The Republic of Ghana is often an exception to common stereotypes about African States, and is held up as a success of decolonization and successful governance. For example, Ghana was the first African nation to declare independence from the United Kingdom, and has since become ranked as the 7th-best governed state in the world. Similarly, though only having a population of 27 million people, Ghana’s economy is currently the 6th-largest in Africa according to both nominal GDP and purchasing power parity, and remains one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Ghana is also one of only five Africa states with a free press that enjoys strong constitutional protections and widespread public support.