Ghana is located on the West Coast of Africa. Ghana’s population totals 18,912,079 according to the 2000 census. 50.5% of the population are women, 32.9% are youth between the ages of 15-34 and 45.9% are between the ages of 0-17.Ghana joined the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative program of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in March 2001 as a result of her poor Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita income of around $300.
Ghana has social indicators that are similar to other sub-Saharan African and poor countries in Latin America. About 40% of the population (2000 census) is below the upper poverty level, which is about $105 per year, and 27% of the population is below the extreme poverty line or $81 per year. The majority of persons below the poverty line cannot afford three meals a day, resulting in malnourishment. Their children are mostly school dropouts and they are unable to seek formal health services due to high costs. The unemployment rate continues to rise because employers require skilled labor. Generally this group of people form micro enterprises and enter into trading, dressmaking, carpentry, baking, pottery, and hairdressing, among other trades.
UNICEF: Ghana at a Glance-- http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/ghana_statistics.html |
