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: universal at 18

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Jerry John RAWLINGS (since 3 November 1992) election last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA)
cabinet: Cabinet; president nominates members subject to approval by the Parliament

Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly: elections last held 29 December 1992 (next to be held NA)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: National Democratic Congress, Jerry John Rawlings; New Patriotic Party, Albert Adu BOAHEN; People's Heritage Party, Alex Erskine; various other smaller parties
Member of: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ekwow SPIO-GARBRAH
chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 686-4520
FAX: (202) 686-4527
consulate(s) general: New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth L. BROWN
embassy: Ring Road East, East of Danquah Circle, Accra
mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra
telephone: [233] (21) 775348, 775349, 775297 or 775298
FAX: [233] (21) 776008

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in the gold 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

NOTE: The information regarding Ghana on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Ghana Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Ghana Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.