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FACT FILE
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Location:
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Western Africa, bordering the
Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo |
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Geographic coordinates:
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8 00 N, 2 00 W |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total: 239,460 sq km
land: 230,940 sq km
water: 8,520 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Oregon |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 2,094 km
border countries: Burkina
Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km |
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Coastline:
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539 km |
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200
NM |
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Climate:
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tropical; warm and
comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest;
hot and dry in north |
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Terrain:
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mostly low plains with
dissected plateau in south-central area |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic
Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount
Afadjato 880 m |
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Natural resources:
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gold, timber, industrial
diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land: 16%
permanent crops: 7%
other: 77% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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110 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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dry, dusty, northeastern
harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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recurrent drought in north
severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing;
soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife
populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Marine Life Conservation |
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Geography - note:
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Lake Volta is the world's
largest artificial lake |
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Capital: Accra
Area: 238 537 km²
Population: 17 832 000
Currency: 1 US$ = 2290 Cedi
GDP: 156/1 051$
HDI : 132/475
Languages: English, Ewe, Gaadanghe, Akan, Dagbandi, Mamprussi, Ga,
Twi
Ethnic groups: Ashanti (center), Fanti (coast) , Nzima & Ahanta
(southwest), Ga (Accra), Moshi-Dogamba & Gompa (north)
Religions: Christian 60%, Animist 20 %, Muslim 20% |
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