Capital

Ghana

name: Accra

geographic coordinates: 5 33 N, 0 13 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: the name derives from the Akan word "nkran" meaning "ants," and refers to the numerous anthills in the area around the capital

Islamische Republik Iran

name: Tehran

geographic coordinates: 35 42 N, 51 25 E

time difference: UTC+3.5 (8.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins fourth Wednesday in March; ends fourth Friday in September

etymology: various explanations of the city's name have been proffered, but the most plausible states that it derives from the Persian words tah meaning "end or bottom" and ran meaning "[mountain] slope" to signify "bottom of the mountain slope"; Tehran lies at the bottom slope of the Elburz Mountains

Citizenship

Ghana

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent or grandparent must be a citizen of Ghana

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Islamische Republik Iran

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Iran

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Legal system

Ghana

mixed system of English common law and customary law

Islamische Republik Iran

religious legal system based on secular and Islamic law

Suffrage

Ghana

18 years of age; universal

Islamische Republik Iran

18 years of age; universal

Area

Ghana

total: 238,533 sq km

land: 227,533 sq km

water: 11,000 sq km

Islamische Republik Iran

total: 1,648,195 sq km

land: 1,531,595 sq km

water: 116,600 sq km

Land use

Ghana

agricultural land: 69.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 20.7% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 11.9% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 36.5% (2018 est.)

forest: 21.2% (2018 est.)

other: 9.7% (2018 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

agricultural land: 30.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 10.8% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 1.2% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 18.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 6.8% (2018 est.)

other: 63.1% (2018 est.)

Location

Ghana

Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo

Islamische Republik Iran

Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan

Age structure

Ghana

0-14 years: 37.72% (male 6,445,288/female 6,321,989)

15-64 years: 57.92% (male 9,420,940/female 10,181,376)

65 years and over: 4.36% (2023 est.) (male 660,991/female 815,530)

Islamische Republik Iran

0-14 years: 23.51% (male 10,533,573/female 10,060,225)

15-64 years: 69.82% (male 31,140,117/female 30,014,613)

65 years and over: 6.67% (2023 est.) (male 2,723,298/female 3,119,047)

Birth rate

Ghana

28 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

14.8 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Ghana

6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

5.2 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Ghana

Asante 16%, Ewe 14%, Fante 11.6%, Boron (Brong) 4.9%, Dagomba 4.4%, Dangme 4.2%, Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.9%, Kokomba 3.5%, Akyem 3.2%, Ga 3.1%, other 31.2% (2010 est.)

note: English is the official language

Islamische Republik Iran

Persian Farsi (official), Azeri and other Turkic dialects, Kurdish, Gilaki and Mazandarani, Luri, Balochi, Arabic

major-language sample(s):
چکیده نامه جهان، منبعی ضروری برای کسب اطلاعات کلی جهان (Persian)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

Ghana

total population: 69.7 years (2023 est.)

male: 68.1 years

female: 71.4 years

Islamische Republik Iran

total population: 75.4 years (2023 est.)

male: 74.1 years

female: 76.9 years

Major urban areas - population

Ghana

3.768 million Kumasi, 2.660 million ACCRA (capital), 1.078 million Sekondi Takoradi (2023)

Islamische Republik Iran

9.500 million TEHRAN (capital), 3.368 million Mashhad, 2.258 million Esfahan, 1.721 million Shiraz, 1.661 million Tabriz, 1.594 million Karaj (2023)

Median age

Ghana

total: 21.3 years (2023 est.)

male: 20.4 years

female: 22.2 years

Islamische Republik Iran

total: 33.3 years (2023 est.)

male: 33.1 years

female: 33.5 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Ghana

20.7 years (2014 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Net migration rate

Ghana

-0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Ghana

population is concentrated in the southern half of the country, with the highest concentrations being on or near the Atlantic coast as shown in this population distribution map

Islamische Republik Iran

population is concentrated in the north, northwest, and west, reflecting the position of the Zagros and Elburz Mountains; the vast dry areas in the center and eastern parts of the country, around the deserts of the Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut, have a much lower population density

Population growth rate

Ghana

2.19% (2023 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

0.93% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Ghana

3.61 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

1.92 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Ghana

urban population: 59.2% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 3.06% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

urban population: 77.3% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Ghana

3.9% of GDP (2018 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

3.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Ghana

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 12 years (2020)

Islamische Republik Iran

total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 15 years (2020)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Ghana

-6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

-2.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Ghana

-0.8% (2021 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

3.21% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Ghana

14.095 million (2021 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

27.682 million (2021 est.)

note: shortage of skilled labor

Population below poverty line

Ghana

23.4% (2016 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

18.7% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate

Ghana

4.7% (2021 est.)

4.65% (2020 est.)

4.32% (2019 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

11.46% (2021 est.)

12.17% (2020 est.)

10.74% (2019 est.)

note: data are Iranian Government numbers

Public debt

Ghana

71.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

73.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

39.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

47.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: includes publicly guaranteed debt

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Ghana

9.97% (2021 est.)

9.89% (2020 est.)

7.14% (2019 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

43.39% (2021 est.)

30.59% (2020 est.)

39.91% (2019 est.)

note: official Iranian estimate

Exports

Ghana

$23.901 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$22.077 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$25.592 billion (2019 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

$101.4 billion (2017 est.)

$83.98 billion (2016 est.)

Exports - partners

Ghana

Switzerland 23%, United Arab Emirates 12%, China 12%, India 9%, Netherlands 5% (2020)

Islamische Republik Iran

China 48%, India 12%, South Korea 8%, Turkey 6%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019)

Imports

Ghana

$25.967 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$24.545 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$26.908 billion (2019 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

$76.39 billion (2017 est.)

$63.14 billion (2016 est.)

Imports - partners

Ghana

China 42%, Netherlands 5%, United States 5%, India 5%, United Arab Emirates 3% (2020)

Islamische Republik Iran

China 28%, United Arab Emirates 20%, India 11%, Turkey 7%, Brazil 6%, Germany 5% (2019)

Airports

Ghana

10 (2021)

Islamische Republik Iran

319 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Ghana

total: 78,371 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.3 (2020 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

total: 9,564,195 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Ghana

total: 22.44 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 68% (2021 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

total: 69.52 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 79% (2021 est.)

Railways

Ghana

total: 947 km (2022)

narrow gauge: 947 km (2022) 1.067-m gauge

Islamische Republik Iran

total: 8,483.5 km (2014)

standard gauge: 8,389.5 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (189.5 km electrified)

broad gauge: 94 km (2014) 1.676-m gauge

Roadways

Ghana

total: 65,725 km (2021)

paved: 14,948 km (2021)

unpaved: 50,777 km (2021)

urban: 28,480 km 27% total paved 73% total unpaved

Islamische Republik Iran

total: 223,485 km (2018)

paved: 195,485 km (2018)

unpaved: 28,000 km (2018)

Telephones - fixed lines

Ghana

total subscriptions: 315,271 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2021 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

total subscriptions: 29,306,782 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Ghana

total subscriptions: 40,454,073 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 123 (2021 est.)

Islamische Republik Iran

total subscriptions: 135,899,424 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 155 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Ghana

1,293 km (2011) (168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta)

Islamische Republik Iran

850 km (2012) (on Karun River; some navigation on Lake Urmia)

Disputes - international

Ghana

disputed maritime border with Cote d'Ivoire was resolved in 2017 through a decision of a Special Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS)

Islamische Republik Iran

Iran-Afghanistan: Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed Helmand River tributaries during drought; Afghan and Iranian commissioners have discussed boundary monument densification and resurvey

Iran-Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan-Russia: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratified a Caspian seabed delimitation treaty in 2018 based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the sea

Iran-Iraq: Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf

Iran-Kuwait: dispute over undemarcated maritime border and Al Durra offshore gasfield in the Arabian/Persian Gulf 

Iran-UAE: Iran and UAE dispute the Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa islands, which are occupied by Iran; Iran has conducted military drills on and around the disputed islands

Caspian Sea (Maritime Boundary): Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratified the Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the sea