Cote d'Ivoire vs. Ghana
Introduction
| Cote d'Ivoire | Ghana | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | Various small kingdoms ruled the area of Cote d'Ivoire between the 15th and 19th centuries, when European explorers arrived and then began to expand their presence. In 1844, France established a protectorate. During this period, many of these kingdoms and tribes fought to maintain their cultural identities - some well into the 20th century. For example, the Sanwi kingdom - originally founded in the 17th century - tried to break away from Cote d'Ivoire and establish an independent state in 1969. After becoming independent in 1960, Cote d'Ivoire took advantage of close ties with France, cocoa production and export, and foreign investment to become one of the most prosperous states in West Africa. In December 1999, however, a military coup overthrew the government. In late 2000, junta leader Robert GUEI held rigged elections and declared himself the winner. Popular protests forced him to step aside and Laurent GBAGBO was elected. In September 2002, Ivoirian dissidents and members of the military launched a failed coup that developed into a civil war. In 2003, a cease-fire resulted in rebels holding the north, the government holding the south, and peacekeeping forces occupying a buffer zone in the middle. In March 2007, President GBAGBO and former rebel leader Guillaume SORO signed an agreement in which SORO joined GBAGBO's government as prime minister. The two agreed to reunite the country by dismantling the buffer zone, integrating rebel forces into the national armed forces, and holding elections. In November 2010, Alassane Dramane OUATTARA won the presidential election, but GBAGBO refused to hand over power, resulting in five months of violent conflict. In April 2011, after widespread fighting, GBAGBO was formally forced from office by armed OUATTARA supporters and UN and French forces. In 2015, OUATTARA won a second term. In October 2020, OUATTARA won a controversial third presidential term, despite a two-term limit in the Ivoirian constitution. In March 2021, the International Criminal Court in The Hague ruled on a final acquittal for GBAGBO, who was on trial for crimes against humanity.
| Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first Sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. Ghana endured a series of coups before Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS took power in 1981 and banned political parties. After approving a new constitution and restoring multiparty politics in 1992, RAWLINGS won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996 but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. John Atta MILLS of the National Democratic Congress won the 2008 presidential election and took over as head of state. MILLS died in July 2012 and was constitutionally succeeded by his vice president, John Dramani MAHAMA, who subsequently won the December 2012 presidential election. In 2016, Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO of the NPP defeated MAHAMA, marking the third time that Ghana's presidency has changed parties since the return to democracy. |
Geography
| Cote d'Ivoire | Ghana | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia | Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo |
| Geographic coordinates | 8 00 N, 5 00 W | 8 00 N, 2 00 W |
| Map references | Africa | Africa |
| Area | total: 322,463 sq km land: 318,003 sq km water: 4,460 sq km | total: 238,533 sq km land: 227,533 sq km water: 11,000 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than New Mexico | slightly smaller than Oregon |
| Land boundaries | total: 3,458 km border countries (5): Burkina Faso 545 km, Ghana 720 km, Guinea 816 km, Liberia 778 km, Mali 599 km | total: 2,420 km border countries (3): Burkina Faso 602 km, Cote d'Ivoire 720 km, Togo 1098 km |
| Coastline | 515 km | 539 km |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm |
| Climate | tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October) | tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north |
| Terrain | mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest | mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Monts Nimba 1,752 m lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m mean elevation: 250 m | highest point: Mount Afadjato 885 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 190 m |
| Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower | gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone |
| Land use | agricultural land: 64.8% (2018 est.) arable land: 9.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 14.2% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 41.5% (2018 est.) forest: 32.7% (2018 est.) other: 2.5% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 69.1% (2018 est.) arable land: 20.7% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 11.9% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 36.5% (2018 est.) forest: 21.2% (2018 est.) other: 9.7% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 730 sq km (2012) | 340 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible | dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds from January to March; droughts |
| Environment - current issues | deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewage, and from industrial, mining, and agricultural effluents | recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threaten wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
| Geography - note | most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated | Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake (manmade reservoir) by surface area (8,482 sq km; 3,275 sq mi); the lake was created following the completion of the Akosombo Dam in 1965, which holds back the White Volta and Black Volta Rivers |
| Total renewable water resources | 84.14 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 56.2 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | the population is primarily located in the forested south, with the highest concentration of people residing in and around the cities on the Atlantic coast; most of the northern savanna remains sparsely populated with higher concentrations located along transportation corridors as shown in this population distribution map | population is concentrated in the southern half of the country, with the highest concentrations being on or near the Atlantic coast as shown in this population distribution map |
Demographics
| Cote d'Ivoire | Ghana | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,088,455 (July 2021 est.) note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected | 32,372,889 (July 2021 est.) note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 38.53% (male 5,311,971/female 5,276,219) 15-24 years: 20.21% (male 2,774,374/female 2,779,012) 25-54 years: 34.88% (male 4,866,957/female 4,719,286) 55-64 years: 3.53% (male 494,000/female 476,060) 65 years and over: 2.85% (male 349,822/female 433,385) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 37.44% (male 5,524,932/female 5,460,943) 15-24 years: 18.64% (male 2,717,481/female 2,752,601) 25-54 years: 34.27% (male 4,875,985/female 5,177,959) 55-64 years: 5.21% (male 743,757/female 784,517) 65 years and over: 4.44% (male 598,387/female 703,686) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 20.3 years male: 20.3 years female: 20.3 years (2020 est.) | total: 21.4 years male: 21 years female: 21.9 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 2.21% (2021 est.) | 2.26% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 28.67 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 29.08 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 7.75 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | 1.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | -0.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 57.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 64.83 deaths/1,000 live births female: 49.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 33.33 deaths/1,000 live births male: 36.86 deaths/1,000 live births female: 29.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 61.8 years male: 59.62 years female: 64.05 years (2021 est.) | total population: 69.01 years male: 67.33 years female: 70.74 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 3.6 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 3.71 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 2.1% (2020 est.) | 1.7% (2020 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Ivoirian(s) adjective: Ivoirian | noun: Ghanaian(s) adjective: Ghanaian |
| Ethnic groups | Akan 28.9%, Voltaique or Gur 16.1%, Northern Mande 14.5%, Kru 8.5%, Southern Mande 6.9%, unspecified 0.9%, non-Ivoirian 24.2% (2014 est.) | Akan 47.5%, Mole-Dagbon 16.6%, Ewe 13.9%, Ga-Dangme 7.4%, Gurma 5.7%, Guan 3.7%, Grusi 2.5%, Mande 1.1%, other 1.4% (2010 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 380,000 (2020 est.) | 350,000 (2020 est.) |
| Religions | Muslim 42.9%, Catholic 17.2%, Evangelical 11.8%, Methodist 1.7%, other Christian 3.2%, animist 3.6%, other religion 0.5%, none 19.1% (2014 est.) note: the majority of foreign migrant workers are Muslim (72.7%) and Christian (17.7%) | Christian 71.2% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 28.3%, Protestant 18.4%, Catholic 13.1%, other 11.4%), Muslim 17.6%, traditional 5.2%, other 0.8%, none 5.2% (2010 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 13,000 (2020 est.) | 13,000 (2020 est.) |
| Languages | French (official), 60 native dialects of which Dioula is the most widely spoken major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. | Asante 16%, Ewe 14%, Fante 11.6%, Boron (Brong) 4.9%, Dagomba 4.4%, Dangme 4.2%, Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.9%, Kokomba 3.5%, Akyem 3.2%, Ga 3.1%, other 31.2% (2010 est.) note: English is the official language |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 47.2% male: 53.7% female: 40.5% (2018) | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.6% male: 82% female: 71.4% (2015) |
| Major infectious diseases | degree of risk: very high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever water contact diseases: schistosomiasis animal contact diseases: rabies respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis | degree of risk: very high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever water contact diseases: schistosomiasis animal contact diseases: rabies respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 11 years male: 10 years female: 9 years (2017) | total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2019) |
| Education expenditures | 3.3% of GDP (2018) | 4% of GDP (2018) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 52.2% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 3.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 58% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 3.06% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 90.4% of population rural: 67.8% of population total: 79.2% of population unimproved: urban: 9.6% of population rural: 32.2% of population total: 20.8% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 97.4% of population rural: 80.6% of population total: 89.9% of population unimproved: urban: 2.6% of population rural: 19.4% of population total: 10.1% of population (2017 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 75.9% of population rural: 32.7% of population total: 54.5% of population unimproved: urban: 24.1% of population rural: 67.3% of population total: 45.5% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 84.2% of population rural: 49.5% of population total: 68.7% of population unimproved: urban: 15.8% of population rural: 50.5% of population total: 31.3% of population (2017 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 231,000 YAMOUSSOUKRO (capital) (2018), 5.355 million ABIDJAN (seat of government) (2021) | 3.390 million Kumasi, 2.557 million ACCRA (capital), 991,000 Sekondi Takoradi (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 617 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 308 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 12.8% (2016) | 12.6% (2017/18) |
| Health expenditures | 4.2% (2018) | 3.5% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 0.23 physicians/1,000 population (2014) | 0.14 physicians/1,000 population (2017) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 10.3% (2016) | 10.9% (2016) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 19.6 years (2011/12 est.) note: median age at first birth among women 20-49 | 20.7 years (2014 est.) note: median age at first birth among women 25-49 |
| Demographic profile | Cote d'Ivoire's population is likely to continue growing for the foreseeable future because almost 60% of the populace is younger than 25, the total fertility rate is holding steady at about 3.5 children per woman, and contraceptive use is under 20%. The country will need to improve education, health care, and gender equality in order to turn its large and growing youth cohort into human capital. Even prior to 2010 unrest that shuttered schools for months, access to education was poor, especially for women. As of 2015, only 53% of men and 33% of women were literate. The lack of educational attainment contributes to Cote d'Ivoire's high rates of unskilled labor, adolescent pregnancy, and HIV/AIDS prevalence. Following its independence in 1960, Cote d'Ivoire's stability and the blossoming of its labor-intensive cocoa and coffee industries in the southwest made it an attractive destination for migrants from other parts of the country and its neighbors, particularly Burkina Faso. The HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY administration continued the French colonial policy of encouraging labor immigration by offering liberal land ownership laws. Foreigners from West Africa, Europe (mainly France), and Lebanon composed about 25% of the population by 1998. Ongoing economic decline since the 1980s and the power struggle after HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY's death in 1993 ushered in the politics of "Ivoirite," institutionalizing an Ivoirian identity that further marginalized northern Ivoirians and scapegoated immigrants. The hostile Muslim north-Christian south divide snowballed into a 2002 civil war, pushing tens of thousands of foreign migrants, Liberian refugees, and Ivoirians to flee to war-torn Liberia or other regional countries and more than a million people to be internally displaced. Subsequently, violence following the contested 2010 presidential election prompted some 250,000 people to seek refuge in Liberia and other neighboring countries and again internally displaced as many as a million people. By July 2012, the majority had returned home, but ongoing inter-communal tension and armed conflict continue to force people from their homes. | Ghana has a young age structure, with approximately 57% of the population under the age of 25. Its total fertility rate fell significantly during the 1980s and 1990s but has stalled at around four children per woman for the last few years. Fertility remains higher in the northern region than the Greater Accra region. On average, desired fertility has remained stable for several years; urban dwellers want fewer children than rural residents. Increased life expectancy, due to better health care, nutrition, and hygiene, and reduced fertility have increased Ghana's share of elderly persons; Ghana's proportion of persons aged 60+ is among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Poverty has declined in Ghana, but it remains pervasive in the northern region, which is susceptible to droughts and floods and has less access to transportation infrastructure, markets, fertile farming land, and industrial centers. The northern region also has lower school enrollment, higher illiteracy, and fewer opportunities for women. Ghana was a country of immigration in the early years after its 1957 independence, attracting labor migrants largely from Nigeria and other neighboring countries to mine minerals and harvest cocoa - immigrants composed about 12% of Ghana's population in 1960. In the late 1960s, worsening economic and social conditions discouraged immigration, and hundreds of thousands of immigrants, mostly Nigerians, were expelled. During the 1970s, severe drought and an economic downturn transformed Ghana into a country of emigration; neighboring Cote d'Ivoire was the initial destination. Later, hundreds of thousands of Ghanaians migrated to Nigeria to work in its booming oil industry, but most were deported in 1983 and 1985 as oil prices plummeted. Many Ghanaians then turned to more distant destinations, including other parts of Africa, Europe, and North America, but the majority continued to migrate within West Africa. Since the 1990s, increased emigration of skilled Ghanaians, especially to the US and the UK, drained the country of its health care and education professionals. Internally, poverty and other developmental disparities continue to drive Ghanaians from the north to the south, particularly to its urban centers. |
| Contraceptive prevalence rate | 23.3% (2018) | 27.2% (2017/18) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 79.8 youth dependency ratio: 74.6 elderly dependency ratio: 5.2 potential support ratio: 19.3 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 67.4 youth dependency ratio: 62.2 elderly dependency ratio: 5.3 potential support ratio: 17.1 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Cote d'Ivoire | Ghana | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire local short form: Cote d'Ivoire former: Ivory Coast etymology: name reflects the intense ivory trade that took place in the region from the 15th to 17th centuries note: pronounced coat-div-whar | conventional long form: Republic of Ghana conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast etymology: named for the medieval West African kingdom of the same name but whose location was actually further north than the modern country |
| Government type | presidential republic | presidential republic |
| Capital | name: Yamoussoukro (legislative capital), Abidjan (administrative capital); note - although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the administrative capital as well as the officially designated economic capital; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan geographic coordinates: 6 49 N, 5 16 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Yamoussoukro is named after Queen YAMOUSSOU, who ruled in the village of N'Gokro in 1929 at the time of French colonization; the village was renamed Yamoussoukro, the suffix "-kro" meaning "town" in the native Baoule language; Abidjan's name supposedly comes from a misunderstanding; tradition states that an old man carrying branches met a European explorer who asked for the name of the nearest village; the man, not understanding and terrified by this unexpected encounter, fled shouting "min-chan m'bidjan," which in the Ebrie language means: "I return from cutting leaves"; the explorer, thinking that his question had been answered, recorded the name of the locale as Abidjan; a different version has the first colonists asking native women the name of the place and getting a similar response | name: Accra geographic coordinates: 5 33 N, 0 13 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name derives from the Akan word "nkran" meaning "ants," and refers to the numerous anthills in the area around the capital |
| Administrative divisions | 12 districts and 2 autonomous districts*; Abidjan*, Bas-Sassandra, Comoe, Denguele, Goh-Djiboua, Lacs, Lagunes, Montagnes, Sassandra-Marahoue, Savanes, Vallee du Bandama, Woroba, Yamoussoukro*, Zanzan | 16 regions; Ahafo, Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, North East, Northern, Oti, Savannah, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western, Western North |
| Independence | 7 August 1960 (from France) | 6 March 1957 (from the UK) |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 7 August (1960) | Independence Day, 6 March (1957) |
| Constitution | history: previous 1960, 2000; latest draft completed 24 September 2016, approved by the National Assembly 11 October 2016, approved by referendum 30 October 2016, promulgated 8 November 2016 amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; consideration of drafts or proposals requires an absolute majority vote by the parliamentary membership; passage of amendments affecting presidential elections, presidential term of office and vacancies, and amendment procedures requires approval by absolute majority in a referendum; passage of other proposals by the president requires at least four-fifths majority vote by Parliament; constitutional articles on the sovereignty of the state and its republican and secular form of government cannot be amended; amended 2020 | history: several previous; latest drafted 31 March 1992, approved and promulgated 28 April 1992, entered into force 7 January 1993 amendments: proposed by Parliament; consideration requires prior referral to the Council of State, a body of prominent citizens who advise the president of the republic; passage of amendments to "entrenched" constitutional articles (including those on national sovereignty, fundamental rights and freedoms, the structure and authorities of the branches of government, and amendment procedures) requires approval in a referendum by at least 40% participation of eligible voters and at least 75% of votes cast, followed by at least two-thirds majority vote in Parliament, and assent of the president; amendments to non-entrenched articles do not require referenda; amended 1996 |
| Legal system | civil law system based on the French civil code; judicial review of legislation held in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court | mixed system of English common law and customary law |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Alassane Dramane OUATTARA (since 4 December 2010); Vice President (vacant); note - Vice President Daniel Kablan DUNCAN resigned 8 July 2020; note - the 2016 constitution calls for the establishment of the position of vice-president head of government: Prime Minister Patrick ACHI (since 10 March 2021); note - ACHI was acting prime minister from 8-10 March 2021 and became prime minister upon former Prime Minister Hamed BAKAYOKO's death on 10 March 2021 cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single renewable 5-year term ; election last held on 31 October 2020 (next to be held in October 2025); vice president elected on same ballot as president; prime minister appointed by the president; note - because President OUATTARA promulgated the new constitution during his second term, he has claimed that the clock is reset on term limits, allowing him to run for up to two additional terms election results: Alassane OUATTARA reelected president; percent of vote - Alassane OUATTARA (RDR) 94.3%, Kouadio Konan BERTIN (PDCI-RDA) 2.0%, other 3.7% | chief of state: President Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO (since 7 January 2017); Vice President Mahamudu BAWUMIA (since 7 January 2017); the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO (since 7 January 2017); Vice President Mahamudu BAWUMIA (since 7 January 2017) cabinet: Council of Ministers; nominated by the president, approved by Parliament elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 December 2020 (next to be held in December 2024) election results: Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO (NPP) 51.3%, John Dramani MAHAMA (NDC) 47.4%, other 1.3% |
| Legislative branch | description: bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate or Senat (99 seats; 66 members indirectly elected by the National Assembly and members of municipal, autonomous districts, and regional councils, and 33 members appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) National Assembly (255 seats; members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms) elections: Senate - first ever held on 25 March 2018 (next to be held in 2023) National Assembly - last held on 6 March 2021 (next to be held in 2026) election results: Senate - percent by party NA; seats by party - RHDP 50, independent 16; composition - men 80, women 19, percent of women 19.2% National Assembly - percent of vote by party - RHDP 49.18%, PDCI-RRA-EDS 16.53%, DPIC 6.01%, TTB 2.017% IPF 1.96% seats by party - RHDP, 137, PDCI-RRA-EDS 50, DPIC 23, TTB 8, IPF 2; composition - men 217, women 32, percent of women 13%; note - total Parliament percent of women 32% | description: unicameral Parliament (275 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 7 December 2020 (next to be held in December 2024) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party (preliminary) - NPC 137, NDC 136, other 1, independent 1; composition - NA |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (organized into Judicial, Audit, Constitutional, and Administrative Chambers; consists of the court president, 3 vice presidents for the Judicial, Audit, and Administrative chambers, and 9 associate justices or magistrates) judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the Superior Council of the Magistrature, a 7-member body consisting of the national president (chairman), 3 "bench" judges, and 3 public prosecutors; judges appointed for life subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (organized into civil, criminal, and social chambers); first instance courts; peace courts | highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 13 justices) judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the president in consultation with the Council of State (a small advisory body of prominent citizens) and with the approval of Parliament; other justices appointed by the president upon the advice of the Judicial Council (an 18-member independent body of judicial, military and police officials, and presidential nominees) and on the advice of the Council of State; justices can retire at age 60, with compulsory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Circuit Court; District Court; regional tribunals |
| Political parties and leaders | Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire or PDCI [Henri Konan BEDIE] Ivorian Popular Front or FPI [former pres. Laurent GBAGBO] Liberty and Democracy for the Republic or LIDER [Mamadou KOULIBALY] Movement of the Future Forces or MFA [Innocent Augustin ANAKY KOBENA] Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace or RHDP [Alassane OUATTARA] (alliance includes MFA, PDCI, RDR, UDPCI, UPCI) Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Henriette DIABATE] Union for Cote d'Ivoire or UPCI [Gnamien KONAN] Union for Democracy and Peace in Cote d'Ivoire or UDPCI [Albert Toikeusse MABRI] | All Peoples Congress or APC [Hassan AYARIGA] Convention People's Party or CPP [Edmund N. DELLE] Ghana Freedom Party or GFP [Akua DONKOR] Ghana Union Movement or GUM [Christian Kwabena ANDREWS] Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Henry Herbert LARTEY] Liberal Party of Ghana or LPG [Kofi AKPALOO] National Democratic Congress or NDC [John Dramani MAHAMA] National Democratic Party or NDP [Nana Konadu Agyeman RAWLINGS] New Patriotic Party or NPP [Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO] People's Action Party or PAP [Imoru AYARNA] People's National Convention or PNC [Edward MAHAMA] Progressive People's Party or PPP [Paa Kwesi NDUOM] United Front Party or UFP [Dr. Nana A. BOATENG] United Progressive Party or UPP [Akwasi Addai ODIKE] note: Ghana has more than 20 registered parties; included are those which participated in the 2020 general election |
| International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Mamadou HAIDARA (since 28 March 2018) chancery: 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300 FAX: [1] (202) 462-9444 email address and website: info@ambacidc.org https://ambaciusa.org/# | chief of mission: Ambassador Alima MAHAMA (since 7 July 2021) chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520 FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527 email address and website: info@ghanaembassydc.org https://ghanaembassydc.org/ consulate(s) general: New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Richard K. BELL (since 10 October 2019) embassy: B.P. 730 Abidjan Cidex 03 mailing address: 2010 Abidjan Place, Washington DC 20521-2010 telephone: [225] 27-22-49-40-00 FAX: [225] 27-22-49-43-23 email address and website: AbjAmCit@state.gov https://ci.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador Stephanie S. SULLIVAN (since 23 January 2019) embassy: No.24, Fourth Circular Road, Cantonments, Accra, P.O. Box 2288, Accra mailing address: 2020 Accra Place, Washington DC 20521-2020 telephone: [233] (0) 30-274-1000 email address and website: ACSAccra@state.gov https://gh.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green; orange symbolizes the land (savannah) of the north and fertility, white stands for peace and unity, green represents the forests of the south and the hope for a bright future note: similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white, and red; design was based on the flag of France | three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green, with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; red symbolizes the blood shed for independence, yellow represents the country's mineral wealth, while green stands for its forests and natural wealth; the black star is said to be the lodestar of African freedom note: 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 |
| National anthem | name: "L'Abidjanaise" (Song of Abidjan) lyrics/music: Mathieu EKRA, Joachim BONY, and Pierre Marie COTY/Pierre Marie COTY and Pierre Michel PANGO note: adopted 1960; although the nation's capital city moved from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro in 1983, the anthem still owes its name to the former capital | name: God Bless Our Homeland Ghana lyrics/music: unknown/Philip GBEHO note: music adopted 1957, lyrics adopted 1966; the lyrics were changed twice, in 1960 when a republic was declared and after a 1966 coup |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | elephant; national colors: orange, white, green | black star, golden eagle; national colors: red, yellow, green, black |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cote d'Ivoire dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent or grandparent must be a citizen of Ghana dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
Economy
| Cote d'Ivoire | Ghana | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | For the last 5 years Cote d'Ivoire's growth rate has been among the highest in the world. Cote d'Ivoire is heavily dependent on agriculture and related activities, which engage roughly two-thirds of the population. Cote d'Ivoire is the world's largest producer and exporter of cocoa beans and a significant producer and exporter of coffee and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products and to climatic conditions. Cocoa, oil, and coffee are the country's top export revenue earners, but the country has targeted agricultural processing of cocoa, cashews, mangoes, and other commodities as a high priority. Mining gold and exporting electricity are growing industries outside agriculture. Following the end of more than a decade of civil conflict in 2011, Cote d'Ivoire has experienced a boom in foreign investment and economic growth. In June 2012, the IMF and the World Bank announced $4.4 billion in debt relief for Cote d'Ivoire under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative. | Ghana has a market-based economy with relatively few policy barriers to trade and investment in comparison with other countries in the region, and Ghana is endowed with natural resources. Ghana's economy was strengthened by a quarter century of relatively sound management, a competitive business environment, and sustained reductions in poverty levels, but in recent years has suffered the consequences of loose fiscal policy, high budget and current account deficits, and a depreciating currency. Agriculture accounts for about 20% of GDP and employs more than half of the workforce, mainly small landholders. Gold, oil, and cocoa exports, and individual remittances, are major sources of foreign exchange. Expansion of Ghana's nascent oil industry has boosted economic growth, but the fall in oil prices since 2015 reduced by half Ghana's oil revenue. Production at Jubilee, Ghana's first commercial offshore oilfield, began in mid-December 2010. Production from two more fields, TEN and Sankofa, started in 2016 and 2017 respectively. The country's first gas processing plant at Atuabo is also producing natural gas from the Jubilee field, providing power to several of Ghana's thermal power plants. As of 2018, key economic concerns facing the government include the lack of affordable electricity, lack of a solid domestic revenue base, and the high debt burden. The AKUFO-ADDO administration has made some progress by committing to fiscal consolidation, but much work is still to be done. Ghana signed a $920 million extended credit facility with the IMF in April 2015 to help it address its growing economic crisis. The IMF fiscal targets require Ghana to reduce the deficit by cutting subsidies, decreasing the bloated public sector wage bill, strengthening revenue administration, boosting tax revenues, and improving the health of Ghana's banking sector. Priorities for the new administration include rescheduling some of Ghana's $31 billion debt, stimulating economic growth, reducing inflation, and stabilizing the currency. Prospects for new oil and gas production and follow through on tighter fiscal management are likely to help Ghana's economy in 2018. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $134.048 billion (2019 est.) $126.185 billion (2018 est.) $118.051 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars | $164.64 billion (2019 est.) $154.623 billion (2018 est.) $145.509 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 7.8% (2017 est.) 8.3% (2016 est.) 8.8% (2015 est.) | 8.4% (2017 est.) 3.7% (2016 est.) 3.8% (2015 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $5,213 (2019 est.) $5,033 (2018 est.) $4,831 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars | $5,413 (2019 est.) $5,194 (2018 est.) $4,997 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 20.1% (2017 est.) industry: 26.6% (2017 est.) services: 53.3% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 18.3% (2017 est.) industry: 24.5% (2017 est.) services: 57.2% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 39.5% (2018 est.) | 23.4% (2016 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 31.8% (2008) | lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 32.8% (2006) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | -1.1% (2019 est.) 0.3% (2018 est.) 0.6% (2017 est.) | 8.4% (2019 est.) 9.8% (2018 est.) 12.3% (2017 est.) |
| Labor force | 8.747 million (2017 est.) | 12.49 million (2017 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 68% (2007 est.) | agriculture: 44.7% industry: 14.4% services: 40.9% (2013 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 9.4% (2013 est.) | 11.9% (2015 est.) 5.2% (2013 est.) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 41.5 (2015 est.) 36.7 (1995) | 43.5 (2016 est.) 42.3 (2012-13) 41.9 (2005-06) |
| Budget | revenues: 7.749 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 9.464 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 9.544 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 12.36 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, gold mining, truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity | mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing, cement, small commercial ship building, petroleum |
| Industrial production growth rate | 4.2% (2017 est.) | 16.7% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | yams, cassava, cocoa, oil palm fruit, sugar cane, rice, plantains, maize, cashew nuts, rubber | cassava, yams, plantains, maize, oil palm fruit, taro, rice, cocoa, oranges, pineapples |
| Exports | $16.326 billion (2018 est.) $16.274 billion (2017 est.) | $13.84 billion (2017 est.) $11.14 billion (2016 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | cocoa beans, gold, rubber, refined petroleum, crude petroleum (2019) | gold, crude petroleum, cocoa products, manganese, cashews (2019) |
| Exports - partners | Netherlands 10%, United States 6%, France 6%, Spain 5%, Malaysia 5%, Switzerland 5%, Germany 5%, Vietnam 5% (2019) | Switzerland 23%, India 17%, China 12%, United Arab Emirates 8%, South Africa 8% (2019) |
| Imports | $14.248 billion (2018 est.) $13.486 billion (2017 est.) | $12.65 billion (2017 est.) $12.91 billion (2016 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | crude petroleum, rice, frozen fish, refined petroleum, packaged medicines (2019) | metal tubing, ships, cars, refined petroleum, rice (2019) |
| Imports - partners | China 18%, Nigeria 13%, France 11% (2019) | China 24%, Nigeria 22%, United States 5% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $13.07 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $11.02 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $20.467 billion (2019 est.) $17.885 billion (2018 est.) |
| Exchange rates | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 594.3 (2017 est.) 593.01 (2016 est.) 593.01 (2015 est.) 591.45 (2014 est.) 494.42 (2013 est.) | cedis (GHC) per US dollar - 5.86 (2020 est.) 5.68 (2019 est.) 4.9 (2018 est.) 3.712 (2014 est.) 2.895 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Public debt | 47% of GDP (2017 est.) 47% of GDP (2016 est.) | 71.8% of GDP (2017 est.) 73.4% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $6.257 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $4.935 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $7.555 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $6.162 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | -$1.86 billion (2017 est.) -$414 million (2016 est.) | -$2.131 billion (2017 est.) -$2.86 billion (2016 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $42.498 billion (2018 est.) | $65.363 billion (2019 est.) |
| Credit ratings | Fitch rating: B+ (2015) Moody's rating: Ba3 (2015) | Fitch rating: B (2013) Moody's rating: B3 (2015) Standard & Poors rating: B- (2020) |
| Ease of Doing Business Index scores | Overall score: 60.7 (2020) Starting a Business score: 93.7 (2020) Trading score: 52.4 (2020) Enforcement score: 57.6 (2020) | Overall score: 60 (2020) Starting a Business score: 85 (2020) Trading score: 54.8 (2020) Enforcement score: 54 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 19.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 20.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -4.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | -6% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 5.5% male: 4.7% female: 6.5% (2017 est.) | total: 9.1% male: 9.4% female: 8.7% (2017 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 61.7% (2017 est.) government consumption: 14.9% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.4% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0.3% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 30.8% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -30.1% (2017 est.) | household consumption: 80.1% (2017 est.) government consumption: 8.6% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 13.7% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 1.1% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 43% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -46.5% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 15.7% of GDP (2018 est.) 17.4% of GDP (2017 est.) 19.5% of GDP (2015 est.) | 20.9% of GDP (2018 est.) 22.4% of GDP (2017 est.) 9% of GDP (2015 est.) |
Energy
| Cote d'Ivoire | Ghana | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 9.73 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 12.52 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 6.245 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 9.363 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 872 million kWh (2015 est.) | 187 million kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 19 million kWh (2016 est.) | 511 million kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 52,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 173,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 62,350 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 6,220 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 26,700 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 104,000 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 100 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 660 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) | 22.65 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 2.322 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 914.4 million cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 2.322 billion cu m (2017 est.) | 1.232 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 317.4 million cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 1.914 million kW (2016 est.) | 3.801 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 60% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 58% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 40% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 42% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 69,360 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 2,073 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 51,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) | 90,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 31,450 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 2,654 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 7,405 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 85,110 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 76% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 99% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 51% (2019) | electrification - total population: 85% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 93% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 75% (2019) |
Telecommunications
| Cote d'Ivoire | Ghana | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 271,724 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1.01 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 288,531 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 37,376,603 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 139.16 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 40,857,077 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 132.15 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .ci | .gh |
| Internet users | total: 12,295,204 percent of population: 46.82% (July 2018 est.) | total: 10,959,964 percent of population: 39% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: Côte d'Ivoire telecom systems continue to benefit from strong economic growth; fixed-line, Internet, and broadband sectors remain underdeveloped; mobile sector is strong; progress in national backbone network and connection to submarine cable that will increase Internet bandwidth; country is poised to develop broadband market and digital economy; government further tightened SIM card registration rules (2020) (2020) domestic: less than 1 per 100 fixed-line, with multiple mobile-cellular service providers competing in the market, usage has increased to about 145 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 225; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC, ACE, MainOne, and WACS fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and South and West Africa; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: challenged by unreliable electricity, Ghana seeks to extend telecom services nationally; investment in fiber infrastructure enabled 600 additional towers to provide basic mobile services; launch of LTE has improved mobile data services, including m-commerce and banking; highly competitive Internet market, most through mobile networks; international submarine cables, and terrestrial cables have improved Internet capacity and reduced prices (2020) (2020)domestic: fixed-line 1 per 100 subscriptions; competition among multiple mobile-cellular providers has spurred growth with a subscribership of more than 134 per 100 persons and rising (2019) international: country code - 233; landing points for the SAT-3/WASC, MainOne, ACE, WACS and GLO-1 fiber-optic submarine cables that provide connectivity to South and West Africa, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors; Ghana-1 satellite launched in 2020 (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 216,723 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2018 est.) | total: 58,518 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2018 est.) |
| Broadcast media | state-controlled Radiodiffusion Television Ivoirieinne (RTI) is made up of 2 radios stations (Radio Cote d'Ivoire and Frequence2) and 2 television stations (RTI1 and RTI2), with nationwide coverage, broadcasts mainly in French; after 2011 post-electoral crisis, President OUATTARA's administration reopened RTI Bouake', the broadcaster's office in Cote d'Ivoire's 2nd largest city, where facilities were destroyed during the 2002 rebellion; Cote d'Ivoire is also home to 178 proximity radios stations, 16 religious radios stations, 5 commercial radios stations, and 5 international radios stations, according to the Haute Autorite' de la Communication Audiovisuelle (HACA); govt now runs radio UNOCIFM, a radio station previously owned by the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire; in Dec 2016, the govt announced 4 companies had been granted licenses to operate -Live TV, Optimum Media Cote d'Ivoire, the Audiovisual Company of Cote d'Ivoire (Sedaci), and Sorano-CI, out of the 4 companies only one has started operating (2019) | state-owned TV station, 2 state-owned radio networks; several privately owned TV stations and a large number of privately owned radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are accessible; several cable and satellite TV subscription services are obtainable |
Transportation
| Cote d'Ivoire | Ghana | |
|---|---|---|
| Railways | total: 660 km (2008) narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-m gauge (2008) note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso | total: 947 km (2014) narrow gauge: 947 km 1.067-m gauge (2014) |
| Roadways | total: 81,996 km (2007) paved: 6,502 km (2007) unpaved: 75,494 km (2007) note: includes intercity and urban roads; another 20,000 km of dirt roads are in poor condition and 150,000 km of dirt roads are impassable | total: 109,515 km (2009) paved: 13,787 km (2009) unpaved: 95,728 km (2009) |
| Waterways | 980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons) (2011) | 1,293 km (168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta) (2011) |
| Pipelines | 101 km condensate, 256 km gas, 118 km oil, 5 km oil/gas/water, 7 km water (2013) | 394 km gas, 20 km oil, 361 km refined products (2013) |
| Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): Abidjan, San-Pedro oil terminal(s): Espoir Offshore Terminal | major seaport(s): Takoradi, Tema |
| Merchant marine | total: 25 by type: oil tanker 2, other 23 (2020) | total: 50 by type: general cargo 6, oil tanker 3, other 41 (2020) |
| Airports | total: 27 (2013) | total: 10 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 7 (2017) over 3,047 m: 1 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2017) | total: 7 (2017) over 3,047 m: 1 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2017) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 20 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 11 (2013) under 914 m: 3 (2013) | total: 3 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2013) |
| National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 10 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 779,482 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 5.8 million mt-km (2018) | number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 21 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 467,438 (2018) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | TU | 9G |
Military
| Cote d'Ivoire | Ghana | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Armed Forces of Cote d'Ivoire (Forces Armees de Cote d'Ivoire, FACI; aka Republican Forces of Ivory Coast, FRCI): Army (Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale), Cote Air Force (Force Aerienne Cote), Special Forces (Forces Speciale); National Gendarmerie (under the Ministry of Defense); National Police (under the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection); Coordination Center for Operational Decisions (a mix of police, gendarmerie, and FACI personnel for assisting police in providing security in some large cities) (2020) | Ghana Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (2021) |
| Military service age and obligation | 18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary male and female military service; conscription is not enforced; voluntary recruitment of former rebels into the new national army is restricted to ages 22-29 (2019) | 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service, with basic education certificate; no conscription (2019) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.1% of GDP (2019 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2018) 1.3% of GDP (2017) 1.7% of GDP (2016) 1.7% of GDP (2015) | 0.4% of GDP (2019) 0.4% of GDP (2018) 0.3% of GDP (2017) 0.3% of GDP (2016) 0.4% of GDP (2015) |
| Maritime threats | the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships; in 2020, there were 98 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region; although a 24% decrease from the total number of incidents in 2019, it included all three hijackings and 9 of 11 ships fired upon worldwide; while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping; in 2020, a record 130 crew members were kidnapped in 22 separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 95% of kidnappings worldwide; approximately 51% of all incidents of piracy and armed robbery are taking place off Nigeria, which is a decrease from the 71% in 2019 and an indication pirates are traveling further to target vessels; Nigerian pirates are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2021-002 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 9 January 2021, which states in part, "Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea." | the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships; in 2020, there were 98 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region; although a 24% decrease from the total number of incidents in 2019, it included all three hijackings and 9 of 11 ships fired upon worldwide; while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping; in 2020, a record 130 crew members were kidnapped in 22 separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 95% of kidnappings worldwide; approximately 51% of all incidents of piracy and armed robbery are taking place off Nigeria, which is a decrease from the 71% in 2019 and an indication pirates are traveling further to target vessels; Nigerian pirates are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2021-002 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 9 January 2021, which states in part, "Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea." |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | the Armed Forces of Cote d'Ivoire have approximately 25,000 active troops (23,000 Army, including about 2,000 Special Forces; 1,000 Navy; 1,000 Air Force); est. 5-10,000 Gendarmerie (2020) | the Ghana Armed Forces consists of approximately 14,000 active personnel (10,000 Army; 2,000 Navy; 2,000 Air Force) (2020) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the inventory of the FACI consists mostly of older or second-hand equipment, typically of French or Soviet-era origin; Cote d'Ivoire was under a partial UN arms embargo from 2004 to 2016; since 2016, it has received limited amounts of mostly second-hand equipment from a variety of countries, with Bulgaria as the leading supplier (2020) | the inventory of the Ghana Armed Forces is a mix of Russian, Chinese, and Western equipment; since 2010, it has received armaments from a variety of suppliers, led by China, Germany, Russia, and Spain (2020) |
| Military deployments | 800 Mali (MINUSMA) (Jan 2021) | 150 Mali (MINUSMA); 875 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 850 South Sudan (UNMISS) (Jan 2021) note: Ghana has pledged to maintain about 1,000 military personnel in readiness for UN peacekeeping missions |
Transnational Issues
| Cote d'Ivoire | Ghana | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | disputed maritime border between Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana | disputed maritime border between Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire |
| Illicit drugs | illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption; utility as a narcotic transshipment point to Europe reduced by ongoing political instability; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leave the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center | 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 |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | IDPs: 308,000 (post-election conflict in 2010-11, as well as civil war from 2002-04; land disputes; most pronounced in western and southwestern regions) (2019) stateless persons: 954,531 (2020); note - many Ivoirians lack documentation proving their nationality, which prevent them from accessing education and healthcare; birth on Ivorian soil does not automatically result in citizenship; disputes over citizenship and the associated rights of the large population descended from migrants from neighboring countries is an ongoing source of tension and contributed to the country's 2002 civil war; some observers believe the government's mass naturalizations of thousands of people over the last couple of years is intended to boost its electoral support base; the government in October 2013 acceded to international conventions on statelessness and in August 2013 reformed its nationality law, key steps to clarify the nationality of thousands of residents; since the adoption of the Abidjan Declaration to eradicate statelessness in West Africa in February 2015, 6,400 people have received nationality papers | refugees (country of origin): 6,398 (Cote d'Ivoire) (flight from 2010 post-election fighting) (2021) |
Environment
| Cote d'Ivoire | Ghana | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 23.72 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 9.67 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 10.3 megatons (2020 est.) | particulate matter emissions: 31.95 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 16.67 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 22.75 megatons (2020 est.) |
| Total water withdrawal | municipal: 320 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 242 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 600 million cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 299.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 95 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 1.07 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 2.04% of GDP (2016 est.) | forest revenues: 3.51% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 4,440,814 tons (2010 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 133,224 tons (2005 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 3% (2005 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 3,538,275 tons (2005 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
