Ghana is a tropical country situated on the west coast of Africa between latitudes 4 and 11 degrees north, and bounded by Côte d'Ivoire on the west, Burkina Faso on the north and Togo on the east. The population of Ghana, according to the 2000 population census, 1 is 18.4 million, out of which 50.2% are female and 49.8% are male. The population growth is 2.6% (2000 census) and the total fertility rate 5.5 (GDHS, 1998). Life expectancy at birth is 57 years, and 46% of the population is below the age of 15. About 60% of the population live in the rural areas. The average population density is 77 per sq km, a ranging from 897 in Greater Accra Region to 31 in Northern Region. The principal religions are Christianity, Islam and African traditional religion.
The country has a mixed economy, consisting of a dominant agricultural sector (small-scale peasant farming) which absorbs about 60% of the total adult labour force, a relatively small capital intensive modern sector dominated by mining and a few other industrial activities, and a rapidly expanding informal sector dominated by petty traders, small artisans, technicians and small businessmen.
The national per capita income is about US$ 400. The inflation level is about 18%, annual growth rate 4% (2001 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, February 2002) and population growth rate around 3%. The national literacy rate is 47.9 with an urban/rural distribution of 63% and 39%; the female literacy rate is 36.4% with urban/rural distribution as 51.7/28.4 (Core Welfare Indicator Questionnaire Survey, 1997).
A decline in economic performance due to internal and external factors has negatively affected the performance of all sectors, including health, with limited resources. The population living below the poverty line has fallen from about 54 % in 1991-1992 to just fewer than 40% in 1998- 1999 (Ghana Statistical Services, 2000). Inter-regional inequalities still persist; for example, the incidence of poverty fell most sharply in Accra and the forest localities, whereas it barely declined in savannah areas.
Table 1: key social and economic indicators1
Indicator |
1998 |
2001 |
2002 |
Population, total |
18.4 million |
19.7 million |
20.1 million |
Population growth (annual %) |
2.2 |
1.8 |
1.6 |
Life expectancy (years) |
.. |
55.9 |
54.9 |
Fertility rate (births per woman) |
.. |
4.1 |
4.0 |
Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births) |
.. |
57.0 |
.. |
Under 5 mortality rate (per 1,000 children) |
.. |
100.0 |
.. |
Births attended by skilled health staff (% of total) |
44.3 |
.. |
.. |
Child immunization, measles (% of under 12 months) |
73.0 |
81.0 |
.. |
Prevalence of HIV (female, % ages 15-24) |
.. |
3.0 |
.. |
Illiteracy total (% age 15 and above) |
31.0 |
27.3 |
26.2 |
Illiteracy female (% of age 15 and above) |
40.0 |
35.5 |
34.1 |
GNI, Atlas method (current US$) |
7.1 billion |
5.8 billion |
5.4 billion |
GNI per capita, Atlas method (current US$) |
390.0 |
290.0 |
270.0 |
GDP (current $) |
7.5 billion |
5.3 billion |
6.0 billion |
GDP growth (annual %) |
4.7 |
4.0 |
4.5 |
GDP implicit price deflator (annual % growth) |
17.0 |
34.6 |
20.2 |
Value added in agriculture (% of GDP) |
36.0 |
35.9 |
34.7 |
Value added in industry (% of GDP) |
25.3 |
25.2 |
24.9 |
Value added in services (% of GDP) |
38.7 |
38.9 |
40.3 |
Exports of goods and services (% of GDP) |
33.9 |
52.2 |
51.0 |
Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) |
46.7 |
70.5 |
67.1 |
Gross capital formation (% of GDP) |
23.1 |
24.0 |
22.7 |
1 Source: World Development Indicators database, August 2003
