Republic of Ghana
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Freedom and Justice"
Anthem: God Bless Our Homeland Ghana[1]
Capital (and largest city)		Accra 5°33′N, 0°15′W
Official languages		English
Demonym		Ghanaian
Government		Constitutional presidential republic
-	President	John Agyekum Kufuor
-	Vice-President	Alhaji Aliu Mahama
Independence		from the United Kingdom
-	Declared	6 March 1957
-	Republic	1 July 1960
-	Constitution	28 April 1992
Area
-	Total	238,535 km² (91st) 92,098 sq mi
-	Water (%)	3.5
Population
-	2007 estimate	23,000,000[2] (48th)
-	Density	93/km² (103rd) 215/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2007 estimate
-	Total	$65 Billion (75th)
-	Per capita	$2,963[3] (130th)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0.553 (medium) (135th)
Currency		Ghanaian cedi (GHS)
Time zone		GMT (UTC0)
-	Summer (DST)	GMT (UTC0)
Internet TLD		.gh
Calling code		+233

The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It borders Côte d'Ivoire (also known as Ivory Coast) to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south. The word "Ghana" means "Warrior King",^[4] and was the source of the name "Guinea" (via French Guinoye) used to refer to the West African coast (as in Gulf of Guinea). Ghana refers to: The Republic of Ghana, a nation in West Africa a type of Maltese folk music named Ghana This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Ghana. ... Image File history File links Ghana_coa. ... Flag ratio: 2:3 The flag of Ghana was adopted in 1957. ... Coat of arms of Ghana The coat of arms of Ghana pictured here was introduced on 4 March 1957 by Elizabeth II. It shows a blue shield, which is divided into four parts by a St Georges Cross with a golden edge. ... For other uses, see Motto (disambiguation). ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a countrys government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: God Bless Our Homeland Ghana God Bless Our Homeland Ghana is the national anthem of Ghana. ... Image File history File links LocationGhana. ... Not to be confused with capitol. ... Ghanas population is concentrated along the coast and in the principal cities of Accra and Kumasi. ... Accra, population 1,970,400 (2005), is the capital of Ghana. ... An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... A presidential system, also called a congressional system, is a system of government where an executive branch exists and presides (hence the term) separately from the legislature, to which it is not accountable and which cannot in normal circumstances dismiss it. ... Look up republic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Prior to independence Ghana was the British Gold Coast colony. ... ĘýṚύ John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor (born in Kumasi December 8, 1938) is the current president of Ghana, since January 7, 2001. ... The Vice-President of Ghana is the second-highest executive official in the Ghanaian government. ... Alhaji Aliu Mahama (born 3 March 1946) has been Vice-President of Ghana since 7 January 2001. ... is the 65th day of the year (66th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here surface areas between 100,000 km² and 1,000,000 km². ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... A percentage is a way of expressing a proportion, a ratio or a fraction as a whole number, by using 100 as the denominator. ... This is a list of countries ordered according to population. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ... PPP of GDP for the countries of the world (2003). ... There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year). ... Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ... This article includes two lists of countries of the world[1] sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year divided by the average population for the same year. ... This page talks about Human Development Index, for other HDIs see HDI (disambiguation) World map indicating Human Development Index (2007). ... This talks about the countries in the Human Development Index, for information on the Human Development Index, please Click Here World map indicating Human Development Index (2007) (Colour-blind compliant map) For red-green color vision problems. ... The cedi is the unit of currency of Ghana. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... For alternate meanings of GMT, see GMT (disambiguation). ... UTC redirects here. ... Although DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... For alternate meanings of GMT, see GMT (disambiguation). ... UTC redirects here. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .gh is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Ghana. ... This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E.164. ...  Western Africa (UN subregion)  Maghreb[1] West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. ... Map of the Gulf of Guinea, showing the chain of islands formed by the Cameroon line of volcanoes. ... Map of the Gulf of Guinea, showing the chain of islands formed by the Cameroon line of volcanoes. ...

Ghana was inhabited in pre-colonial times by a number of ancient kingdoms, including the Ga Adangbes on the eastern coast, inland Empire of Ashanti and various Fante states along the coast and inland. Trade with European states flourished after contact with the Portuguese in the 15th century, and the British established a crown colony, Gold Coast, in 1874.^[5] It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Ashanti. ... The MFantsefo or Fanti are an ethnic group mainly gathered in the south-western coastal region of Ghana, with some also in the Côte dIvoire. ... A United Kingdom overseas territory (formerly known as a dependent territory or earlier as a crown colony) is a territory that is under the sovereignty and formal control of the United Kingdom but is not part of the United Kingdom proper (Great Britain and Northern Ireland). ... Flag of Gold Coast Map from 1896 of the British Gold Coast Colony. ...

Upon achieving independence from the United Kingdom in 1957,^[6] the name Ghana was chosen for the new nation to reflect the ancient Empire of Ghana that once extended throughout much of western Africa. In the Ashanti language it is spelled Gaana. The Ghana Empire (existed c. ... Twi (pronounced chwee) is a language spoken in Ghana by about 6 million people. ...

History

Main article: History of Ghana

Medieval Ghana (4th - 13th Century):The Republic of Ghana is named after the medieval Ghana Empire of West Africa. The actual name of the Empire was Ouagadougou. Ghana was the title of the kings who ruled the kingdom. It was controlled by Sundiata in 1240 AD, and absorbed into the larger Mali Empire. (Mali Empire reached its peak of success under Mansa Musa around 1307.) Around 1235 a Muslim leader named Sundiata united warring tribes. He then brought neighboring states under his rule to create the Mali empire.Its capital city was called Kumbi-Saleh. Ghana was previously called the Gold Coast, but was renamed Ghana upon independence in 1957, because of indications that the inhabitants were descended from migrants who moved south from the ancient Ghana Empire. ... Not to be confused with the modern country Ghana. ... Extent of the Mali Empire (ca. ... Mansa Musa depicted holding a gold nugget from a 1375 map of Africa and Europe Mansa Musa[1] was a 14th century king (or Mansa) who ruled the Mali Empire between 1312 and 1337. ... January 18 - German king Albrecht I makes his son Rudolf king of Bohemia. ...

Map of Ghana

Geographically, the old Ghana was approximately 500 miles north of the present Ghana, and occupied the area between Rivers Senegal and Nigeria. Some inhabitants of present Ghana have ancestors linked with the medieval Ghana. This can be traced down to the Mande and Voltaic people of Northern Ghana--Mamprussi, Dagomba and the Gonja. Anecdotal evidence connected the Akans to this Empire. The evidence lies in names like Danso shared by the Akans of present Ghana and Mandikas of Senegal/Gambia who have strong links with the Empire. Ghana was also the site of the Empire of Ashanti which was perhaps the most advanced black state in sub-Sahara Africa. It is said that at its peak, the King of Ashanti could field 500,000 troops. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1341x1653, 570 KB) Shaded relief map of Ghana. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1341x1653, 570 KB) Shaded relief map of Ghana. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Ashanti. ... For other uses, see Ashanti (disambiguation). ...

Up until March 1957, Ghana was known to much of the world as the Gold Coast. The Portuguese who came to Ghana in the 15th Century found so much gold between the rivers Ankobra and the Volta that they named the place Mina - meaning Mine. The Gold Coast was later adopted by English colonists. The French, impressed with the trinkets worn by the coastal people, named the area to the west "Cote d'Ivoire," or Ivory Coast.

Elmina Castle

In 1481, King John II of Portugal commissioned Diogo d'Azambuja to build Elmina Castle, which was completed the next year. Their aim was to trade in gold, ivory and slaves, consolidating their burgeoning power in the region. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1152x872, 368 KB) Description: St. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1152x872, 368 KB) Description: St. ... St. ... St. ...

By 1598 the Dutch had joined them, and built forts at Komenda and Kormantsi. In 1637 they captured Elmina Castle from the Portuguese and Axim in 1642 (Fort St Anthony). Other European traders joined in by the mid 17th century, largely English, Danes and Swedes. The coastline was dotted by more than 30 forts and castles built by Dutch, British and Danish merchants. The Gold Coast became the highest concentration of European military architecture outside of Europe. By the latter part of 19th century the Dutch and the British were the only traders left and after the Dutch withdrew in 1874, Britain made the Gold Coast a protectorate.

For most of central sub-Saharan Africa, agricultural expansion marked the period before 500. Farming began earliest on the southern tips of the Sahara, eventually giving rise to village settlements. Toward the end of the classical era, larger regional kingdoms had formed in West Africa, one of which was the Kingdom of Ghana, north of what is today the nation of Ghana. After its fall at the beginning of the 13th century, Akan migrants moved southward then founded several nation-states including the first great Akan empire of the Bono which is now known as the Brong Ahafo region in Ghana. Later Akan groups such as the Ashanti federation and Fante states are thought to possibly have roots in the original Bono settlement at Bono manso. Much of the area was united under the Empire of Ashanti by the 16th century. The Ashanti government operated first as a loose network and eventually as a centralized kingdom with an advanced, highly-specialized bureaucracy centered in Kumasi. This article is about the year. ... The Ghana Empire (existed c. ... Akan may be: Akan people, an ethnic group from western Africa Akan States, any of several states organized in the 16th or 17th century by the Akan people Akan languages, a stock of dialects spoken by the Akan people Akan District, Hokkaido Akan, Hokkaido, a town in Akan District, Hokkaido... Bono state was an Akan state which existed from the early middle ages to the 18th century in what is now the Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana. ... Brong Ahafo Region lies in the mid-west of Ghana, between Ashanti Region and the Côte dIvoire Border. ... For other uses, see Ashanti (disambiguation). ... The MFantsefo or Fanti are an ethnic group mainly gathered in the south-western coastal region of Ghana, with some also in the Côte dIvoire. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Ashanti. ... For other uses, see Ashanti (disambiguation). ... Kumasi is the capital city of the Ashanti region of Ghana. ...

Aburi hills

The first contact between the Ghanaian peoples, the Fantes on the coastal area and Europeans occurred in 1482. The Portuguese first landed at Elmina, a coastal city inhabited by the Fanti nation-state in 1482. During the next few centuries parts of the area were controlled by British, Portuguese, and Scandinavian powers, with the British ultimately prevailing. These nation-states maintained varying alliances with the colonial powers and each other, which resulted in the 1806 Ashanti-Fante War, as well as an ongoing struggle by the Empire of Ashanti against the British. Moves toward regional de-colonization began in 1946, and the area's first constitution was promulgated in 1951. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1152x872, 290 KB) Description: Photo of the hills outside of the town of Aburi, in Ghana, West Africa. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1152x872, 290 KB) Description: Photo of the hills outside of the town of Aburi, in Ghana, West Africa. ... Aburi Botanical Gardens Aburi is a town north east of Accra, the capital city of Ghana. ... Events Portuguese fortify Fort Elmina on the Gold Coast Tizoc rules the Aztecs Diogo Cão, a Portuguese navigator, becomes the first European to sail up the Congo. ... Elmina fishing fleet Elmina is a town situated on a south-facing bay on the Atlantic Ocean coast of Ghana, lying west of Cape Coast. ... For the writer, see John Fante. ... The Ashanti-Fante War (1806 - 1807) was fought between the Ashanti Confederacy and the Fante Confederacy of present-day Ghana. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Ashanti. ...

Formed from the merger of the British colony Gold Coast, The Empire of Ashanti and the British Togoland trust territory by a UN sponsored plebiscite, Ghana became the first democratic sub-Sahara country in colonial Africa to gain its independence in 1957. Kwame Nkrumah,LIE founder and first president of the modern Ghanaian state, was not only an African anti-colonial leader but also one with a dream of a united Africa which would not drift into neo-colonialism. He was the first African head of state to espouse Pan-Africanism, an idea he came into contact with during his studies at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania (United States), at the time when Marcus Garvey was becoming famous for his "Back to Africa Movement." He merged the dreams of both Marcus Garvey and the celebrated African-American scholar W.E.B. Du Bois into the formation of the modern day Ghana. Ghana's principles of freedom and justice, equity and free education for all, irrespective of ethnic background, religion or creed borrow from Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah's implementation of Pan-Africanism. Flag of Gold Coast Map from 1896 of the British Gold Coast Colony. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Ashanti. ... British Togoland was a League of Nations Mandate in Africa, formed by the splitting of German Togoland into French Togoland and British Togoland. ... This article is about the United Nations, for other uses of UN see UN (disambiguation) Official languages English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic Secretary-General Kofi Annan (since 1997) Established October 24, 1945 Member states 191 Headquarters New York City, NY, USA Official site http://www. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... Kwame Nkrumah (September 21, 1909 - April 27, 1972)[1], one of the most influential Pan-Africanists of the 20th century, served as the founder, and first President of Ghana. ... Pan-Africanism is a term which can have two separate, but related meanings. ... Lincoln University is the name of a university in New Zealand and several in the United States: Lincoln University (California) Lincoln University (Missouri) Lincoln University (New Zealand) Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) See also: University of Lincoln This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise... Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jr. ... This article or section needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... Kwame Nkrumah (September 21, 1909 - April 27, 1972)[1], one of the most influential Pan-Africanists of the 20th century, served as the founder, and first President of Ghana. ...

Memorial to Kwame Nkrumah in Accra.

Nkrumah was overthrown by a military coup in 1966.^{[attribution needed]} It has been argued that this was supported by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency;^[7][8] that assertion remains generally unproven. A series of subsequent coups ended with the ascension to power of Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings in 1981. These changes resulted in the suspension of the constitution in 1981 and the banning of political parties. A new constitution, restoring multi-party politics, was promulgated in 1992, and Rawlings was elected as president in the free and fair elections of that year and again won the elections 1996 to serve his second term. The constitution prohibited him from running for a third term. John Agyekum Kufuor, the current president, is now serving his second term, which ends in 2008 where another election will be held to elect a new president. Last year 2007 marks Ghana's Golden Jubilee celebration of its 50-year anniversary, which was on March 6th, 1957. Kwame Nkrumah (September 21, 1909 - April 27, 1972)[1], one of the most influential Pan-Africanists of the 20th century, served as the founder, and first President of Ghana. ... Accra, population 1,970,400 (2005), is the capital of Ghana. ... A Flight Lieutenants sleeve/shoulder insignia Flight Lieutenant (abbreviated as Flt Lt and pronounced as flight lef-tenant, see Lieutenant) is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Categories: People stubs | 1938 births | Ghanaian people ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... March 6 is the 65th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (66th in Leap years). ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ...

Regions of Ghana

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Regions and districts

Main articles: Regions of Ghana and Districts of Ghana

Ghana is a divided into 10 regions, subdivided into a total of 138 districts. The regions are: Ghana is divided into ten regions (capitals in parentheses): Ashanti Region (Kumasi) Brong-Ahafo Region (Sunyani) Central Region (Cape Coast) Eastern Region (Koforidua) Greater Accra Region (Accra) Northern Region (Tamale) Upper East Region (Bolgatanga) Upper West Region (Wa) Volta Region (Ho) Western Region (Sekondi-Takoradi) See also List of Ghanaian... Districts of Ghana were created on 1 January 2000 for voting purposes by subdividing the Regions of Ghana into 110 units. ... Ghana is divided into ten regions (capitals in parentheses): Ashanti Region (Kumasi) Brong-Ahafo Region (Sunyani) Central Region (Cape Coast) Eastern Region (Koforidua) Greater Accra Region (Accra) Northern Region (Tamale) Upper East Region (Bolgatanga) Upper West Region (Wa) Volta Region (Ho) Western Region (Sekondi-Takoradi) See also List of Ghanaian... Districts of Ghana were created on 1 January 2000 for voting purposes by subdividing the Regions of Ghana into 110 units. ...

Ashanti is a administrative region in central Ghana. ... Brong Ahafo Region lies in the mid-west of Ghana, between Ashanti Region and the Côte dIvoire Border. ... The Central Region is a region of Ghana. ... The Eastern Region is a region of Ghana. ... The Greater Accra Region is one of Ghanas tem administrative regions. ... The Northern Region is a region of Ghana. ... The Upper East Region of Ghana is located in the northeastern corner of the country and bordered by Togo to the north and east. ... The Upper West Region of Ghana is located in the northwestern corner of the country and bordered by Burkina Faso to the north and west. ... The Volta Region is a region of Ghana. ... The Western Region of Ghana includes the large cities of Sekondi and Takoradi on the coast, coastal Axim and a hilly inland area including Elubo, that reaches from the Côte dIvoire border in the west, to the Central Region in the east. ...

Government and politics

Main article: Politics of Ghana

Government: Ghana was created as a parliamentary democracy at independence in 1957, followed by alternating military and civilian governments. In January 1993, military government gave way to Fourth Republic after presidential and parliamentary elections in late 1992. The 1992 constitution divides powers among a president, parliament, cabinet, Council of State, and an independent judiciary. The Government is elected by universal suffrage.^[9] Government The Constitution that established the Fourth Republic provided a basic charter for republican democratic government. ...

President John Kufuor (since 2001)

Administrative Divisions: There are ten administrative regions which are divided into 110 districts, each with its own District Assembly. Below districts are various types of councils, including fifty eight town or area councils, 108 zonal councils, and 626 area councils. 16,000 unit committees on lowest level.^[9] Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 427 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1149 × 1612 pixel, file size: 300 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) العربية | | Deutsch | English | Español | فارسی | Français | Italiano | | | | Nederlands | Polski | Português | | Svenska | | | | +/- File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 427 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1149 × 1612 pixel, file size: 300 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) العربية | | Deutsch | English | Español | فارسی | Français | Italiano | | | | Nederlands | Polski | Português | | Svenska | | | | +/- File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared... ĘýṚύ John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor (born in Kumasi December 8, 1938) is the current president of Ghana, since January 7, 2001. ...

Accra Conference Centre

Judicial System: The legal system is based on Ghanaian common law, customary (traditional) law, and the 1992 constitution. Court hierarchy consists of Supreme Court of Ghana (highest court), Court of Appeal, and High Court of Justice. Beneath these bodies are district, traditional, and local courts. Extrajudicial institutions include public tribunals, vigilante groups, and asafo companies. Since independence, courts are relatively independent; this independence continues under Fourth Republic. Lower courts are being redefined and reorganized under the Fourth Republic.^[9] This article concerns the common-law legal system, as contrasted with the civil law legal system; for other meanings of the term, within the field of law, see common law (disambiguation). ...

Politics: Political parties became legal in mid-1992 after ten-year hiatus. Under the Fourth Republic, major parties are National Democratic Congress, led by Jerry John Rawlings, which won presidential and parliamentary elections in 1992; New Patriotic Party, major opposition party; People's National Convention, led by former president Hilla Limann; and (new) People's Convention Party, successor to Kwame Nkrumah's original party of same name.^[9] Jerry John Rawlings (born 1947) is a longtime Ghanaian politician who served as the countrys president twice. ...

Foreign Relations: Since independence, Ghana has been fervently devoted to ideals of nonalignment and Pan-Africanism, both closely identified with first president, Kwame Nkrumah. Ghana favors international and regional political and economic cooperation, and is an active member of United Nations and Organization of African Unity. In 1994 President Rawlings was elected chairman of Economic Community of West African States.^[9]

Economy

Main article: Economy of Ghana

The fishing village of Akwidaa on the south-west coast

Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains somewhat dependent on international financial and technical assistance as well as the activities of the extensive Ghanaian diaspora. Gold, timber, cocoa, diamond, bauxite, and manganese exports are major sources of foreign exchange.^[10] An oilfield which is reported to contain up to 3 billion barrels of light oil was discovered in 2007.^[11] Oil exploration is ongoing and, the amount of oil continues to increase ^[12]. Palm oil is a food crop and export of Ghana By West African standards, Ghana has a diverse and rich resource base. ...  Western Africa (UN subregion)  Maghreb[1] West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. ... GOLD refers to one of the following: GOLD (IEEE) is an IEEE program designed to garner more student members at the university level (Graduates of the Last Decade). ... Timber in storage for later processing at a sawmill Timber is a term used to describe wood, either standing or that has been processed for use—from the time trees are felled, to its end product as a material suitable for industrial use—as structural material for construction or wood... For other uses, see Cocoa (disambiguation). ... This article is about the mineral. ... This article is about the ore. ... General Name, symbol, number manganese, Mn, 25 Chemical series transition metals Group, period, block 7, 4, d Appearance silvery metallic Standard atomic weight 54. ...

The domestic economy continues to revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 50% of GDP and employs 85% of the work force,^[13] mainly small landholders. Ghana made progress under a three-year structural adjustment program in cooperation with the IMF.^{[neutrality disputed]} On the negative side, public sector wage increases and regional peacekeeping commitments have led to continued inflationary deficit financing, depreciation of the Cedi, and rising public discontent with Ghana's austerity measures. Even so, Ghana remains one of the more economically sound countries in all of Africa. GDP redirects here. ... The flag of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is the international organization entrusted with overseeing the global financial system by monitoring foreign exchange rates and balance of payments, as well as offering technical and financial assistance when asked. ... SNAPE KILLS DUMBLEDORE The cedi is the unit of currency of Ghana, Africa. ... Austerity is a term from economics that describes a policy where nations reduce living standards, curtail development projects, and generally shift the revenue stream out of the physical economy, in order to satisfy the demands of creditors. ...

Makola Market, Accra

The country has since July, 2007, embarked on a currency re-denomination exercise, from Cedi (¢) to the new currency, the Ghana Cedi (GH¢). The transfer rate is 1 Ghana Cedi for every 10,000 Cedis. The Bank of Ghana has embarked upon an aggressive media campaign to educate the public about what re-denomination entails. The new Ghana Cedi is now exchanging at a rate of $1 USD =Gh¢ 0.93^{[citation needed]} Accra, population 1,970,400 (2005), is the capital of Ghana. ... SNAPE KILLS DUMBLEDORE The cedi is the unit of currency of Ghana, Africa. ...

Value Added Tax is a consumption tax administered in Ghana. The tax regime which started in 1998 had a single rate but since September 2007 entered into a multiple rate regime. In 1998, the rate of tax was 10% and amended in 2000 to 12.5%. However with the passage of Act 734 of 2007, a 3% VAT Flat Rate Scheme (VFRS) begun to operate for the retail distribution sector. This allows retailers of taxable goods under Act 546 to charge a marginal 3% on their sales and account on same to the VAT Service. It is aimed at simplifying the tax system and increasing compliance. It is the hope of government that if properly monitored, it would ultimately increase tax revenue in the country.

Geography

Satellite image of Ghana, generated from raster graphics data supplied by The Map Library

Main article: Geography of Ghana

Ghana's highest point is Mount Afadjato, seen here from the village of Liati Wote

Osu, Ghana

Ghana is a country located on the Gulf of Guinea, only a few degrees north of the Equator, therefore giving it a warm climate. The Greenwich Meridian also passes through Ghana, specifically through the industrial city of Ghana-Tema; so it is said that Ghana is geographically closer to the "center" of the world than any other country. Côte d'Ivoire is located to the west of Ghana while Burkina Faso and Togo are located to its north and east respectively. The coastline is mostly a low, sandy shore backed by plains and scrub and intersected by several rivers and streams. A tropical rain forest belt, broken by heavily forested hills and many streams and rivers, extends northward from the shore. North of this belt, the land is covered by low bush, park-like savannah, and grassy plains. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (534x774, 594 KB) ECW to TIFF to PNG (compression level 9). ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (534x774, 594 KB) ECW to TIFF to PNG (compression level 9). ... Imagine the smiley face in the top left corner as an RGB bitmap image. ... Satellite image of Congo, generated from raster graphics data supplied by The Map Library. ... women created many such as bowls pottery weapons and guns. ... Mount Afadjato is the highest mountain in Ghana even though it is only 880m (2900ft) tall. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Map of the Gulf of Guinea, showing the chain of islands formed by the Cameroon line of volcanoes. ... World map showing the equator in red In tourist areas, the equator is often marked on the sides of roads The equator marked as it crosses Ilhéu das Rolas, in São Tomé and Príncipe. ...

The climate is tropical. The eastern coastal belt is warm and comparatively dry (see Dahomey Gap); the southwest corner, hot and humid; and the north, hot and dry. Lake Volta, the world's largest artificial lake, extends through large portions of eastern Ghana. Naples beach in Florida lined with coconut trees is an example of a tropical climate. ... In West Africa, the Dahomey Gap refers to the area of savanna that extends all the way to the coast in Benin, Togo and Ghana, thus separating the forest zone that covers much of the south of the region into two separate parts. ... Lake Volta (located at ) is the largest reservoir in the world (being larger than Lake Nasser), lying in Ghana and covering almost 8,502 km² (3,275 square miles). ...

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Ghana

Kumasi

The major ethnic groups are Akan 49%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%. European and other: 0.2%. Religious divisions are as follows: Christian 63%, African beliefs 21%, Muslim 16%,^[14] More recent estimates indicate that Muslims make up 30% of the population.^[15] Ghanas population is concentrated along the coast and in the principal cities of Accra and Kumasi. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1152x872, 263 KB) Description: Kumasi, Ghana. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1152x872, 263 KB) Description: Kumasi, Ghana. ... Kumasi is the capital city of the Ashanti region of Ghana. ... Sekondi-Takoradi, population 335,000 (2005), is the capital of the Western Region of Ghana. ... For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ... There is also a collection of Hadith called Sahih Muslim A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Persian: Mosalman or Mosalmon Urdu: مسلمان, Turkish: Müslüman, Albanian: Mysliman, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of the religion of Islam. ...

Population of major cities

Accra, population 1,970,400 (2005), is the capital of Ghana. ... Kumasi is the capital city of the Ashanti region of Ghana. ... The bank in downtown Tamale (November 1999) Tamale (pronounced ) is the capital of the Northern Region of Ghana, with a population of 305,000 (2005). ... Sekondi-Takoradi, population 335,000 (2005), is the capital of the Western Region of Ghana. ... TEMA, or the Turkish Foundation for Combating Soil Erosion, for Reforestation and the Protection of Natural Habitats (Türkiye Erozyonla Mücadele Ağaçlandirma in Turkish) is a non-governmental organization founded on 11 September 1992 by Turkish businessmen Hayrettin Karaca and Nihat Gökyiğit. ... Teshie is a city in Ghana in the Greater Accra Region. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Obuasi is a city in southern Ghana, lying south of Kumasi. ...

Languages

Main article: Languages of Ghana

A street seller in Accra

More than 250 languages and dialects are spoken in Ghana. English is the country's official language and predominates government and business affairs. It is also the standard language used for educational instruction. Native Ghanaian languages are divided into two linguistic subfamilies of the Niger-Congo language family. Tamale]]Languages belonging to the Kwa subfamily are found predominantly to the south of the Volta River, while those belonging to the Gur subfamily are found predominantly to the north. The Kwa group, which is spoken by about 75% of the country's population, includes the Akan, Ga-Dangme, and Ewe languages. The Gur group includes the Gurma, Grusi, and Dagbani languages.^[16] Different sources give different figures for the number of languages of Ghana. ... The Niger-Congo languages constitute one of the worlds major language families, and Africas largest in terms of geographical area, number of speakers, and number of distinct languages. ... It has been suggested that nacatamal be merged into this article or section. ... The Kwa languages are spoken in the south-eastern part of Côte dIvoire, in Ghana, Togo and Benin, and the south-Western corner of Nigeria. ... The Adome bridge crosses the Volta river south of the Akosombo Dam The Volta is a river in central and western Africa that drains into the Gulf of Guinea. ... The Gur languages belong to the Niger-Congo languages. ... See also Akan languages Akan is the name that has been adopted by Ghanaians today and was given to them by the Arabs. ... Ga-Dangme, or as the tribesmen themselves call it Ga-Adangbe (which is two related languages - Ga and Adangbe- which has various dialects) is a west African language spoken primarily in southeastern Ghana. ... Ewe (native name , the language) is a Kwa language spoken in Ghana and Togo by approximately three million people. ... Grusi is a subgroup of the Central Gur languages, comprising about 20 languages. ... Dagbani is a language spoken by some half million people in Ghana, where it is the most common language in the Northern regions. ...

Nine languages have the status of government-sponsored languages: Akan, Dagaare/Wale, Dagbani, Dangme, Ewe, Ga, Gonja, Kasem, and Nzema. Though not an official language, Hausa is the lingua-franca spoken among Ghana's Muslims, who comprise about 14% of the population. See also Akan languages Akan is the name that has been adopted by Ghanaians today and was given to them by the Arabs. ... The Dagaare (also spelled Dagare, Dagarti or, Dagao) are an ethnic group in the West African nation of Ghana. ... Dagbani is a language spoken by some half million people in Ghana, where it is the most common language in the Northern regions. ... Adangme (also Dangme, native name ) is a language that is spoken in Ghana by 825,000 people. ... Ewe (native name , the language) is a Kwa language spoken in Ghana and Togo by approximately three million people. ... The Ga language is a Kwa language spoken in Ghana, in and around the capital Accra. ... The Gonja language is a Vola-Congo language spoken by an estimated 230,000 people, almost all of whom are of the Gonja ethnic group of northern Ghana. ... The Nzema are an Akan people numbering about 328,700 people of whom 262,000 live in southwestern Ghana and 66,700 live in the southeast of Côte dIvoire. ... Hausa is the Chadic language with the largest number of speakers, spoken as a first language by about 24 million people, and as a second language by about 15 million more. ... For the commercial pidgin of the Mediterranean, see Mediterranean Lingua Franca. ...

Education

Main article: Education in Ghana

A school in Sekondi-Takoradi

Presently, Ghana has 18,530 primary schools, 8,850 junior secondary schools, 900 senior secondary schools, 28 training colleges, 20 technical institutions, 4 diploma-awarding institutions, 6 public universities and over 10 private universities. That means that most Ghanaians have relatively easy access to primary and secondary education. These numbers can be contrasted with the single university and handful of secondary and primary schools that existed at the time of independence in 1957. Ghana's spending on education has varied between 28 and 40 percent of its annual budget in the past decade. All teaching is done in English, Ghana's official language. Ghana has 12,630 primary schools, 5,450 junior secondary schools, 503 senior secondary schools, 21 training colleges, 18 technical institutions, two diploma-awarding institutions and five universities serving a population of 18 million; this means that most Ghanaians have relatively easy access to good education. ... Sekondi-Takoradi, population 335,000 (2005), is the capital of the Western Region of Ghana. ...

A Dora textile group in Nsawam

Ghana has a 6-year primary education system beginning at the age of six, and, under the educational reforms implemented in 1987, they pass on to a 3-year junior secondary system all making up the basic education and then afterwards a three year senior secondary system. The new educational reforms programme which was introduced in 2007 has now replaced the previous system. Now the junior secondary school is now junior high school (JHS). At the end of the 3rd year of JHS, there is a Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). Those continuing must complete the 4-year senior high school (SHS) program and take an admission exam to enter university. School enrollment totals over 2 million: 1.3 million primary; 550,000 middle; 300,000 secondary; 84,280 technical; 18,000 teacher training, and 89,000 in university. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 443 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1704 × 2304 pixel, file size: 120 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) In the city of Nsawam there is the special Dora-Project for young rural woman . Here we see the Textil-Group File links... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 443 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1704 × 2304 pixel, file size: 120 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) In the city of Nsawam there is the special Dora-Project for young rural woman . Here we see the Textil-Group File links... NSAWAM IS A TOWN IN THE CAPITAL OF ACCRA. WHICH IS IN SOUTHERN GHANA. IT IS CONTROLLED BY THE GA SOCIETY. THEIR POPULATION CONSIST OF MIXERS OF ALL THE TRIBE OR ETHNIC GROUPS OF GHANA.ESPECIALLY.THE GAS AND THE AKANS ...

The shortage of places in post-secondary education is acute; one out of nine senior secondary graduates finds a place in a technical, teacher-training, or four-year university program.

International rankings

The Heritage Foundation is one of the most prominent conservative think tanks in the United States. ... The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) is an international daily newspaper published by Dow Jones & Company in New York City, New York, USA, with Asian and European editions, and a worldwide daily circulation of more than 2 million as of 2006, with 931,000 paying online subscribers. ... Map of Economic Freedom released by the Heritage Foundation. ... Reporters Without Borders, or RWB (French: Reporters sans frontières, Spanish: Reporteros Sin Fronteras, or RSF) is a French origin international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press, founded by its current general-secretary, Robert Menard. ... Reporters Without Borders, or RWB (French: Reporters sans frontières, Spanish: Reporteros Sin Fronteras, or RSF) is a French origin international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press, founded by its current general-secretary, Robert Menard. ... Transparency International (TI) is an international organisation addressing corruption, including, but not limited to, political corruption. ... Overview of the index of perception of corruption Since 1995, Transparency International has published an annual Index of perception of corruption ordering the countries of the world according to the level of public perception of corruption of public and political functionaries. ... The United Nations Development Programe (UNDP), the United Nations global development network, is the largest multilateral source of development assistance in the world. ... World map of the Global Peace Index The Global Peace Index is an attempt to measure the relative position of nations’ and regions’ peacefulness. ... World map of the Global Peace Index The Global Peace Index is an attempt to measure the relative position of nations’ and regions’ peacefulness. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... World map of the 2006-2007 Global Competitiveness Index. ...

See also