Ghana
Part # 1 People living in Ghana
Ghana 26 million people
Switzerland 8 million people
1.3 million
6.15 million
Life expectancy
66 years
82 years
GDP per capita
USD 3,500
USD 55,000
Population Internet users
Sources https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gh.html https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sz.html
Ghana http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970204528204577009922309104512
United Kingdom
The population of Ghana is growing
Germany
Official language
English.
Major foreign languages French and Hausa. Ghanian dialects
56 Ghanaian dialects of which Akwapim Twi, Asante Twi, Fante, Dangbe, Ewe, Kasem, Gonja, Dagare, Ga Dagbani and Nzema are the major languages.
http://www.proudlyafrican.info/Ghana/Top-Sustainable-Companies-in-Best-of-Ghana.aspx
http://geert-hofstede.com/ghana.html
Ghana culture
There are few women in the Ghana parliament
http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GenderGap_Report_2013.pdf
Most of these issues are morally unacceptable in Ghana
http://www.pewglobal.org/2014/04/15/global-morality/country/ghana/
Many people in Ghana – and Africa in general – are religious
http://www.gallup.com/poll/114211/Alabamians-Iranians-Common.aspx
Part # 2 Economy of Ghana
Natural resources
Silver
Diamonds
Gold Cocoa Bauxite
Manganese Limestone
Natural resources in Ghana
Rubber Fish
Timber
Hydropower
Oil
Salt
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gh.html
Gold and cocoa account for 2/3 of exports.
http://media.ft.com/cms/e70a60ce-dee3-11de-adff-00144feab49a.pdf
Agriculture
Country size and arable land Ghana 238,000 km2 18% is arable land
Switzerland 41,000 km2 10% is arable land
Sources https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gh.html https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sz.html
Agriculture accounts for about 35% of GDP and employs about 55% of the work force - mainly small landholders.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gh.html
About 50% of the population in Ghana lack adequate water supplies. 70% of all illnesses in Ghana are related to waterborne contaminants. Mahajan, Vijay: Africa Rising, p. 176.
Harvard University and MIT provide lending support to establish an agribusiness training center at the Afram Plains on the shoreline of the Lake Volta in Ghana.
The agribusiness knowledge center will facilitate research and industry training of farmers as entrepreneurs as well as assist the innovation in sustainable economic, environmental and social impact designs. http://www.ventures-africa.com/2013/03/harvard-university-mit-to-support-agribusiness-training-centre-setup-in-ghana/
24% of the total cocoa harvest 2010 / 2011 was in Ghana
http://www.chocosuisse.ch/web/chocosuisse/en/documentation/facts_figures.html
Energy and transportation
Road transport accounts for 96% of passenger and freight traffic in Ghana. Buses account for 60% and taxis for 15% of passenger movement. The remaining 25% is accounted for by private cars. http://www.gipcghana.com/invest-in-ghana/why-ghana/infrastructure/transportation-infrastructure.html
The Adome bridge crosses the Volta river
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_in_Ghana
The 1,000 km. railway network in Ghana has improvement potential
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_in_Ghana http://www.gipcghana.com/invest-in-ghana/why-ghana/infrastructure/transportation-infrastructure.html
Most of Ghana’s chief export, cacao, is shipped from Tema, the busiest port in Ghana.
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/geography/tema.php
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) is responsible for the distribution of electricity within all but northern Ghana. The Volta River Authority (VRA) is, through its distribution agency “the Northern Electricity Department (NED)� the sole distributor of electricity in the Brong-Ahafo, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, and parts of Ashanti and Volta Regions of Ghana. http://www.gipcghana.com/invest-in-ghana/doing-business-in-ghana/cost-of-doing-business/utilities.html
Telecommuniations
Vodafone Purchased 70% of formerly state-owned Ghana Telecom in 2008. MTN Market leader in Ghana as in the rest of Africa. Bharti Airtel Took over mobile operations from Zain in Africa. Millicom Emerging markets telecoms specialist. Operates as Tigo. Globacom From Nigeria. Sources http://media.ft.com/cms/e70a60ce-dee3-11de-adff-00144feab49a.pdf http://www.balancingact-africa.com/news/en/issue-no-263/telecoms/two-of-ghana-s-mobile-operators-set-to-offer-gprs-and-kasapa-launcheshttp://www.theghanaianjournal.com/2010/07/05/bharti-airtel-to-pump-200-million-into-zain-operations/
Finance
Few households in Ghana have access to financial services
Ghana http://www.weforum.org/pdf/AFCR09/AFCR09_full_report.pdf
The 5 most problematic factors for doing business in Ghana
http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Africa_Competitiveness_Report_2013.pdf
Education
The need for education in Ghana is relatively large. About Âź of the people over 15 years of age living in Ghana cannot read and write.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2103.html
Health
Ghana was the first country to roll out pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccines at the same time.
http://www.one.org/us/2014/04/23/world-immunization-week-joan-awunyo-akaba-the-ghanaian-voice-no-one-could-stifle/
Supermarkets and open-air markets
https://www.facebook.com/AccraMallLimited/
LizMart in Ashanti is owned by Albert Quagrine.
http://www.modernghana.com/news/32739/1/obuasi-hosts-ashantis-biggest-supermarket.html
Shoprite has stores in Accra and Tema.
Sources http://www.shoprite.co.za/Pages/Ghana.aspx https://www.msu.edu/course/aec/841/Discussion/DPR_Weatherspoon-Reardon-Rise_African_Supermarkets.pdf
Open-air markets still dominate the food retail system in Ghana and are preferred by non college-educated households.
http://www.ifama.org/files/IFAMR/Vol%2017/(7)%20Meng_20130041.pdf
3 examples of open-air markets Techiman’s food market. Market circle in Takoradi. Makola market outside Accra.
http://www.ifama.org/files/IFAMR/Vol%2017/(7)%20Meng_20130041.pdf
Part # 3 Political aspects
After more than 50 years of colonisation by Britain, Ghana achieved independence on March 6th, 1957, becoming the first African country to free itself from a colonial power.
http://www.cet.uct.ac.za/files/file/ghana.pdf
http://www.eiu.com/index.asp?layout=infographics&info_name=infographic_democracy
Democracy around the world
Democracy in Ghana
Green = free Purple = Not free
Free press in Ghana
Ghana http://www.freedomhouse.org/report-types/freedom-press
Degree of corruption in Ghana
Ghana http://www.transparency.org/cpi
Ghana is a relatively peaceful country
http://www.visionofhumanity.org/
Further inspiration
https://twitter.com/ghanadecides https://twitter.com/JDMahama https://twitter.com/KBAmissahArthur