• Total aid: $907m (receipts)

Most aid comes from the World Bank, which in 2004 pledged $1 billion over the next four years. Aid is now channeled to developing infrastructure. In 2005 G7 finance ministers agreed to increase aid and write off all Ghana's debts to the IMF, World Bank, and AfDB.

In 1874 Kumasi, capital of the Ashanti kingdom, was sacked by a British force to create the Gold Coast colony.

• 1957 Independence under Kwame Nkrumah.
• 1964 Single-party state.
• 1966 Army coup.
• 1972–1979 "Kleptocracy" of Gen. Acheampong. Executed 1979.
• 1979 Flt. Lt. Jerry Rawlings leads coup. Civilian Hilla Limann wins elections.
• 1981 Rawlings takes power again.
• 1992, 1996 Rawlings and NDC win multiparty elections.
• 2000, 2004 Opposition NPP wins elections; John Kufuor wins presidency.

Weather chart

Southern Ghana has two rainy seasons: from April to July and September to November. The drier north has just one, from April to September.