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Government - Constitutional Democracy

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Ghana
conventional short form: Ghana
former: Gold Coast 
Government type: constitutional democracy 
Capital: 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 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: chief of state: President John Evans Atta Mills (since 7 January 2009); Vice President John MAHAMA (since 7 January 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President John Evans Atta Mills (since 7 January 2009); Vice President John Mahama (since 7 January 2009)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by Parliament
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 December 2008 (next to be held in December 2012)
election results: John Evans Atta Mills elected president in election 2008; percent of vote - John Atta Mills 50.23%, Nana Akufo Addo 49.77% 
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (230 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 December 2008 (next to be held in December 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NPP 107, NDC 114, PNC 2, CPP 1, independent 4 
Judicial branch: Supreme Court


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