ethnic groups are Akan, Mole-Dagbon, Ewe, Ga-Dangme, Guan, Gurma, Grusi and Mande-Busanga. English is their official language. However there are some more languages they speak. They are Asante, Ewe, Fante, Boron, Dagomba, Dangme, Dagarte (Dagaba), Akyem, Ga and Akuapem. The four religions are Christian, Protestant, Catholic and Muslim. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 99%;">__**<span style="color: #ff1100; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Education **__ How long you go to school is different depending on your gender. Females go to school until they are 9 years old. Males go to school until they are 10. Schooling is free. Parents only have to buy materials and supplies. A large percentage of Ghana's national budget is spent on education, efforts so far have not improved conditions of overcrowding or underfunding. Qualified students may pursue a post-secondary education at one of Ghana's five universities, at teacher-training colleges, or at trade schools. <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> <span style="color: #1ea425; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">__**Literacy**__ Ages 15 and over can read and write. <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">57.9% of the total population can read and write.
 * __ Flag- __ ** [[image:ghana_flag.gif width="305" height="204" align="right"]] I** t was adopted on Febuary 28, 1966. Features the national colors, which are red, gold and green. It also features the national symbol, the black star. Red symbolizes the sacrifices Ghana made for their independence. Gold is for prosperity. Green is for their country's green landscape. The star signifies Ghana for being the first African Nation to gain independence in the 1900s. **=====
 * __Infant Mortality Rate__ **
 * <span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">__ Languages __ **
 * __Religions__**

<span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 132%; text-align: center;">__ Economy/Government __ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> **<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">__Economic Overview-__ ** Ghana is heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance​. Gold and cocoa production are major sources of foreign exchange. It revolves around agriculture. 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. one of the most poorest countries in West Africa. The unemployment rate is 11%. 55% of the work force is agriculture. <span style="color: #1ea425; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**__Currency/ Exchange Rate-__** Ghana cedi Constitutional Democracy <span style="color: #ff1100; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">__<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Suffrage** -__ <span style="color: #ff1100; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">18 years of age <span style="color: #1ea425; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**__GPD per Capita-__** $1,500 **__Agriculture Products-__** cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber **__Imports Commodities-__** capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs **__Exports Commodities-__** gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds, horticulture **__Natural Resources__** - gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone __** Enviromental Issues **-__ Currently there has been a recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of portable water __** Leader **-__ <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">President John Evans Atta MILLS (since January 7, 2009) ** __Military Expeditures__ ** - 0.8% of GDP **__Independence__**- March 6, 1957 __**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 __**Internet Access-**__ <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: center;">__**Tourist Attractions**__ <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%; text-align: left;">If you like sightseeing, then Ghana is the place for you. It has many attractions for you to see. Including a tour of Accra, the country's capital. You could also see Historic Castles. Also you could visit the Kakum National Park. If that's not enough for you, then check out the Ghana Historical Tour, or the Ghana Arts and Culture Tour. ** __Time Line__ ** <span style="background-color: #1ea425; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**1482** - Portuguese set up trading settlement. || ||   || <span style="background-color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**1874** - British proclaim coastal area a crown colony. <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**1925** - First legislative council elections take place. <span style="background-color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**1960** - Ghana proclaimed a republic; Nkrumah elected president. <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**1964** - Ghana becomes a one-party state. <span style="background-color: #1ea425; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**1966** - Nkrumah overthrown in military coup; Russian and Chinese technicians expelled. <span style="background-color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**1969** - New constitution facilitates transfer of power to civilian government led by Kofi Busia.
 * __ Unemployment- __**
 * __Government Type-__ **
 * __ Natural Hazards __**- Dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts
 * __Capital__ ** - <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">Accra
 * __ Industries __ ** - mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing, cement, small commercial ship building
 * 24,018 hosts
 * 650,000 users
 * <span style="background-color: #1ea425; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">1957- ** March - Ghana becomes independent with Kwame Nkrumah as prime minister.

<span style="background-color: #1ea425; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**1978** - Acheampong forced to resign; General Frederick Akuffo takes over. <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**Rawlings era** <span style="background-color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**1979** - September - Rawlings hands over power to an elected president, Hilla Limann. <span style="background-color: #1ea425; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**1981** - Limann ousted in military coup led by Rawlings after two years of weak government and economic stagnation. <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**1983** - Rawlings adopts conservative economic policies, abolishing subsidies and price controls, privatising many state enterprises and devaluing the currency. <span style="background-color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**1992** - Referendum approves new constitution introducing a multiparty system. Rawlings elected president. <span style="background-color: #1ea425; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**1994** - One thousand people are killed and a further 150,000 are displaced in the Northern Region following ethnic clashes between the Konkomba and the Nanumba over land ownership. <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**1994** - June - Seven ethnic groups involved in violence in Northern Region sign peace agreement. <span style="background-color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**1995** - Government imposes curfew in Northern Region as renewed ethnic violence results in a further 100 deaths. <span style="background-color: #1ea425; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**1996** - Jerry Rawlings re-elected president. <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">**Kufuor elected** 2000 - December - John Kufuor beats Vice-President John Atta Mills in the presidential election. <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**2001-** May - National day of mourning after football stadium stampede leaves 126 dead. Inquiry blames police for overreacting to crowd trouble. <span style="background-color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**2001-** June - Government scraps public holiday celebrating Rawling's military coup in an effort to wipe out the legacy of his rule. <span style="background-color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**2004-** February - Former President Jerry Rawlings testifies at commission investigating human rights offences during the early years of his rule. Ghana secures a $600m three-year loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). ||  || []
 * <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">**1972** - Busia ousted in military coup led by Colonel Ignatius Acheampong.
 * 1979** - Akuffo deposed in coup led by Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings. Acheampong and Akuffo tried and executed on charges of corruption.
 * <span style="background-color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">2001- ** February - Petrol prices rise by 60% following the government's decision to remove fuel subsidies.
 * <span style="background-color: #1ea425; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">2001- ** April - Ghana accepts debt relief under a scheme designed by the World Bank and the IMF.
 * <span style="background-color: #1ea425; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">2001- ** June - Floods hit Accra, causing 10 deaths and forcing 100,000 to flee their homes.
 * <span style="background-color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">2002- ** April - State of emergency is declared in the north after a tribal chief and more than 30 others are killed in clan violence. State of emergency is lifted in August 2004.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">2002- ** May - President Kufuor inaugurates reconciliation commission to look into human rights violations during military rule.
 * <span style="background-color: #1ea425; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">2003- ** October - Government approves merger of two gold-mining firms, creating new gold-mining giant.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">2004- ** October - Group of current and former military personnel detained on suspicion of planning to destabilise government ahead of elections.
 * __<span style="background-color: #1ea425; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">2004- __** December - Presidential poll: Incumbent John Kufuor wins a second term.
 * <span style="background-color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">2005- ** April-May - Thousands of Togolese refugees arrive, fleeing political violence in their home country.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">2006- ** April - A boat capsizes on Lake Volta reservoir; more than 100 passengers are feared drowned.
 * <span style="background-color: #1ea425; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">2006- ** June - Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao promises to lend Ghana about $66m to fund development projects. He is on an African tour aimed at opening new export markets for China's booming economy and at securing energy and mineral supplies.
 * <span style="background-color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">2007- ** March - Ghana celebrates 50 years of independence from Britain.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">2007- ** June - Major off-shore oil discovery announced. President Kufuor says oil will turn Ghana into an "African tiger".
 * <span style="background-color: #1ea425; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">2007- ** September - The worst floods for more than 30 years cause widespread devastation, destroying much of the annual harvest.
 * <span style="background-color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">2007- ** December - President Kufuor says off-shore oil reserves total 3 billion barrels.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffff00; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">2008- ** December - John Atta Mills elected president.
 * <span style="background-color: #1ea425; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">2009- ** July - US President Barack Obama visits.

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