Nigeria 16.7%, China 13%, UK 5.7%, Belgium 4.7%, US 4.7%, South Africa 4.1%, France 4.1% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$1.316 billion in loans and grants (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.837 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.898 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 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
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Communications Ghana
Telephones - main lines in use:
356,400 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
5.207 million (2006)
Telephone system:
general assessment: fixed-line infrastructure outdated and unreliable; competition among multiple mobile-cellular providers has spurred growth with subscribership about 25 per 100 persons and rising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
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:
2,899 (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
12 (2000)
Internet users:
609,800 (2006)
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: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,032 GRT/7,282 DWT
by type: petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2
foreign-owned: 1 (Brazil 1) (2007)
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:
males age 16-49: 273,265
females age 16-49: 267,204 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.8% (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 15 July, 2008
The World Factbook
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:
NA
Natural hazards:
NA
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: 1.01 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:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
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
Government Gibraltar
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Gibraltar
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
NA
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%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.9% (2005)
Budget:
revenues: $455.1 million
expenditures: $423.6 million (2005 est.)
Public debt:
15.7% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products:
none
Industries:
tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
141 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
141 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:
25,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports:
24,350 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2005)
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: