ECA,
ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNPREDEP, UNU, UPU,
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kobena KOOMSON
chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kathryn Dee ROBINSON
embassy: Ring Road East, East of Danquah Circle, Accra
mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top),
yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in
the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia;
similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in
the yellow band

Economy

Economy--overview: Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has
twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa.
Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial
and technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are
major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to
revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 41% of
GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. In
1995-97, Ghana made mixed progress under a three-year structural
adjustment program in cooperation with the IMF. On the minus side,
public sector wage increases and regional peacekeeping commitments
have led to continued inflationary deficit financing, depreciation
of the cedi, and rising public discontent with Ghana's austerity
measures. Power shortages also helped slow growth in 1998.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$33.6 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,800 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 41%
industry: 14%
services: 45% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: 31.4% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.4%
highest 10%: 27.3% (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 27.7% (1997 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force--by occupation: agriculture and fishing 61%, industry
10%, services 29% (1996