(69 votes; state governments sit in the Council; each has three to
six votes in proportion to population and is required to vote as a
block) and the Federal Diet or Bundestag (622 seats; members elected
by popular vote for a four-year term under a system of personalized
proportional representation; a party must win 5% of the national
vote or three direct mandates to gain proportional representation
and caucus recognition)
elections: Bundestag - last held on 27 September 2009 (next to be
held no later than autumn 2013); note - there are no elections for
the Bundesrat; composition is determined by the composition of the
state-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has the
potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election
election results: Bundestag - percent of vote by party - CDU/CSU
33.8%, SPD 23%, FDP 14.6%, Left 11.9%, Greens 10.7%, other 6%; seats
by party - CDU/CSU 239, SPD 146, FDP 93, Left 76, Greens 68
Judicial branch:
Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht (half the
judges are elected by the Bundestag and half by the Bundesrat)
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance '90/Greens [Claudia ROTH and Cem OZDEMIR]; Christian
Democratic Union or CDU [Angela MERKEL]; Christian Social Union or
CSU [Horst SEEHOFER]; Free Democratic Party or FDP [Guido
WESTERWELLE]; Left Party or Die Linke [Klaus ERNST and Gesine
LOETZSCH]; Social Democratic Party or SPD [Sigmar GABRIEL]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
business associations and employers' organizations; trade unions;
religious, immigrant, expellee, and veterans groups
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council
(observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CDB, CE,
CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8,
G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE,
Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), SICA
(observer), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMID, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Klaus SCHARIOTH
chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 298-4000
FAX: [1] (202) 298-4249
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Philip D. MURPHY
embassy: Pariser Platz 2, 14191 Berlin; note - new embassy opened 4
July 2008
mailing address: PSC 120, Box 1000, APO AE 09265, Clayallee 170,
14195 Berlin
telephone: [49] (030) 2385174
FAX: [49] (030) 8305-1215
consulate(s) general: Duesseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg,
Leipzig, Munich
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold; these
colors have played an important role in German history and can be
traced back to the medieval banner of the Holy Roman Emperor - a
black eagle with red claws and beak on a gold field
National anthem:
name: "Lied der Deutschen" (Song of the Germans)
lyrics/music: August Heinrich HOFFMANN VON FALLERSLEBE/Franz Joseph
HAYDN
note: adopted 1922, restored 1990; the anthem, also known as
"Deutschlandlied" (Song of Germany), was abolished in 1945 because
of the Nazi's use of the first verse, specifically the phrase,
"Deutschland, Deutschland uber alles" (Germany, Germany above all)
to promote nationalism; since restoration in 1990, only the third
verse is sung
Economy ::Germany
Economy - overview:
The German economy - the fifth largest economy in the world in PPP
terms and Europe's largest - is a leading exporter of machinery,
vehicles, chemicals, and household equipment and benefits from a
highly skilled labor force. Like its western European neighbors,
Germany faces significant demographic challenges to sustained
long-term growth. Low fertility rates and declining net immigration
are increasing pressure on the country's social welfare system and
necessitate structural reforms. The modernization and integration of
the eastern German economy - where unemployment can exceed 20% in
some municipalities - continues to be a costly long-term process,
with annual transfers from west to east amounting in 2008 alone to
roughly $12 billion. Reforms launched by the government of
Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER (1998-2005), deemed necessary to
address chronically high unemployment and low average growth,
contributed to strong growth in 2006 and 2007 and falling
unemployment, which in 2008 reached a new post-reunification low of
7.8%. These advances, as well as a government subsidized, reduced
working hour scheme, help explain the relatively modest increase in
unemployment during the 2008-09 recession - the deepest since World
War II - and its healthy decrease in 2010. GDP contracted nearly 5%
in 2009 but grew by 3.3% in 2010. Germany crept out of recession
thanks largely to rebounding manufacturing orders and exports -
primarily outside the Euro Zone - and relatively steady consumer
demand. Stimulus and stabilization efforts initiated in 2008 and
2009 and tax cuts introduced in Chancellor Angela MERKEL's second
term increased Germany's budget deficit to 3.3% in 2009 and to 3.6%
in 2010. The EU has given Germany until 2013 to get its consolidated
budget deficit below 3% of GDP. A new constitutional amendment
likewise limits the federal government to structural deficits of no
more than 0.35% of GDP per annum as of 2016.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.951 trillion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
$2.857 trillion (2009 est.)
$2.998 trillion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.306 trillion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.3% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
-4.7% (2009 est.)
1% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$35,900 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
$34,700 (2009 est.)
$36,400 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.8%
industry: 27.9%
services: 71.3% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
43.35 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2.4%
industry: 29.7%
services: 67.8% (2005)
Unemployment rate:
7.1% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
7.5% (2009 est.)
note: this is the International Labor Organization's estimated rate
for international comparisons; Germany's Federal Employment Office
estimated a seasonally adjusted rate of 10.8%
Population below poverty line:
11% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.6%
highest 10%: 24% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
27 (2006)
country comparison to the world: 125
30 (1994)
Investment (gross fixed):
18% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
Public debt:
74.8% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
73.2% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
0.3% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
1.75% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 120
3% (31 December 2008)
note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal
lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro
area
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
4.96% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
5.97% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$1.627 trillion (31 December 2010 est)
country comparison to the world: 6
$1.681 trillion (31 December 2009 est)
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro
area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for
the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual
members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating
within their own borders
Stock of broad money:
$4.288 trillion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
$4.202 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$5.2 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
$5.019 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.298 trillion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 9
$1.108 trillion (31 December 2008)
$2.106 trillion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages; cattle, pigs,
poultry
Industries:
among the world's largest and most technologically advanced
producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery,
vehicles, machine tools, electronics, food and beverages,
shipbuilding, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
9% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19
Electricity - production:
593.4 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
Electricity - consumption:
547.3 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7
Electricity - exports:
61.7 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
41.67 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
156,800 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
Oil - consumption:
2.437 million bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
Oil - exports:
536,600 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
Oil - imports:
2.862 million bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7
Oil - proved reserves:
276 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
Natural gas - production:
15.29 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Natural gas - consumption:
96.26 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
Natural gas - exports:
12.64 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
Natural gas - imports:
94.57 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2
Natural gas - proved reserves:
175.6 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
Current account balance:
$162.3 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3
$168.1 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$1.337 trillion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3
$1.145 trillion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manufactures, foodstuffs,
textiles
Exports - partners:
France 10.2%, US 6.7%, Netherlands 6.7%, UK 6.6%, Italy 6.3%,
Austria 6%, China 4.5%, Switzerland 4.4% (2009)
Imports:
$1.12 trillion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4
$956.7 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, metals
Imports - partners:
Netherlands 8.5%, China 8.2%, France 8.2%, US 5.9%, Italy 5.9%, UK
4.9%, Belgium 4.3%, Austria 4.3%, Switzerland 4.2% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$NA (31 December 2010 est.)
$180.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.713 trillion (30 June 2010)
country comparison to the world: 4
$5.158 trillion (31 December 2008)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$1.057 trillion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4
$1.054 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.484 trillion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4
$1.46 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7715 (2010), 0.7179 (2009), 0.6827
(2008), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006)
Communications ::Germany
Telephones - main lines in use:
48.7 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 3
Telephones - mobile cellular:
105 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 8
Telephone system:
general assessment: Germany has one of the world's most
technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of
intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly
backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to
World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the
western part
domestic: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic
telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic
cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic
satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available,
expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign
countries
international: country code - 49; Germany's international service is
excellent worldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable
facilities as well as earth stations in the Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Eutelsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems (2001)
Broadcast media:
a mixture of publicly-operated and privately-owned TV and radio
stations; national and regional public broadcasters compete with
nearly 400 privately-owned national and regional TV stations; more
than 90% of households have cable or satellite TV; hundreds of radio
stations broadcasting including multiple national radio networks,
regional radio networks, and a large number of local radio stations
(2008)
Internet country code:
.de
Internet hosts:
21.729 million (2010)
country comparison to the world: 4
Internet users:
65.125 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 5
Transportation ::Germany
Airports:
549 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 13
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 330
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 53
1,524 to 2,437 m: 59
914 to 1,523 m: 70
under 914 m: 135 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 219
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 33
under 914 m: 184 (2010)
Heliports:
25 (2010)
Pipelines:
gas 24,364 km; oil 3,379 km; refined products 3,843 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 41,896 km
country comparison to the world: 6
standard gauge: 41,641 km 1.435-m gauge (20,053 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 75 km 1.000-m gauge (75 km electrified); 180 km
0.750-m gauge (24 km electrified) (2008)
Roadways:
total: 644,480 km
country comparison to the world: 11
paved: 644,480 km (includes 12,645 km of expressways)
note: includes local roads (2008)
Waterways:
7,467 km
country comparison to the world: 19
note: Rhine River carries most goods; Main-Danube Canal links North
Sea and Black Sea (2008)
Merchant marine:
total: 421
country comparison to the world: 25
by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 7, cargo 44, carrier 1,
chemical tanker 15, container 293, liquefied gas 7, passenger 4,
passenger/cargo 27, petroleum tanker 10, refrigerated cargo 1, roll
on/roll off 9, vehicle carrier 1
foreign-owned: 10 (China 2, Finland 5, Greece 1, Sweden 1,
Switzerland 1)
registered in other countries: 3,287 (Antigua and Barbuda 1050,
Australia 2, Bahamas 39, Belize 1, Bermuda 15, Brazil 6, Bulgaria
25, Burma 1, Cayman Islands 6, China 1, Cook Islands 1, Cyprus 189,
Denmark 10, Dominica 2, Estonia 1, France 1, Georgia 4, Gibraltar
125, Hong Kong 10, Isle of Man 56, Italy 1, Jamaica 10, Liberia
1049, Luxembourg 9, Malta 127, Marshall Islands 247, Morocco 2,
Netherlands 92, former Netherlands Antilles 32, NZ 2, Panama 27,
Portugal 13, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Singapore 30,
Slovakia 4, Spain 5, Sri Lanka 5, Sweden 3, Turkey 1, UK 77, US 3,
Venezuela 1) (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Bremen, Bremerhaven, Duisburg, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Lubeck,
Neuss-Dusseldorf, Rostock, Wilhemshaven
Military ::Germany
Military branches:
Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr): Army (Heer), Navy (Deutsche
Marine, includes naval air arm), Air Force (Luftwaffe), Joint
Support Services (Streitkraeftbasis), Central Medical Service
(Zentraler Sanitaetsdienst) (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (conscripts serve a 9-month tour of compulsory
military service) (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 19,195,804
females age 16-49: 18,159,851 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 15,564,748
females age 16-49: 14,723,200 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 421,227
female: 398,809 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
Transnational Issues ::Germany
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors;
transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian heroin,
Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic drugs; major
financial center
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@Ghana (Africa)
Introduction ::Ghana
Background:
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 long 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
succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. John Atta MILLS took over
as head of state in early 2009.
Geography ::Ghana
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire
and Togo
Geographic coordinates:
8 00 N, 2 00 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 238,533 sq km
country comparison to the world: 81
land: 227,533 sq km
water: 11,000 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries:
total: 2,094 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo
877 km
Coastline:
539 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and
humid in southwest; hot and dry in north
Terrain:
mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Afadjato 885 m
Natural resources:
gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber,
hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone
Land use:
arable land: 17.54%
permanent crops: 9.22%
other: 73.24% (2005)
Irrigated land:
310 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
53.2 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.98 cu km/yr (24%/10%/66%)
per capita: 44 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to
March; droughts
Environment - current issues:
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
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake
People ::Ghana
Population:
24,339,838
country comparison to the world: 47
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 (July
2010 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 37.2% (male 4,494,633/female 4,394,074)
15-64 years: 59.2% (male 7,065,273/female 7,086,023)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 389,886/female 457,923) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.1 years
male: 20.8 years
female: 21.3 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.855% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
Birth rate:
28.09 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
Death rate:
8.93 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
Net migration rate:
-0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
Urbanization:
urban population: 50% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 49.89 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 52
male: 53.38 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 46.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 60.55 years
country comparison to the world: 187
male: 59.36 years
female: 61.78 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.57 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.9% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
260,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
21,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
animal contact disease: rabies
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Ghanaian(s)
adjective: Ghanaian
Ethnic groups:
Akan 45.3%, Mole-Dagbon 15.2%, Ewe 11.7%, Ga-Dangme 7.3%, Guan 4%,
Gurma 3.6%, Grusi 2.6%, Mande-Busanga 1%, other tribes 1.4%, other
7.8% (2000 census)
Religions:
Christian 68.8% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 24.1%, Protestant 18.6%,
Catholic 15.1%, other 11%), Muslim 15.9%, traditional 8.5%, other
0.7%, none 6.1% (2000 census)
Languages:
Asante 14.8%, Ewe 12.7%, Fante 9.9%, Boron (Brong) 4.6%, Dagomba
4.3%, Dangme 4.3%, Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.7%, Akyem 3.4%, Ga 3.4%,
Akuapem 2.9%, other 36.1% (includes English (official)) (2000 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.9%
male: 66.4%
female: 49.8% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male: 10 years
female: 9 years (2007)
Education expenditures:
5.4% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 52
Government ::Ghana
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Ghana
conventional short form: Ghana
former: Gold Coast
Government type:
constitutional democracy
Capital:
name: Accra
geographic coordinates: 5 33 N, 0 13 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra,
Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western
Independence:
6 March 1957 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 March (1957)
Constitution:
approved 28 April 1992
Legal system:
based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: