Ghana
Capital: Accra · Western Africa
Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa.
Photo: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
This is a photo of Ghana's material cultural heritage number
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Abandoned bus at the bank of the Volta river in Atimpoku
Photo: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
This is a photo of Ghana's material cultural heritage number
Photo: DeanClericuzio, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Did you know?
The earliest kingdoms to emerge in Ghana were Bonoman in the south and the Kingdom of Dagbon in the north, with Bonoman existing in the area during the 11th century. The Asante Empire and other Akan kingdoms in the south emerged over the centuries. Beginning in the 15th century, the Portuguese Empire, followed by other European powers, contested the area for trading rights, until the British ultimately established control of the coast by the 19th century.
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Christ Church Cathedral in Cape Coast
Photo: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
This is a photo of Ghana's material cultural heritage number
Photo: DeanClericuzio, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
House on the bank of the Lower Volta river, seen from from Adomi Bridge, Eastern Region, Ghana
Photo: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Etymology
The name Ghana comes from Wagadu, an empire in west Africa from the 3rd to 12th centuries; Wagadu was termed Ghana by Arab traders involved in the trans-Saharan trade. Ghana is thought to originate from the title Kaya Maghan of the rulers of Wagadu, which translates as ruler of gold.
The earliest attempt to associate the people of the Gold Coast with ancient Ghana had been made by Rev. J. B. Anaman around the turn of the 20th century. Anaman drew on W.D.
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Street vendors hawking a vehicle on the road between Accra and Lomé (N1) near the Lower Volta Bridge
Photo: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Cadillac hearse after crossing Adomi Bridge in Atimpoku, Ghana
Photo: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Distant view of Legon Campus (University of Ghana) from East Legon
Photo: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Geography
Ghana lies on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa, a few degrees north of the Equator. It covers 238,540 km2 (92,101 sq mi) and has an Atlantic coastline of about 560 kilometres (350 miles). It is situated between latitudes 4°45′N and 11°N, and longitudes 1°15′E and 3°15′W. The Prime Meridian passes through Tema, near Accra, making Ghana the country closest to the intersection of the Prime Meridian and the Equator (0°, 0°), located offshore in the Atlantic.
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Development project by China Railway Construction Corporation in Accra Harbour
Photo: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Hand carts in Eastern Ghana
Photo: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Chang'an Star 9 van in Ghana
Photo: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
History
The earliest kingdoms to emerge in Ghana were Bonoman in the south and the Kingdom of Dagbon in the north, with Bonoman existing in the area during the 11th century. From the 17th century, Akan states began to emerge from what is believed to have been the Bonoman area, mainly based on gold trading. These states included Bonoman (Brong-Ahafo region), Adansi and Asante (Ashanti Region), Denkyira (Western North region), Mankessim Kingdom (Central region), Akyem and Akwamu (Eastern region). By the 19th century, the territory of the southern part of Ghana was included in the Asante Kingdom.
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Blick über den Kotoka-Flughafen, Accra, mit gelblich verfärbtem Himmel im Harmattan
Photo: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Small tour boat on the lower Volta near Atimpoku, Ghana
Photo: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Politics
Ghana is a unitary presidential constitutional democracy with a parliamentary multi-party system that is dominated by two parties—the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Ghana alternated between civilian and military governments until January 1993, when the military government gave way to the Fourth Republic of Ghana after presidential and parliamentary elections in late 1992.
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Economy
Ghana possesses industrial minerals, hydrocarbons and precious metals. It is an emerging designated digital economy with mixed economy hybridisation and an emerging market. It has an economic plan target known as the "Ghana Vision 2020". This plan envisions Ghana as the first African country to become a developed country between 2020 and 2029 and a newly industrialised country between 2030 and 2039. This excludes fellow Group of 24 member and Sub-Saharan African country South Africa, which is a newly industrialised country.
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Demographics
As of 2024, the United Nations reports Ghana has a population of 34,581,288. As of 2018, around 29% of the population is under the age of 15, while persons aged 15–64 make up 57.8% of the population. The 2010 census reported that the largest ethnic groups are the Akan (47.3%), the Mole-Dagbani (18.5%), the Ewe (13.9%), the Ga-Dangme (7.4%), the Gurma (5.7%) and the Guan (3.7%). As of 2024, the United Nations reports the median age of Ghanaian citizens is 21 years old. Ghana contributes 0.42% to the total world population.
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Culture
Ghanaian cuisine includes an assortment of soups and stews with varied seafoods; most Ghanaian soups are prepared with vegetables, meat, poultry or fish. Fish is in the diet with tilapia, roasted and fried whitebait, smoked fish and crayfish, all being components of Ghanaian dishes. Banku (akple) is a starchy food made from ground corn (maize), and cornmeal based staples kɔmi (kenkey) and banku (akple) may be accompanied by some form of fried fish (chinam) or grilled tilapia and a spicy condiment made from raw red and green chillies, onions and tomatoes (pepper sauce).
Wikipedia: Ghana – read more, CC BY-SA 4.0