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Key Social, Economic and Demographic Indicators :

     The social, economic and demographic structure of the country has not changed much since independence. The primary sector (agriculture, mining and quarrying, forestry,) continues to dominate the economy, in terms of its contribution to output, employment, revenue generation, and foreign exchange earnings. Agriculture is the main economic activity and, currently, accounts for about 51 percent of the Gross Domestic Product and about 54 percent of the labour force.  The social structure remains predominantly traditional, rural and informal, with close family links, while the population remains young, with relatively high but declining fertility and low mortality levels.

Percentage Distribution of Urban /Rural Population by Sex (1960, 1970, 1984 and 2000)

     The social, economic and demographic structure of the country has not changed much since independence. The primary sector (agriculture, mining and quarrying, forestry,) continues to dominate the economy, in terms of its contribution to output, employment, revenue generation, and foreign exchange earnings. Agriculture is the main economic activity and, currently, accounts for about 51 percent of the Gross Domestic Product and about 54 percent of the labour force.  The social structure remains predominantly traditional, rural and informal, with close family links, while the population remains young, with relatively high but declining fertility and low mortality levels.

Percentage Distribution of Urban /Rural Population by Sex (1960, 1970, 1984 and 2000) .

 

Sex

1960

1970

1984

2000

Urban

Rural

Urban

Rural

Urban

Rural

Urban

Rural

Male
Female

11.9
11.2

38.7
38.2

14.4
14.5

35.2
35.9

15.6
16.4

33.7
34.3

21.4
22.4

28.1
28.1

Total

23.1

76.9

28.9

71.1

32.0

68.0

43.8

56.2


 

TOTAL LAND AREA:

 

238,539 sq km

POPULATION(2000):

18,912,079

          (NON RESIDENTIAL):

(41,771)

POPULATION GROWTH RATE (1984-2000):

2.7 per annum 

POPULATION DENSITY:

79.3%

POPULATION URBAN:   

43.8%

 


AGE STRUCTURE OF POPULATION

            <15:

41.3%

            15-64:

53.4%

            >64:

5.3%

DEPENDENCY RATIO:

87.3%

SEX STRUCTURE OF POPULATION

            MALE:

49.5%

            FEMALE:

50.5%

SEX RATIO:

97.9 males to 100 females

LITERACY(15 YEARS  AND OLDER) :

 

            ENGLISH ONLY:

12.7%

            GHANAIAN LANGUAGE ONLY:

6.4%

            ENGLISH AND GHANAIAN LANGUAGE:

34.2%

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE:

11.2%

SECTOR OF EMPLOYMENT:

            PUBLIC:

5.9%

            SEMI-PUBLIC / PARASTATAL:

2.9%

            PRIVATE FORMAL:

7.8%

            PRIVATE INFORMAL:

80.4%

            OTHERS:

3.0%

HOUSING CONDITIONS

            NUMBER OF HOUSES:

2,181,975

            NUMBER OF DWELLING UNITS:

3,877,418

            (UNOCCUPIED UNITS):

(179,081)

NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS:                             3,701,241

            RURAL SHARE OF HOUSING STOCK:

65.9%

            AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD SIZE:

5.1%

MAIN SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER:

            PIPE-BORNE / TANKER:

42.1%

            WELL / BOREHOLE:

33.0%

MAIN SOURCE OF LIGHTING

            ELECTRICITY:

43.7%

            KEROSINE LAMP:

54.9%

MAIN SOURCE OF COOKING FUEL:

            WOOD:

55.8%

            CHARCOAL:

30.0%

            GAS/ ELECTRICITY/ KEROSINE:

9.3%


INFLATION
MONTHLY

POINT TO
POINT

AVERAGE

END-YEAR 2002

1.4

15.2

14.8

JANUARY 2003

2.0

16.3

14.6

FEBRUARY

12.8

29.4

15.6

MARCH

2.5

29.9

16.8

APRIL

1.5

30.0

18.1

MAY

1.2

29.8

19.5

JUNE

0.8

29.6

20.8



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