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Ghana
Forest Information and Data
According to the U.N. FAO,
21.7% or about 4,940,000 ha of Ghana is forested, according to FAO. Of this 8.0% ( 395,000 ) is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse and carbon-dense form of forest. Ghana had 260,000 ha of planted forest.
Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2010, Ghana lost an average of 125,400 ha or 1.68% per year. In total, between 1990 and 2010, Ghana lost 33.7% of its forest cover, or around 2,508,000 ha.
Ghana's forests contain 381 million metric tons of carbon in living forest biomass.
Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Ghana has some 1185 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 0.8% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 3.0% are threatened. Ghana is home to at least 3725 species of vascular plants, of which 1.2% are endemic. 4.6% of Ghana is protected under IUCN categories I-V.
2011 Update
In May 2011, Sassan Saatchi of Caltech's Jet Propulsion Lab and colleagues published a paper in PNAS with new carbon stock estimates for global tropical forests.
| Forest definition (canopy cover %) | 10% tree cover | 25% tree cover | 30% tree cover | | Forest Area (M ha) | 8 | 3 | 2 | | Aboveground forest carbon (Mt C) | 410 | 225 | 196 | | Belowground forest carbon (Mt C) | 120 | 63 | 55 | | Total forest carbon (Mt C) | 530 | 288 | 251 | | Average Carbon Density (t C/ha) | 67 | 94 | 103 |
M=million, t=metric tons; all figures are mean carbon stock values
Ghana Environmental profile
The following contains data relating to forest cover in Ghana
Previous version of this profile (2009)
SECTIONS:
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Ghana: Forest Cover, 2010
| Total Land Area (1000 ha) | 22754 |
| Total Forest Area (1000 ha) | 4940 |
| Percent Forest Cover | 22 |
| Primary Forest Cover (1000 ha) | 395 |
| Primary Forest, % total forest | 8 |
| Other wooded land (1000 ha) | 0 |
| Percent other wooded land | 0 |
Ghana: Breakdown of forest types, 2010
| Primary forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 395 | 8 |
| Other naturally regenerated forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 4285 | 87 |
| Planted Forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 260 | 5 |
Ghana: Trends in Total (Net) Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| TOTAL FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 7448 | 6094 | 5517 | 4940 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -135 | -115 | -115 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -1.99 | -1.97 | -2.19 | |
Ghana: Trends in Natural Forest Cover (Deforestation), 1990-2010
| FOREST COVER (excluding planted forests) (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 7398.00 | 6034.00 | 5357.00 | 4680.00 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -136 | -136.00 | -135.00 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -1.8 | -1.84 | -2.24
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Ghana: Trends in Primary or Old Growth Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| PRIMARY FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 395 | 395 | 395 | 395 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Ghana: Trends in Planted Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| PLANTED FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 50 | 60 | 160 | 260 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 1 | 20 | 20 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 1.84 | 21.67 | 10.20 | |
Ghana: Primary designated function (percent)
| Production | Protection of soil and water | Conservation of biodiversity | Social services | Multiple use | Other | None or unknown |
| 23 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 68 |
Ghana: Forest ownership and management rights 2005 (percent)
| OWNERSHIP PATTERN |
| Public ownership | Private ownership | Other |
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
| PRIVATE OWNERSHIP |
| Individuals | Business entities and institutions | Local, indigenous and tribal communities |
| - | - | - |
| HOLDER OF MANAGEMENT RIGHTS OF PUBLIC FORESTS |
| Public administration | Individuals | Business
entities and Institutions | Communities | Other |
| - | - | - | - | - |
Ghana: Growing stock in forest
| GROWING STOCK IN FOREST |
Total
(million m3) | Per hectare
(m3) | Coniferous
(million m3) | Broadleaved
(million m3) | % commercial species |
| 291 | 59 | - | - | - |
| GROWING STOCK IN FOREST |
| Total (million m3) | Per hectare (m3) | Coniferous (million m3) | Broadleaved (million m3) | % commercial species |
| - | - | | | |
Ghana: Trends in carbon stock in living forest biomass 1990-2010
CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS
(million metric tons) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 564 | 465 | 423 | 381 |
CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS
(per hectare in tons) |
| | | 2000 |
| | | 77 |
ANNUAL CHANGE
(1 000 t/yr) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| -10 | -8 | -8 |
ANNUAL CHANGE PER HECTARE
(t/ha/yr) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| n.s. | n.s. | n.s. |
Ghana: Area of forest affected by fire and other disturbances 2005
| FOREST FIRE |
| 1000 ha | % wild fire (not managed burn) |
| 500 | 80 |
| EXCLUDING FOREST FIRE |
| Insects | Diseases | Other biotic agents | Abiotic factors | Total (excluding fire) | % of 2005 forest area |
| 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
Ghana: Trends in removals of wood products 1990-2005
INDUSTRIAL ROUNDWOOD
Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | percent of which from forest 2005 |
| 1382 | 1298 | 1508 | 81 |
WOODFUEL
Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | percent of which from forest 2005 |
| 14833 | 23780 | 23780 | 100 |
Ghana: Value of wood and NWFP removals 2005
Value of removals
(million US$) | Value per ha forest
(US$) |
| Industrial roundwood | Woodfuel | NWFP | Total | |
| 53 | - | - | - | - |
Ghana: Employment in forestry 1990-2005
TOTAL
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| - | - | - |
IN PRIMARY PRODUCTION OF GOODS-FORESTRY
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| 3 | 2 | 3 |
IN MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS-CONSERVATION
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| - | - | - |
Ghana: Forest policy and legal framework 2008
National forest policy (year): Yes (1994)
Sub-national forest policy: -
National forest program (year) - status: Yes (1993) Under revision
National forest law (year): Specific forest law (1998)
Sub-national forest law: -
Ghana: Human resources within public forest institutions 2000-2008
| 2000 | 2005 | 2008 |
| # | % female | # | % female | # | % female |
| 3495 | - | 3549 | - | 3576 | - |
Ghana: Forest revenue and public expenditure on forestry 2005
| Forest revenue | Public expenditure (1000 US$) |
| Domestic funding | External funding | Total |
| (1000 US$) | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | -
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Ghana: Status of ratification of international conventions and agreements as of 1 January 2010
CbD:
UNFCCC:
Kyoto Protocol:
UNCCD:
ITTA:
CITeS:
Ramsar:
World Heritage Convention:
NlbI:
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Ghana: Environment
| 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 | | Natural hazards | dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts |
Ghana: Land use / Resources
| Land use (%) | arable land: 16.26%
permanent crops: 9.67%
other: 74.07% (2001) | | Natural resources | gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone |
Ghana: Economy
| Economy - overview: | Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 34% of GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002, but was included in a G8 debt relief program decided upon at the Gleneagles Summit in July 2005. Priorities under its current $38 million PRGF include tighter monetary and fiscal policies, accelerated privatization, and improvement of social services. Receipts from the gold sector helped sustain GDP growth in 2005 along with record high prices for Ghana's largest cocoa crop to date. Inflation should ease, but remain a major internal problem. Ghana also remains a candidate country to benefit from Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) funding that could assist in transforming Ghana's agricultural export sector. A final decision on its MCC bid is expected for spring 2006. | | GDP - per capita | $2,500 (2005 est.) | | GDP - real growth rate (%) | 4.3% (2005 est.) | | Agriculture - products | cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber | | GDP - composition by sector (%) | agriculture: 35.5%, industry: 25.6%, services: 39% (2005 est.) | | Industries | mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing, cement, small commercial ship building | | Economic aid - recipient | $6.9 billion (1999) | | Debt - external | $7.084 billion (2005 est.) | | Population below poverty line (%) | 31.4% (1992 est.) | | Labor force - by occupation (%) | agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.) |
Ghana: Population / Demographics
| Population (July 2005) | 21,029,853 | | Population growth rate (%) (2005) | 1.25% | | Population density (people/sq km) (2005) | 91.1 | | Percent rural (2003) | 54.6% | | Median age (years) | total: 20.45 years | | Total fertility rate (children born/woman) | 3.02 (2005 est.) | | Ethnic groups (%) | black African 98.5% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5% (1998) |
Largest Cities in Ghana
Cities and urban areas in Ghana with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002.
| City | Country | City Population | Urban Area Population |
| Accra | Ghana | 1605400 | 2756100 |
| Kumasi | Ghana | 627600 | 929100 |
| Tamale | Ghana | 269200 | 269200 |
| Obuasi | Ghana | 122600 | 122600 |
Ghana: Infrastructure
| Telephones - main lines in use | 302,300 (2003) | | Telephones - mobile cellular | 799,900 (2003) | | Roadways (km) | total: 47,787 km
paved: 8,563 km
unpaved: 39,224 km (2003) |
Ghana: Health
| Life expectancy at birth (years) | total population: 58.47 years
male: 57.7 years
female: 59.26 years (2005 est.) | | Infant mortality rate | 51.43 deaths/1,000 live births | | HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%) | 3.1% (2003 est.) | | Major infectious diseases | degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004) |
Ghana
: References & Data Sources
 Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005 & 2010) and the State of the World's Forests (2009, 2007, 2005, 2003, 2001)
Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com
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