Ghana

Republic of Ghana

Political Status: Independent member of the Commonwealth since March 6, 1957; under military control 1966–1969 and 1972–1979; Third Republic overthrown by military coup of December 31, 1981; constitution of Fourth Republic, approved in referendum of April 28, 1992, formally launched on January 7, 1993.

Area: 92,099 sq. mi. (238,537 sq. km.).

Population: 18,912,079 (2000C); 22,597,000 (2006E).

Major Urban Center (2005E): ACCRA (1,963,000).

Official Language: English.

Monetary Unit: New Cedi (market rate November 2, 2007: 0.96 cedi = $1US).

President: John Agyekum KUFUOR (New Patriotic Party); elected on December 28, 2000, and sworn in for a four-year term on January 7, 2001, in succession to Flt. Lt. (Ret.) Jerry John RAWLINGS (National Democratic Congress); reelected on December 7, 2004, and sworn in for a second four-year term on January 7, ...