Ghana (country)
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| Ghana (country) | |
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| Conventional long name | Republic of Ghana |
| Common name | Ghana |
| Capital | Accra |
| Largest city | Accra |
| Official languages | English language |
| Area km2 | 238533 |
| Population estimate | 34,000,000 |
| Currency | Ghana cedi |
| Time zone | Greenwich Mean Time |
| Calling code | +233 |
Ghana (country) is a sovereign state on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa with a coastline on the Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered by Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, and Togo and has a population concentrated in urban centers such as Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi, and Tamale. Ghana is a multilingual nation where English language is the official language alongside many indigenous languages such as Akan languages, Ewe language, and Dagbani language.
Etymology and Symbols
The modern name derives from the medieval Wagadu Empire (often called the Ghana Empire), referenced in Arabic sources such as Al-Bakri; national symbols include the Flag of Ghana, designed by Theodosia Okoh and featuring the Black Star of Africa which references the Black Star Line, and the Coat of arms of Ghana, adopted after independence and incorporating the Armorial Ensigns and representations of the Akosombo Dam. The national anthem, "God Bless Our Homeland Ghana", links to cultural figures and institutions like Kwame Nkrumah and the Convention People's Party through historical adoption; national holidays feature commemorations of events such as Independence Day (Ghana).
History
Precolonial history includes Akan states such as the Ashanti Empire and coastal contacts with Portuguese Empire traders at Elmina Castle and Cape Coast Castle; the trans-Saharan and trans-Atlantic trades involved groups documented by travelers like Mungo Park and administrators such as Sir Gordon Guggisberg. Colonial-era control shifted among Portuguese Empire, Dutch Republic, British Empire, and other European powers, culminating in the Gold Coast (British colony) under United Kingdom. Political mobilization led by leaders including Kwame Nkrumah, J. B. Danquah, and parties like the Convention People's Party resulted in independence on 6 March 1957; Ghana became the first sub-Saharan African country to achieve independence from colonial rule in the 20th century. Post-independence history features events such as the 1966 coup that deposed Kwame Nkrumah, military regimes involving figures like Ignatius Kutu Acheampong and Jerry Rawlings, and constitutional transitions culminating in the Fourth Republic under the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and presidencies of John Kufuor, John Atta Mills, Nana Akufo-Addo, and others.
Geography and Environment
Ghana occupies diverse landscapes from the coastal Guinean forest–savanna mosaic and Gulf of Guinea shorelines to the Volta River basin and the Lake Volta reservoir created by the Akosombo Dam. Topography ranges from low plains to the Akwapim-Togo Range and Kwahu Plateau; climate zones include the Tropical monsoon climate and Tropical savanna climate that affect biomes such as Upper Guinean forests and savanna ecoregions. Environmental issues include deforestation in regions formerly covered by Ghanaian forests, challenges to biodiversity in protected areas like Kakum National Park and Mole National Park, and coastal erosion along areas such as Cape Coast exacerbated by sea-level rise in the Atlantic Ocean.
Government and Politics
The republic operates under the 1992 Constitution of Ghana with a presidential system featuring separation of powers among the executive presidency, a unicameral legislature, the Parliament of Ghana, and an independent judiciary culminating in the Supreme Court of Ghana. Major political parties include the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress, and electoral processes are administered by the Electoral Commission of Ghana with international observers from organizations like the Economic Community of West African States and the Commonwealth of Nations. Ghana plays a diplomatic and security role in regional bodies such as the Economic Community of West African States and participates in United Nations peacekeeping missions.
Economy and Infrastructure
Economic activity centers on commodities and services: gold mining involving companies such as AngloGold Ashanti and Newmont Corporation, oil production from fields in the Tano Basin and operations by firms like Tullow Oil, and cocoa cultivation historically linked to exporters and cooperatives interacting with markets in London and New York City. Infrastructure includes the Takoradi Port, Tema Harbour, the hydroelectric Akosombo Dam on the Volta River, and transport corridors such as the Accra–Kumasi road and rail links historically connected to ports. Financial institutions include the Bank of Ghana and stock trading on the Ghana Stock Exchange, while policy frameworks involve agreements with the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.
Demographics and Society
Population groups include ethnicities such as the Akan people, Ewe people, Mole-Dagbon people, Ga-Adangbe people, and others with linguistic diversity including Twi language, Ewe language, and Frafra language. Religious diversity includes adherents of Christianity in Ghana, Islam in Ghana, and traditional African religions practiced among communities in regions like the Volta Region and Northern Region. Education institutions include the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Cape Coast, and the Ghana Education Service, while public health systems involve the Ghana Health Service and disease-control partnerships with agencies such as the World Health Organization.
Culture and Heritage
Ghanaian culture features music genres like Highlife music and Hiplife, performers such as Fela Kuti-influenced artists and modern musicians performing at venues in Accra; literary figures include Ama Ata Aidoo, Ayi Kwei Armah, and Kofi Awoonor. Traditional festivals such as Akwasidae Festival and Hogbetsotso festival celebrate chieftaincies like the Asantehene and institutions such as the Odwira Festival; art forms include Kente cloth weaving practiced by Ashanti people and beadwork in Volta Region communities. Museums and heritage sites include Fort Amsterdam, Elmina Castle, and the National Museum of Ghana, reflecting legacies of interactions with entities like the Portuguese Empire and the British Empire and contemporary cultural diplomacy through events with organizations like the Ghana Tourism Authority.
Category:Countries of Africa