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Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Ghana
conventional short form: Ghana
former: Gold Coast
Data code: GH
Government type: constitutional democracy
Capital: Accra
Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western
Independence: 6 March 1957 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 March (1957)
Constitution: new constitution approved 28 April 1992
Legal system: based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 7 January
1993); Vice President John Evans Atta MILLS (since 7 January 1993);
note—the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 7 January
1993); Vice President John Evans Atta MILLS (since 7 January 1993);
note—the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject
to approval by the Parliament
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 December
1996 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results: Jerry John RAWLINGS reelected president; percent
of vote—RAWLINGS 57%
Legislative branch: unicameral
Parliament (200 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote
to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 December 1996 (next to be held NA December
2000)
election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—NDC
133, NPP 61, PCP 5, PNC 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu YAHAYA, general secretary]; New Patriotic Party or NPP [Peter Ala ADJETY]; People's Heritage Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander ERSKINE]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sarpong KUMA-KUMA]; Every Ghanian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA, chairman]; People's Convention Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting chairman]; People's National Convention or PNC [Edward MAHAMA]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, 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
telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520
FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527
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
telephone: [233] (21) 775348
FAX: [233] (21) 776008
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