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{{About|the modern country of Ghana|the Ghana Empire (c. 790-1076) northwest of modern Ghana|Ghana Empire|other uses|}}
{{Infobox country
{{Infobox country
|conventional_long_name = Republic of Ghana
|conventional_long_name   = Republic of Ghana
|common_name = Ghana
|common_name             = Ghana
|image_flag = Flag of Ghana.svg
|image_flag               = Flag of Ghana.svg
|image_coat =Coat_of_arms_of_Ghana.svg
|image_coat               = Coat of arms of Ghana.svg
|image_map = Ghana on the globe (Cape Verde centered).svg
|image_map               = Ghana (orthographic projection).svg
|map_caption = {{map caption |countryprefix= |location_color=red}}
|map_caption             =
|image_map2 =
|national_motto           = "Freedom and Justice"
|map_caption2 =  
|national_anthem         = "[[God Bless Our Homeland Ghana]]"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emefa.myserver.org/Ghana.mp3|title=Emefa.myserver.org|accessdate=21 December 2010|archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5nE3UoJ2x?url=http://www.emefa.myserver.org/Ghana.mp3|archivedate=2010-02-01|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|national_motto = "Freedom and Justice"
|official_languages      = [[English language|English]]
|national_anthem = {{vunblist |''[[God Bless Our Homeland Ghana]] <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.emefa.myserver.org/Ghana.mp3 |title=Emefa.myserver.org |accessdate=21 December 2010}}</ref>|vocal'' |{{small|''God Bless Our Homeland Ghana''}} |<center>[[File:God Bless Our Homeland Ghana.ogg|noicon|center]]</center>}}
|languages                = [[Akan language|Akan]], [[Ewe language|Ewe]], [[Dagomba language|Dagomba]] (Dagbani), [[Adangme language|Dangme]], [[Dagaare]], [[Ga language|Ga]], [[Nzema language|Nzema]], [[Gonja language|Gonja]], [[Kasem language|Kasem]]<ref name="Ghana -Language and Religion"/>
|other_symbol_type = National [[Seal (device)|seal]]
|languages_type          = Government-sponsored<br> languages
|other_symbol = <div style="padding:0.3em;">[[File:Ghana seal.svg|80px|Seal of the Republic of Ghana]]</div>
|capital                  = [[Accra]]
|text_symbol = '''Government [[logo]]'''<br /><div style="padding:0.3em;">[[File:Ghana Government (Government of Ghana) logo.gif|80px|Logo of the Republic of Ghana Government]]</div>
|coordinates = {{Coord|5|33|N|0|12|W|type:city}}
|official_languages = [[English language|English]] (official) 21.3%<ref name="The Ghanaian Government states that English is the official language">{{cite web |quote=The Ghanaian Government states that English is the official language. It is being widely used in business, law, and government documents, as well being taught throughout schools as a medium of instruction. For the official percentage of [[English language]] speakers in Ghana see [[List of countries by English-speaking population]] |url=http://www.ghana.gov.gh |publisher=Government of Ghana |title=Welcome |year=2013 |accessdate=5 June 2013}}</ref>
|largest_city            = Accra
|languages_type =
|demonym                  = Ghanaian
[[National language]]
|government_type          = [[Unitary state|Unitary]] [[Presidential system|presidential]] [[constitutional republic]]
----
|leader_title1            = [[President of Ghana|President]]
[[Indigenous language]]
|leader_name1            = [[Nana Akufo-Addo]]
|languages = [[Akan language|Akan]] (lingua franca) 83.9%
|leader_title2            = [[Vice President of Ghana|Vice President]]
|ethnic_groups_year = 2010<ref name="Ghana - 2010 Population and Housing Census">{{cite web |url=http://www.statsghana.gov.gh/docfiles/2010phc/Census2010_Summary_report_of_final_results.pdf |title=Ghana – 2010 Population and Housing Census |work=Government of Ghana |year=2010 |accessdate=1 June 2013}}</ref>
|leader_name2            = [[Mahamudu Bawumia]]
|ethnic_groups =
|legislature              = [[Parliament of Ghana|Parliament]]
{{unbulleted list
|area_rank                = 80th
  |  47.5% [[Akan people|Akan]]
|area_km2                = 239,567
  | 16.6% [[Mossi people|Mossi]] and [[Dagomba people|Dagomba]]
|area_sq_mi              = 92,098 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]-->
  | 13.9% [[Ewe people|Ewe]]
|percent_water            = 4.61
  |  {{nbsp|2}}7.4% [[Ga-Adangbe people|Ga-Adangbe]]
| population_estimate                = 31,072,940<ref name=popest>{{cite web |title=2020 Population Projection by Sex, 2010–2020|publisher=Ghana Statistical Service |url=http://www.statsghana.gov.gh/pop_stats.html |accessdate=2 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180424110616/http://www.statsghana.gov.gh/pop_stats.html |archive-date=24 April 2018 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
  |  {{nbsp|2}}1.1% [[Mandé peoples|Mande]]
| population_census                = 24,200,000<ref name=unpop>{{cite journal|url=http://www.ghana.gov.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4712:2010-provisional-census-results-out&catid=88:daily-news-summary&Itemid=236 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615141322/http://www.ghana.gov.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4712%3A2010-provisional-census-results-out&catid=88%3Adaily-news-summary&Itemid=236 |archivedate=15 June 2011 |title=2010 Provisional Census Results Out |version=4 February 2011 |publisher=Population Division, Ghana Government |year=2010 |accessdate=7 February 2011 |author=Antoinette I. Mintah |url-status=dead }}</ref>
  |  13.5% other
| population_estimate_year                = 2020
}}
| population_estimate_rank                = 47th
|religion = {{vunblist |71.2% [[File:P christianity.svg|18px|alt=|link=]] [[Christianity in Ghana|Christian]] <ref name="religion2010"/> | 5.2% [[File:AtheismLogo.svg|18px|alt=|link=]] [[Atheist]]{{\}}[[Irreligion]] | 23.6% other <ref name="religion2010"/>}}
| population_census_year                = 2010
|capital = [[File:Accra Metropolitan Assembly logo.jpg|25px|link=Accra|left]] [[Accra]]
| population_density_km2                = 101.5
<!--|largest_city = [[File:Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) logo.png|20px|link=Kumasi|Seal of Kumasi]] [[Kumasi]]<br />{{small|{{coord|6|40|N|1|37|W|display=inline}}}}-->
| population_density_sq_mi                = 258.8 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]-->
|demonym = Ghanaian
| population_density_rank                = 103rd
|government_type = {{nowrap|[[Unitary state|Unitary]] [[Presidential system|presidential]]<br />[[constitutional democracy]]}}
| GDP_PPP                = $226&nbsp;billion<ref name=IMF>{{cite web |title=Report for Selected Countries and Subjects |url=https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2019/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2019&ey=2021&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&pr1.x=82&pr1.y=0&c=652&s=NGDPD%2CPPPGDP%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPPC&grp=0&a= |website=[[IMF]] |accessdate=29 February 2020 }}</ref>
|leader_title1 = [[President of Ghana|President]]
| GDP_PPP_year                = 2020
|leader_name1 = [[John Dramani Mahama]]
| GDP_PPP_per_capita                = $7,343<ref name=IMF/>
|leader_title2 = [[Vice President of the Republic of Ghana|Vice-President]]
| GDP_nominal                = $69.757&nbsp;billion<ref name=IMF/>
|leader_name2 = {{nowrap|[[Kwesi Amissah-Arthur]]}}
| GDP_nominal_year                = 2020
|legislature = [[Parliament of Ghana|Parliament]]
| GDP_nominal_per_capita                = $2,266<ref name=IMF/>
|area_rank = 82nd
| Gini                = 42.4
|area_magnitude = 1 E11
| Gini_year                = 2012
|area_km2 = 238,535
| Gini_change                = <!--increase/decrease/steady-->
|area_sq_mi = 92,099 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]-->
| Gini_ref                = <ref name="worldbank">{{cite web|url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI?locations=GH|title=GINI index (World Bank estimate)|publisher=[[World Bank]]|website=data.worldbank.org|accessdate=24 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125020447/https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI?locations=GH|archive-date=25 January 2019|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
|percent_water = {{nowrap|4.61 (11,000&nbsp;km{{smallsup|2}}{{\}}4,247&nbsp;mi{{smallsup|2}})}}
| Gini_rank                =  
|population_estimate = 24.2 million<ref name=unpop>{{cite journal |url=http://www.ghana.gov.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4712:2010-provisional-census-results-out&catid=88:daily-news-summary&Itemid=236 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20110615141322/http://www.ghana.gov.gh/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4712:2010-provisional-census-results-out&catid=88:daily-news-summary&Itemid=236 |archivedate=15 June 2011 |title=2010 Provisional Census Results Out |version=4 February 2011 |publisher=Ghana Government |year=2010 |accessdate=7 February 2011 |work= ISD (Antoinette I. Mintah) Population Division}}</ref>
| HDI                = 0.596
|population_estimate_rank =
| HDI_year                = 2018
|population_estimate_year = 2010
| HDI_change                = increase
|population_census = |population_census_year =
| HDI_ref                = <ref name="UNHDR">{{cite web|url=http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/2019-human-development-index-ranking|title=Human Development Report 2019|language=en|publisher=[[United Nations Development Programme]]|date=10 December 2019|accessdate=10 December 2019|format=PDF|archive-date=19 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200519100725/http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/2019-human-development-index-ranking|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|population_density_km2 = 101.5
| HDI_rank               = 142nd
|population_density_sq_mi = 258.8 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]-->
|sovereignty_type         = [[Independence]]
|population_density_rank = 103rd
|sovereignty_note        = from the [[United Kingdom]]
|GDP_PPP = $97.5 billion<ref name=IMF>{{cite web |url=http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2013/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr.x=53&pr.y=6&sy=2011&ey=2018&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=652&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC&grp=0&a= |title=Ghana |publisher=International Monetary Fund |accessdate=22 January 2014}}</ref>
|established_event1       = Declared
|GDP_PPP_rank =
|established_date1       = 6 March 1957
|GDP_PPP_year = 2014
|established_event2       = Republic
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $3,718.4<ref name=IMF/>
|established_date2       = 1 July 1960
|GDP_nominal = $50 billion<ref name=IMF/>
|established_event3       = Current Constitution
|GDP_nominal_year = 2014
|established_date3       = 28 April 1992
|GDP_nominal_per_capita = $1,902.9<ref name=IMF/>
|currency                = [[Ghana cedi]] (GH₵)
|Gini_year = |Gini_change =  <!--increase/decrease/steady--> |Gini = <!--number only--> |Gini_ref = |Gini_rank =
|currency_code           = GHS
|HDI_year = 2013
|time_zone               = [[GMT]]
|HDI_change = increase <!--increase/decrease/steady-->
|utc_offset               = 0
|HDI = 0.558 <!--number only-->
|drives_on               = right
|HDI_ref =<ref name="HDI">{{cite web |url=http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2010_EN_Complete_reprint.pdf |title=Human Development Report 2010 |year=2010 |publisher=United Nations |accessdate=4 November 2010}}</ref>
|cctld                    = [[.gh]]
|HDI_rank = 135th
|calling_code             = [[Telephone numbers in Ghana|+233]]
|sovereignty_type = Independence {{nobold|from the [[United Kingdom]]}}
}}
|established_event1 = [[Gold Coast legislative election, 1956|Declared]]
'''Ghana''' (formerly the '''Gold Coast''') is a country in [[West Africa]]. Thirty-one million people live there; its capital is [[Accra]]. It is in Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between [[Côte d'Ivoire]] and [[Togo]].
|established_date1 = 6 March 1957
|established_event2 = [[Ghana (Commonwealth realm)|Realm]]
|established_date2 = 6 March 1957 – 1 July 1960
|established_event3 = [[Ghanaian First Republic|Republic]]
|established_date3 = 1 July 1960
|established_event4 = [[Constitution of Ghana|Current constitution]]
|established_date4 = 28 April 1992
|currency = [[Ghana cedi]] (GH₵)
|currency_code = GHS
|country_code = GH
|time_zone = [[GMT]]
|utc_offset = +0
|drives_on = [[Right- and left-hand traffic#Ghana|right]]
|calling_code = [[Telephone numbers in Ghana|+233]]
|cctld = [[.gh]]
|image_map3 = Ghana Regions map.png |map_caption3 = Map of the Gulf of Guinea showing Ghana and its 2,093 kilometer international borders.
| footnotes = <div style="background:#ddf;padding:0.2em;font-size:135%;text-align:center;"></div>}}
The '''Republic of Ghana''' is a country located in [[West Afrika]]. It is bordered by [[Côte d'Ivoire]] (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"<ref name="warriorking">{{cite book |title=Introduction to African Civilizations |last=Jackson |first=John G. |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=2001 |publisher=Kensington Publishing Corp. |location=New York, NY |isbn=0-8065-2189-9 |page=201 |pages= |url= |accessdate=11 May 2011}}</ref> and is derived from the ancient
[[Ghana Empire]].


==Etymology of Ghana==
Since Ghana is near the [[Equator]], the climate is very warm and tropical. The eastern coastal belt is warm and comparatively dry. South west corner is hot and humid. The north is hot and dry. [[Lake Volta]] (the world’s largest artificial lake) extends through eastern Ghana.
[[File:Ghana Map.jpg|left|thumb|155px|Map of Ghana]] The word ''Ghana'' means Warrior King and was the title accorded to the kings of the medieval West African [[Ghana Empire]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Ghana - MSN Encarta<!-- Bot generated title -->|url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761570799/Ghana.html|work=|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5kwptUKKy|archivedate=2009-10-31|deadurl=yes}}, Encarta.msn.com</ref> Geographically, the Ghana Empire was approximately {{convert|500|mi|km}} north and west of modern Ghana, and it ruled territories in the area of the [[Sénégal River]] and east towards the [[Niger River]], in modern [[Senegal]], [[Mauritania]] and [[Mali]].


''Ghana'' was adopted as the legal name for the [[Gold Coast (British colony)|Gold Coast]] combined with British Togoland upon gaining autonomy on March 6, 1957. It was not until July 1, 1960, however, that Ghana asserted its complete independence from Britain and became known as the ''Republic of Ghana''.
Most Ghanaians have access to primary and secondary education. Ghana has a 6-year primary school system. There are 6 public universities and 10 private universities.


==Pre-colonial Ghana==
Ghana has many natural resources. The main exports are gold, timber, cocoa, diamonds, and more. Ghana has one of the strongest economies in Africa.
[[File:AncientGhana.jpg|200px|thumb|left|placement of old Afrikan kingdom of Wagadugu(Ghana)]] Archaeological remains found in the coastal zone indicate that the area of present day Ghana had been inhabited since the early since ca. 4000 B.C., but these societies, based on fishing in the extensive lagoons and rivers, left few traces. Archaeological work also suggests that central Ghana north of the forest zone was inhabited as early as 3,000 to 4,000 years ago. Oral history and other sources suggest that the ancestors of some of Ghana's residents entered this area at least as early as the tenth century A.D. and that migration from the north and east continued thereafter. These migrations resulted in part from the formation and disintegration of a series of large states in the western Sudan (the region north of modern Ghana drained by the [[Niger River]]). Prominent among these [[Sudanic states]] was the Soninke Kingdom of Ancient Ghana. Strictly speaking, Ghana was the title of the King, but the [[arabs]], who left records of the Kingdom, applied the term to the King, the capital, and the state. The actual name of the state was [[Wagadugu]]<ref>http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/history/</ref>The 9th Century Arab writer, [[al yaqubi]], described ancient Ghana as one of the three most organised states in the region (the others being [[Gao]] and [[Kanem]] in the central Sudan). Its rulers were renowned for their wealth in gold, the opulence of their courts, and their warrior-hunting skills. They were also masters of the trade in gold, which drew [[North African]] merchants to the [[western Sudan]]. The military achievements of these and later western Sudanic rulers and their control over the region's gold mines constituted the nexus of their historical relations with merchants and rulers of North Africa and the Mediterranean.
Ghana succumbed to attacks by its neighbours in the eleventh century, but its name and reputation endured.


[[Kumbu]] is cited by historians as the first kingdom which emerged in the region, and it contained different akan elements. Kumbu was followed by the first and second [[Bono]] Kingdoms. It is from the second Bono Kingdom that the Aduana people migrated from and went south to create the [[Akumi-Akoto]] kingdom in [[Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem District|Eguafo]] territory in the south. Around 1550, some emigrants from the [[Akumi-Akoto]] went north and established the [[Nyanowase Akwamu]] kingdom by the early 1700's. Because of a royalty succession dispute, part of the ruling class left the kingdom, travelling north to create a state in a very densely populated zone called Asantemanso.
Ghana used “Cedi” for their currency but in July 2007, “Ghanaian Cedi” became the new currency. 1 Ghana Cedi is equal to 1000 Cedi. 1 US dollar is currently exchanged at about 8 Ghana Cedi.


It was around this time that the [[Akan]] people of central Ghana began to solidify their political government around [[Kumase]]. As the oral history goes,  [[Okomfo Anokye]] commanded and a [[Golden stool]] to descend from the skies on one Festive Friday, “Fofie” when all the chiefs had gathered, and rested on the laps of Nana O[[sei Tutu]], making him the unquestionable king of the united [[Asante]] states. The Golden stool became the soul of the new Nation and each Chief swore an oath not to raise arms against the Golden stool. They swore to protect the Golden stool with their blood. The states, which assembled included Mampon, Asumegya, Kokofu, Kumase, Dwaben, Bekwai, Offinso, Nsuta, Kontanase, Edweso and Agona.
==Geography==
[[File:Beach with palms Ghana.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Beach in Ghana|Beach in Ghana]]
Ghana is a country located on the [[Gulf of Guinea]]. It is only a few degrees north of the [[Equator]].  This gives it a warm climate. The country has an area of {{convert|238500|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}. It is surrounded by [[Togo]] to the east, [[Côte d'Ivoire]] to the west, [[Burkina Faso]] to the north and the [[Gulf of Guinea]] (Atlantic Ocean) to the south.


==European Arrival==
The country has flat plains, low hills and a few rivers. Ghana can be divided into five different geographical regions. The coastline is mostly a low, sandy shore backed by plains and scrub.  It is crossed by several rivers and streams. The northern part of the country has high plains. Southwest and south central Ghana is made up of a forested plateau region with the [[Ashanti (region)|Ashanti]] uplands and the [[Kwahu Plateau]]. The hilly Akuapim-Togo ranges are found along the country's eastern border.
[[File:ElminaCastle1668.jpg|200px|thumb|left|elmina castle, [[Oguaa]]]] The first [[european people]] arrived in the absolute southern part of the region around the late 15th century. When they arrived, many inhabitants of the Gold Coast area were striving to consolidate their newly acquired territories and to settle into a secure and permanent environment. The [[portuguese]] were the first to arrive. By 1471, under the patronage of [[prince henry]], they had reached the area that was to become known as the Gold Coast because europeans knew the area as the source of gold that reached the empires to the north, such as [[Songhai]] and [[Kingdom of Mali|Mali]] by way of trade routes across the Sahara. The initial portuguese interest in trading for gold, ivory, and pepper so increased that in 1482 the portuguese built their first permanent trading post on the western coast. This fortress, [[elmina castle]], constructed to protect [[portuguese]] trade from hostile Afrikans, and [[european]] competitors still stands.


With the opening of european plantations in North and South America the 1500s, which suddenly created a massive demand for enslaved Afrikans in the Americas, trade in enslaved Afrikans soon overshadowed gold as the principal export of the area. The west coast of Afrika became the principal source of enslaved peoples for the Americas. The seemingly insatiable market and the substantial profits to be gained from the slave trade attracted enslavers from all over europe. Much of the conflict that arose among european groups on the coast and among competing Afrikan kingdoms was the result of rivalry for control of this trade.
The [[Volta Basin]] also takes up most of central Ghana. Ghana's highest point is [[Mount Afadjato]]. It is {{convert|885|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} and is found in the Akwapim-Togo Ranges.


The portuguese position on the Gold Coast remained secure for almost a century. During that time, [[lisbon]] leased the right to establish trading posts to individuals or companies that sought to align themselves with the local chiefs and to exchange trade goods both for rights to conduct commerce and for enslaved Afrikans whom the chiefs could provide. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, enslaver-nations first [[dutch]], and later [[english]], [[danish]], and [[swedish]]-- were granted licenses by their governments to trade overseas. On the Gold Coast, these european competitors built fortified trading stations and challenged the portuguese. Sometimes they were also drawn into conflicts with local inhabitants as [[europeans]] developed commercial alliances with local chiefs.
There are two main seasons in Ghana: the wet and the dry seasons. Northern Ghana has its rainy season from March to November. The south, including the capital Accra, has the season from April to mid-November.


The principal early struggle was between the [[dutch]] and the [[portuguese]]. With the loss of elmina in 1642 to the dutch, the portuguese left the Gold Coast permanently. The next 150 years saw kaleidoscopic change and uncertainty, marked by local conflicts and diplomatic maneuvers, during which various european powers struggled to establish or to maintain a position of dominance in the profitable trade of the Gold Coast littoral. Forts were built, abandoned, attacked, captured, sold, and exchanged, and many sites were selected at one time or another for fortified positions by contending european nations.
==Regions and districts==
Both the dutch and the british formed companies to advance their Afrikan ventures and to protect their coastal establishments. The [[dutch West India Company]] operated throughout most of the eighteenth century. The [[british African Company of Merchants]], founded in 1750, was the successor to several earlier organisations of this type. These enterprises built and manned new installations as the companies pursued their trading activities and defended their respective jurisdictions with varying degrees of government backing. There were short-lived ventures by the swedes and the prussians. The danes remained until 1850, when they withdrew from the Gold Coast. The british gained possession of all dutch coastal forts by the last quarter of the nineteenth century, thus making them the dominant european power on the Gold Coast.
Ghana is divided into 16 [[Administrative division|administrative]] regions, sub-divided into 275 districts:


==Enslavement in West Afrika==
{| class="wikitable"
For a time, a form of servitude was an accepted social institution in the region, and the [[european slave trade]] overshadowed all other commercial activities on the West Afrikan coast. In general, however, the servants in Afrikan communities were often treated as junior members of the society with specific rights, and many were ultimately absorbed into the families and cultures as full members. Given traditional methods of agricultural production in Afrika, the servitude in Afrika was quite different from [[chattel slavery]] that was created and maintained by europeans in europe and the western hemisphere.
|-
http://www.worldafropedia.com/
![[Regions of Ghana]]
Another aspect of the impact of the [[european slave trade]] on Afrika concerns the role of Afrikan chiefs, Muslim traders, and merchant princes in the trade. Although there is no doubt that local rulers in West Africa engaged in slaving and received certain advantages from it, some scholars have challenged the premise that traditional chiefs in the vicinity of the Gold Coast engaged in wars of expansion for the sole purpose of acquiring slaves for the export market.<ref>http://www.asante.net/articles/44/where-is-the-white-professor-located/</ref><ref>http://winbushreparations.blogspot.com/2010/05/setting-record-straight-response-to.html</ref> In the case of Asante, for example, rulers of that kingdom are known to have supplied slaves to both Muslim traders in the north and to Europeans on the coast. Even so, the Asante waged war for purposes other than simply to secure slaves. They also fought to pacify territories that in theory were under Asante control, to exact tribute payments from subordinate kingdoms, and to secure access to trade routes--particularly those that connected the interior with the coast.
!Area (km<sup>2</sup>)
!Regional capitals
!
|-
|border="1"|[[Ashanti Region]]
|style="text-align:center;"|24,389
| style="text-align:center;"|[[Kumasi]]
| rowspan="16" style="text-align:center;" | [[File:Ghana regions.png]]<br />{{nowrap|Ghana regional map<br />prior to 2019 changes}}
|-
|border="1"|[[Bono Region]]
|style="text-align:center;"|39,557
| style="text-align:center;"|[[Sunyani]]
|-
|[[Ahafo Region]]
|
|[[Goaso]]
|-
|[[Bono East Region]]
|
|[[Techiman]]
|-
|border="1"|[[Central Region (Ghana)|Central Region]]
|style="text-align:center;"|9,826
| style="text-align:center;"|[[Cape Coast]]
|-
|border="1"|[[Eastern Region (Ghana)|Eastern Region]]
|style="text-align:center;"|19,323
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Koforidua]]
|-
|border="1"|[[Greater Accra Region]]
|style="text-align:center;"|3,245
| style="text-align:center;"|[[Accra]]
|-
|border="1"|[[Northern Region (Ghana)|Northern Region]]
|style="text-align:center;"|70,384
| style="text-align:center;"|[[Tamale, Ghana|Tamale]]
|-
|[[Savannah Region]]
|
|[[Damongo]]
|-
|[[North East Region, Ghana|North East Region]]
|
|[[Nalerigu]]
|-
|border="1"|[[Upper East Region]]
|style="text-align:center;"|8,842
| style="text-align:center;"|[[Bolgatanga]]
|-
|border="1"|[[Upper West Region]]
|style="text-align:center;"|18,476
| style="text-align:center;"|[[Wa, Ghana|Wa]]
|-
|border="1"|[[Volta Region]]
|style="text-align:center;"|20,570
| style="text-align:center;"|[[Ho, Ghana|Ho]]
|-
|[[Oti Region]]
|
|[[Dambai]]
|-
|border="1"|[[Western Region, Ghana|Western Region]]
|style="text-align:center;"|23,941
| style="text-align:center;"|[[Sekondi-Takoradi]]
|-
|[[Western North Region]]
|
|[[Wiawso]]
|
|}


Because it took decades to end the trade in Afrikans, some historians doubt that the humanitarian impulse inspired the abolitionist movement. According to historian [[Walter Rodney]], for example, europe abolished the [[european slave trade]] only because its profitability was undermined by the [[Industrial Revolution]]. Rodney argues that mass unemployment caused by the new industrial machinery, the need for new raw materials, and european competition for markets for finished goods are the real factors that brought an end to the trade in human cargo and the beginning of competition for colonial territories in Afrika. Other scholars, however, disagree with Rodney, arguing that humanitarian concerns as well as social and economic factors were instrumental in ending the Afrikan slave trade.  
== History ==
In 1482, Portuguese colonists from the expedition of Diogu de Azambuja were first on the coast who built Elmina Castle, then Aksim Fortresses, Shama and others. The Portuguese exported gold (the country was then called the Golden Beach) and slaves. By the middle of the 19th century, the United Kingdom pushed out from the other European competitors from the Golden coast.


==Independence from european control==
==Sports==
During the 1940s, the movement toward independence gained momentum after police opened fire in [[Accra]] (capital of Ghana) on a large contingent of former service men who were peacefully carrying a petition to the Governor to seek redress of their grievances. [[Joseph Danquah]] and other leading nationalists founded the [[United Gold Coast Convention]] in August 1947 and invited [[Kwame Nkrumah]], the first president of Ghana, to lead the group's campaign for representative self-government (but Nkrumah and Danquah were jailed after troops fired on demonstrators and a riot erupted in 1948). In 1949, the Convention People's Party (CPP), led by Nkrumah organized workers and farmers for the first time in a mass movement for independent and staged strikes.  A new constitution was introduced by Nkrumah's government to provide direct election by universal suffrage in 1954. After years of suffering under british imperial rule, Ghana, then known as the Gold Coast,  became the first [[Afrikan]] State to achieve independence in 1957.
[[Association Football|Football]] is the most popular sport. The [[Ghana national football team|national men's football team]] is known as the Black Stars. The [[Ghana national under-20 football team|under-20 team]] is known as the Black Satellites. Ghana has been in many championships including the [[African Cup of Nations]], the [[FIFA World Cup]] and the [[FIFA U-20 World Cup]]. In the [[2010 FIFA World Cup]], Ghana became the third African country to reach the quarter final stage.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/matches/match_50 |title=USA 1–2 Ghana (aet) |publisher=NEWS.BBC.co.uk |date=26 June 2009 |accessdate=26 June 2010}}</ref> There are several club football teams in Ghana, which play in the [[Ghana Premier League]] and [[Ghana Football Leagues|Division One League]]. Both are managed by the [[Ghana Football Association]].


==Post-Independence==
The country also has quite a few quality boxers such as [[Azumah Nelson]] a three time world champion, [[Nana Konadu|Nana Yaw Konadu]] also a three time world champion, [[Ike Quartey]], and [[Joshua Clottey]].<ref name="ghana culture"/>
[[Kwame Nkrumah]], first Prime Minister and then 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 promote [[Pan-Africanism]], an idea he came into contact with during his studies at [[Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)|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 [[Kwame Nkrumah]]'s implementation of Pan-Africanism.


[[File:Independence Arch - Accra, Ghana1.jpg|thumb|right||200px||Independence Arch, Ghana]]
Although his goal of African unity never realised, Osagyefo Dr. [[Kwame Nkrumah]], as he is now known, played an instrumental part in the founding of the [[Organisation of African Unity]], which was succeeded in 2002 by the [[African Union]]. His achievements were recognised by Ghanaians during his Centenary birthday celebrations and the day instituted as a public holiday in Ghana. Dr. [[Kwame Nkrumah]]'s government was subsequently overthrown by the military while abroad in February 1966. It has been demonstrated that the United States' [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (CIA) had an effective hand in forcing the coup, and this has been substantiated by the testimonies of former CIA officers [[CIA sponsored regime change|(CIA-backed coup)]]. <ref>http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/history/cia_nkrumah.php</ref> Documents, declassified in 1999, only recently made public, reveal that then-US Secretary of State Dean Rusk and then-CIA director John McCone had met and shared secret correspondence with General J.A. Ankrah, and had specified that he would be the man to lead Ghana after the coup.<ref name=Kpessa2005>{{Cite web
| url = http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/artikel.php?ID=75990
| title = 24th February--A Dark Day In Our National History
| author = Kpessa, Michael Whyte
| date = 2005-02-24
| postscript = <!--None-->}}</ref>


A series of subsequent coups from 1966 to 1981 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. The economy suffered a severe decline soon after, and many Ghanaians migrated to other countries. Although most migrating Ghanaians went to [[Nigeria]], the Nigerian government deported about a million Ghanaians back to Ghana in 1983.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Ghana - MSN Encarta<!-- Bot generated title -->|url=http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761570799_10/Ghana.html|work=|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5kwpu3n3T|archivedate=2009-10-31|deadurl=yes}}</ref>
There are also notable games like Oware,Dame and the others which traces back to their Ancestry background.


[[Image:Pastor TB Joshua With President John Atta Mills of Ghana.jpg‎|thumb|330px|right|President of Ghana, John Atta Mills with Nigerian pastor [[T.B. Joshua]], January 2009]]
==Notable people==
*[[Kofi Annan]] - Former [[Secretary-General of the United Nations]]


[[Jerry Rawlings]] soon negotiated a structural adjustment plan with the [[International Monetary Fund]] and changed many old economic policies and the economy soon began to recover. A new constitution restoring multi-party politics was promulgated in 1992, and Rawlings was elected as president then and again in 1996. The Constitution of 1992 prohibited him from running for a third term, so his party, the [[National Democratic Congress (Ghana)|National Democratic Congress]], chose his Vice President, [[John Atta Mills]], to run against the opposition parties. Winning the 2000 elections, [[John Kufuor]] of the [[New Patriotic Party]] was sworn into office as President in January 2001, and beat Mills again in 2004; thus, also serving two terms as President.
==Related pages==
* [[Ghana at the Olympics]]
* [[Ghana national football team]]
* [[List of rivers of Ghana]]


Since 2008 Ghana have had several issues with its taxing and income of most of its workers. It has had several issues with ongoing security which has led to a major decrease in the country's overall wealth. As well as this the next president (see below) promised to build more tarmac roads as he commented on its major lack of them.
== References ==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="Ghana -Language and Religion">{{cite web|url=http://www.ghanaembassy.org/index.php?page=language-and-religion|title=Ghana -Language and Religion|work=ghanaembassy.org|publisher=[[Embassy of Ghana in Washington, D.C.]]|accessdate=9 April 2012|archive-date=1 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301155437/https://www.ghanaembassy.org/index.php?page=language-and-religion|url-status=dead}}</ref>


In 2009, [[John Atta Mills]] took office as [[President of Ghana|president]] with a difference of about 40,000 votes (0.46%) <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.modernghana.com/news/197296/1/bbc-opposition-leader-wins-ghana-poll.html |title=BBC: Opposition leader wins Ghana poll - modernghana.com/ghana elections |publisher=Modernghana.com |date= |accessdate=2010-06-26}}</ref> between his party, the [[National Democratic Congress (Ghana)|National Democratic Congress]], and the [[New Patriotic Party]], marking the second time that power had been transferred from one legitimately elected leader to another, and securing Ghana's status as a stable country.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/08/world-news-in-brief |title=Thousands celebrate as new president takes office |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=8 January 2009 }}</ref>
<ref name="ghana culture">{{cite web |url=http://www.misswestafricaghana.com/culture/ |title=Ms.Ghana Culture |work=misswestafricaghana.com |accessdate=20 May 2012 |archive-date=9 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509040144/http://www.misswestafricaghana.com/culture/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
}}


==Locations of Interest in Ghana==
== Other websites ==
[[Places to Stay]]
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.ghana.gov.gh/ Official Government Site]
* [http://allafrica.com/ghana/ Ghana in the news]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1023355.stm BBC's Profile on Ghana]
* {{CIA World Factbook link|gh|Ghana}}
* [http://www.ghanaweb.com/ GhanaWeb portal]
* [http://www.proghana.com/ ProGhana, One Community, One Business]


[[Places to See]]
{{Africa}}
{{Commonwealth nations}}
{{Authority control}}


==Notes==
[[Category:Ghana| ]]
<references/>
[[Category:1957 establishments in Africa]]
[[Category:Former British colonies]]
[[Category:Commonwealth member states]]
[[Category:Featured Articles]]

Latest revision as of 03:29, 18 April 2025

Republic of Ghana
Flag of Ghana
Flag
Coat of arms of Ghana
Coat of arms
Motto: "Freedom and Justice"
Anthem: "God Bless Our Homeland Ghana"[1]
Capital
and largest city
Accra
5°33′N 0°12′W / 5.550°N 0.200°W / 5.550; -0.200
Official languagesEnglish
Government-sponsored
languages		Akan, Ewe, Dagomba (Dagbani), Dangme, Dagaare, Ga, Nzema, Gonja, Kasem[2]
Demonym(s)Ghanaian
GovernmentUnitary presidential constitutional republic
• President
Nana Akufo-Addo
Mahamudu Bawumia
LegislatureParliament
Independence 
from the United Kingdom
• Declared
6 March 1957
• Republic
1 July 1960
• Current Constitution
28 April 1992
Area
• Total
239,567 km2 (92,497 sq mi) (80th)
• Water (%)
4.61
Population
• 2020 estimate
31,072,940[3] (47th)
• 2010 census
24,200,000[4]
• Density
101.5/km2 (262.9/sq mi) (103rd)
GDP (PPP)2020 estimate
• Total
$226 billion[5]
• Per capita
$7,343[5]
GDP (nominal)2020 estimate
• Total
$69.757 billion[5]
• Per capita
$2,266[5]
Gini (2012)42.4[6]
medium
HDI (2018)Increase 0.596[7]
medium (142nd)
CurrencyGhana cedi (GH₵) (GHS)
Time zoneUTC0 (GMT)
Driving sideright
Calling code+233
ISO 3166 codeGH
Internet TLD.gh

Ghana (formerly the Gold Coast) is a country in West Africa. Thirty-one million people live there; its capital is Accra. It is in Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Côte d'Ivoire and Togo.

Since Ghana is near the Equator, the climate is very warm and tropical. The eastern coastal belt is warm and comparatively dry. South west corner is hot and humid. The north is hot and dry. Lake Volta (the world’s largest artificial lake) extends through eastern Ghana.

Most Ghanaians have access to primary and secondary education. Ghana has a 6-year primary school system. There are 6 public universities and 10 private universities.

Ghana has many natural resources. The main exports are gold, timber, cocoa, diamonds, and more. Ghana has one of the strongest economies in Africa.

Ghana used “Cedi” for their currency but in July 2007, “Ghanaian Cedi” became the new currency. 1 Ghana Cedi is equal to 1000 Cedi. 1 US dollar is currently exchanged at about 8 Ghana Cedi.

Geography

Beach in Ghana
Beach in Ghana

Ghana is a country located on the Gulf of Guinea. It is only a few degrees north of the Equator. This gives it a warm climate. The country has an area of 238,500 km2 (92,085 sq mi). It is surrounded by Togo to the east, Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north and the Gulf of Guinea (Atlantic Ocean) to the south.

The country has flat plains, low hills and a few rivers. Ghana can be divided into five different geographical regions. The coastline is mostly a low, sandy shore backed by plains and scrub. It is crossed by several rivers and streams. The northern part of the country has high plains. Southwest and south central Ghana is made up of a forested plateau region with the Ashanti uplands and the Kwahu Plateau. The hilly Akuapim-Togo ranges are found along the country's eastern border.

The Volta Basin also takes up most of central Ghana. Ghana's highest point is Mount Afadjato. It is 885 m (2,904 ft) and is found in the Akwapim-Togo Ranges.

There are two main seasons in Ghana: the wet and the dry seasons. Northern Ghana has its rainy season from March to November. The south, including the capital Accra, has the season from April to mid-November.

Regions and districts

Ghana is divided into 16 administrative regions, sub-divided into 275 districts:

Regions of Ghana Area (km2) Regional capitals
Ashanti Region 24,389 Kumasi
Ghana regional map
prior to 2019 changes
Bono Region 39,557 Sunyani
Ahafo Region Goaso
Bono East Region Techiman
Central Region 9,826 Cape Coast
Eastern Region 19,323 Koforidua
Greater Accra Region 3,245 Accra
Northern Region 70,384 Tamale
Savannah Region Damongo
North East Region Nalerigu
Upper East Region 8,842 Bolgatanga
Upper West Region 18,476 Wa
Volta Region 20,570 Ho
Oti Region Dambai
Western Region 23,941 Sekondi-Takoradi
Western North Region Wiawso

History

In 1482, Portuguese colonists from the expedition of Diogu de Azambuja were first on the coast who built Elmina Castle, then Aksim Fortresses, Shama and others. The Portuguese exported gold (the country was then called the Golden Beach) and slaves. By the middle of the 19th century, the United Kingdom pushed out from the other European competitors from the Golden coast.

Sports

Football is the most popular sport. The national men's football team is known as the Black Stars. The under-20 team is known as the Black Satellites. Ghana has been in many championships including the African Cup of Nations, the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA U-20 World Cup. In the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Ghana became the third African country to reach the quarter final stage.[8] There are several club football teams in Ghana, which play in the Ghana Premier League and Division One League. Both are managed by the Ghana Football Association.

The country also has quite a few quality boxers such as Azumah Nelson a three time world champion, Nana Yaw Konadu also a three time world champion, Ike Quartey, and Joshua Clottey.[9]


There are also notable games like Oware,Dame and the others which traces back to their Ancestry background.

Notable people

Related pages

References

  1. ↑ "Emefa.myserver.org". Archived from the original on 2010-02-01. Retrieved 21 December 2010.
  2. ↑ "Ghana -Language and Religion". ghanaembassy.org. Embassy of Ghana in Washington, D.C. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  3. ↑ "2020 Population Projection by Sex, 2010–2020". Ghana Statistical Service. Archived from the original on 24 April 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  4. ↑ Antoinette I. Mintah (2010). "2010 Provisional Census Results Out". 4 February 2011. Population Division, Ghana Government. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2011. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "Report for Selected Countries and Subjects". IMF. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  6. ↑ "GINI index (World Bank estimate)". data.worldbank.org. World Bank. Archived from the original on 25 January 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  7. ↑ "Human Development Report 2019". United Nations Development Programme. 10 December 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 May 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  8. ↑ "USA 1–2 Ghana (aet)". NEWS.BBC.co.uk. 26 June 2009. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
  9. ↑ "Ms.Ghana Culture". misswestafricaghana.com. Archived from the original on 9 May 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2012.

Other websites

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