President: John Agyekum Kufuor (2001)
Area: 92,456 sq mi (239,460 sq km)
Population (2005 est.): 21,029,853 (growth rate: 1.3%); birth rate: 24.0/1000; infant mortality rate: 51.4/1000; life expectancy: 56.0; density per sq mi: 227
Capital and Largest City (2003 est.): Accra, 2,825,800 (metro. area), 1,661,400 (city proper)

Other large cities:
- Kumasi, 645,100;
- Tamale, 279,600

Monetary unit: Cedi

Languages:
- English (official),
- African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)

Ethnicity/race:
- black African 98.5% (major tribes: Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%),
- European
- other 1.5% (1998)
  
Religions:
- Christian 63%,
- indigenous beliefs 21%,
- Islam 16%

Literacy rate: 75% (2003 est.)

Economic summary
- GDP/PPP (2004 est.): $48.27 billion; per capita $2,300.
- Real growth rate: 5.4%.
- Inflation: 13%.
- Unemployment: 20% (1997 est.).
- Arable land: 16%.
- Agriculture: cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber.
- Labor force: 10.24 million; agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.).
- Industries: mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing.
- Natural resources: gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower.
- Exports: $2.642 billion (f.o.b., 2003 est.): gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds.
- Imports: $3.24 billion (f.o.b., 2003 est.): capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs.
- Major trading partners: Netherlands, UK, U.S., Germany, France, Nigeria, Belgium, Italy, China, Côte d'Ivoire.

Communications
- Telephones: main lines in use: 240,000 (2001); mobile cellular: 150,000 (2001).
- Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001).
- Radios: 12.5 million (2001).
- Television broadcast stations: 10 (2001).
- Televisions: 1.9 million (2001).
- Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 12 (2000).
- Internet users: 200,000 (2002).

Transportation
- Railways: total: 953 km (undergoing major rehabilitation) (2002).
- Highways: total: 39,409 km; paved: 11,665 km; unpaved: 27,744 km (1999 est.). Waterways: 1,293 km; note: Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers provide 1,125 km of perennial navigation for launches and lighters; Lake Volta provides 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways.
- Ports and harbors: Takoradi, Tema.
- Airports: 12 (2002).