Ghana

Full name of country: Republic of Ghana

Region: Africa

Official language: English

Population: 34,589,092 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Ghanaian(s) (noun), Ghanaian (adjective)

Land area: 227,533 sq km (87,851 sq miles)

Water area: 11,000 sq km (4,247 sq miles)

Capital: Accra

National anthem: "God Bless Our Homeland Ghana", by Unknown/Philip Gbeho

National holiday: Independence Day, March 6 (1957)

Population growth: 2.15% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC +0

Flag: The flag of Ghana features three horizontal bands (red, yellow, and green), with a black, five-pointed star in the center of the yellow band.

Motto: "Freedom and Justice"

Independence: March 6, 1957 (from the UK)

Government type: constitutional democracy

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal system: mixed system of English common law and customary law

In 1957, Ghana became the first sub-Saharan country in formerly colonized Western Africa to gain its independence. A remnant of the British Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, it is bordered by Cote d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to the east. To the south is the Gulf of Guinea.

After a string of coups and constant economic trouble, Ghana has restored its constitution and formed a multi-party government, and has earned a reputation for political stability. Its citizens are called Ghanaians.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography

People and Culture

Population: Ghana has three main geographic areas: the urban coastal region, the central forest region, and the northern savannah. Each region has its own distinct population. The country has historically had a strong population growth rate and a young age structure. In 2022, Ghana's United Nations Human Development Index rank was 145 out of 191 countries and territories, based on data from 2021.

About 59.2 percent of the country's population lived in urban areas in 2023. The urban coastal region has historically had the most contact with European influences. The country's largest city in 2023 was Kumasi, with a population of 3.768 million. The second largest city was the capital, Accra, which boasted 2.66 million people. Other large cities include Sekondi-Takoradi and Cape Coast.

In the coastal region, the main ethnic groups include the Ewe (12.8 percent of the total population), the Ga-Dangme (7.1 percent), and the Ahanta, among others (2021 estimates). Traditionally, the coastal region had been split into various ethnic kingdoms, and its commerce was based in fishing.

The ethnic groups that inhabit the agricultural forest region include the Akan (45.7 percent of the total population; 2021 estimates), the Ewe, the Ashanti, the Akwapim, the Akim, and the Kwahu. Much of the food Ghanaians eat comes from this region. Though there are fewer cities, the population density is greater around the region's cocoa growing areas.

The Mole-Dagbani (18.5 percent of the total population) live in the northern savannah region. Other Ghanaian ethnic groups include the Gurma (6.4 percent), Guan (3.2 percent), Grusi (2.7 percent), and Mande (2.0 percent; 2021 population estimates).

There is an overlap between the forest and northern savannah regions, often called the "middle belt" of the country. This area is known for being a difficult place to settle, and is prone to outbreaks of disease.

Although English is the official language, many others are spoken, including Asante, Ewe, Fante, Boron (Brong), Dagomba, Dangme, Dagarte (Dagaba), Kokomba, Akyem, and Ga.

Ghanaians are predominantly Christian, with 2021 estimates suggesting 31.6 percent of the population was Pentecostal/Charismatic, 17.4 percent Protestant, 10 percent Catholic, and 12.3 percent another Christian denomination. Islam (19.9 percent), traditional beliefs (3.2 percent) and no or other religion (5.6 percent) accounted for most of the rest of the population.

Indigenous People: Aside from the larger ethnic groups, there are around seventy-five smaller subsets of tribes in Ghana. Since independence the country has tried to minimize its internal tribal differences.

Most of the tribes are thought to have migrated to the area within the last 1,000 years. One of the most notable of Ghana's ethnic groups is the Ashanti, a major ethnic group of the Akans, who held control of the middle forest region, especially the Kumasi area, from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century. The Ashanti people are still considered dominant, both culturally and politically.

Though exact information is scarce, the Mamprusi and the Dagomba peoples are thought to be the first inhabitants of the area that is now Ghana. By the time Portuguese traders arrived in the fifteenth century, the tribes had migrated south through the savannah.

Education: Education is free and compulsory in Ghana for a ten-year period. In school, students learn both English and at least one other ethnic language.

The average literacy rate for Ghanaians age fifteen and older was estimated to be 79 percent (83.5 percent for men, 74.5 percent for women) in 2018. Relative to the rest of Africa, Ghana is one of the most educated countries (though its literacy rate is low in comparison to world standards).

According to the website for the United States Embassy in Accra, Ghana, Ghana's education system underwent changes in the twenty-first century. Primary school is six years, junior secondary/high school is three years, senior secondary school is three years, and university is four years. Admission to senior secondary/high school is competitive and limited to 150,000 students. There are many accredited institutions of higher education in Ghana, including the University of Ghana, located near Accra in Legon; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, in Kumasi; and the University of Cape Coast, which trains science teachers. Admission is highly competitive.

Health Care: Ghana is relatively healthy compared to the rest of West Africa, but is considered unhealthy when compared with world standards. Health care is primarily provided through government hospitals and Christian missions. The government has tried to boost public health by improving sanitation, nutrition, and the availability of drugs.

The country's health problems have centered on endemic, communicable diseases, such as pneumonia and malaria, as well as gastrointestinal diseases. Like the rest of Africa, Ghana has also been affected by HIV/AIDS. An estimated 1.7 percent of the adult population were infected with HIV/AIDS (2020 estimate). The country was also impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which reached Africa in early 2020.

Other infectious diseases affecting Ghana include bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, meningococcal meningitis, and schistosomiasis. In August 2023, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned travelers that Ghana was a high-risk destination for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV) and recommended complete polio vaccination, based on vaccination status and age, before travel.

The infant mortality rate, which has been improving along with the rest of the country's health, was an estimated 31.2 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024. Life expectancy at birth was estimated at 70.1 years in 2024.

Food: The food in Ghana is traditional West African fare. Common ingredients include millet, cassava, yams, plantains, and rice, as well as okra. Popular dishes include banku, apraprasa, and kenkey, which consists of boiled balls of maize meal and maize dough wrapped in cornhusks. Seafood is also eaten in coastal areas.

Another characteristic Ghanaian recipe is fufu, a dish made of pounded yams served with a sauce. The local alcohol known as pito is made from millet.

Arts & Entertainment: The main cultural events in Ghana are the tribal festivals held throughout the year. The Ashanti people hold the Adae and Akwasidae festivals to honor their ancestors every forty-two days. The first day of the festival occurs on a Sunday, and the second part on the following Wednesday. These festivals are filled with bright costumes and dancing to djembe drum music. The participants drink palm wine to cleanse themselves, and the ceremony involves special golden stools that are reserved for the spirits of the people's ancestors.

In addition, Ghana is known for "hip life" music, a local dance music played in its urban clubs that derives from the "high life" music tradition of the 1960s. Western hip hop and R&B music is also widely popular.

Holidays: Since the majority of the population is Christian, holidays such as Easter and Christmas are widely celebrated. Muslim holidays, such as Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha, are also observed.

The main secular holiday in Ghana is Independence Day (March 6). Other holidays include Road Crossing Day (February 28), May Day (May 1), First Republic Day (July 1), and United Nations Day (October 24).

Environment and Geography

Topography: Ghana has three main geographic areas: the urban coastal region, the forest region, and the savannah to the north. Overall, the country is classified as lowland, though there is a series of hills at its eastern border with Togo. The country's highest point is Mount Afadjato, at 885 meters (2,903 feet).

The forest region is the most agriculturally rich section of Ghana and takes up about a third of the area. The region is known for its production of cocoa, which has become one of the country's primary cash crops.

The savannah, in the northern part of Ghana, accounts for two-thirds of the country's area. It is the least-developed region of the country. Because of the lack of precipitation, little can be cultivated there.

The sandy beaches of the coastal region turn to coastal plains, dense with rivers and streams, further inland. The two main rivers in Ghana are the Black Volta and the White Volta. These join to form the Volta River, which runs to the sea. Lake Volta, in the eastern part of the country, is one of the largest artificial lakes in the world.

Natural Resources: Historically, Ghana's greatest natural resource is gold, which earned the country its nickname, the "Gold Coast," during the fifteenth century. Diamonds, bauxite, manganese, and silver are also mined in Ghana. The country also has deposits of oil and natural gas.

Plants & Animals: Despite extensive clearing, Ghana still has large forests. Some of the most notable trees found throughout the country are the giant silk cotton tree, the African mahogany, and the cedar. Evergreen forests are found in the southwest corner of Ghana.

At their peak, the forests covered approximately 77,700 square kilometers (30,000 square miles) of the country's area. Deforestation is a key environmental issue in Ghana, along with recurrent drought in the north, overgrazing, soil erosion, poaching and habitat destruction, and water pollution.

The northern two-thirds of the country are savannah grasslands. Scrub and tall Guinea grass dominate the coastal savannah near Accra. The vegetation is interrupted by anthills that may reach up to 4 meters (14 feet) in height. Certain vegetation, such as the baobab plant, is often tough and resistant to drought or fire.

Ghana is home to many animals, including leopards, lions, antelope, hyenas, elephants, and several species of monkeys. There are also numerous reptiles, such as cobras, adders, mambas, and pythons. In addition, crocodiles are often found in the country's rivers. Birds include kingfishers, cuckoos, vultures, eagles, herons, and parrots.

Climate: Ghana's climate is tropical, though temperatures vary from north to south according to the rainy seasons. In the north, the rainy season lasts from March until September, while the rest of the country has two rainy seasons. The first runs from April until June, and the second runs from September to November. This translates into anywhere from 102 centimeters (40 inches) of rain in the north to 203 centimeters (80 inches) of rain in the south. This heavy rainfall is followed by a long dry season, however. The southeast coast is relatively dry compared to the rest of the country

Another significant factor in Ghana's climate is the harmattan, a desert wind out of the northeast which follows the two rainy seasons. Though the humidity is almost always high, at or near 100 percent, it can dip as low as 12 percent during the harmattan season.

The hottest months are February and March. Temperatures are usually between 26 and 29 degrees Celsius (78 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit). August tends to be the coldest month.

Economy

Ghana's market-based economy, with few barriers to trade and investment, sound management, and reduced poverty levels, strengthened in the last years of the twentieth century but has been challenged in the twenty-first century by loose fiscal policy, budget deficits, and a falling currency. The economy is driven mainly by agriculture and mineral mining. Oil production expanded and helped boost the economy, although oil revenues suffered from the global oil price crash in 2015. Ghana's reputation as the "Gold Coast" has remained intact since the fifteenth century.

Ghana's estimated gross domestic product (GDP, purchasing power parity) for 2023 was US$229.639 billion in 2017 USD. Its per capita GDP was US$6,700.

Industry: Relative to other West African countries, Ghana has a booming industry, employing a small but significant portion of the population by the early 2020s. Industries include mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing, cement, small commercial ship building, and petroleum. Informal, unlicensed mines are common and pose health and environmental threats.

Agriculture: The agriculture sector continues to employ a significant portion of Ghana's workforce. Much of Ghana's arable land is devoted to the cultivation of cocoa, the primary ingredient in the production of chocolate. Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire together produce more than half of the world's cocoa. However, in the 2010s Ghana experienced difficulties in cocoa production were due to factors including a lack of fertilizer and inadequate logistical support for farmers. The crop provides much of Ghana's export income. As a result, Ghana's economic health is influenced by the world's price for cocoa.

Ghana also exports oil, gold, and timber. Other products for export include bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, and diamonds. Fish for export includes tuna.

Tourism: Tourism is on the rise in Ghana, aided by the Ghana Tourist Board and Ghana Tourist Development Company. Most tourists come from nearby African countries, such as Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire, but many tourists also visit from the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany. Hotels are located in the more developed urban areas near the coast, such as Accra, or in larger central cities such as Kumasi.

Government

The Republic of Ghana is a constitutional democracy. In 1957, Ghana became the first sub-Saharan colony to gain its independence from Great Britain, though its initial statehood was defined by frequent coups. Its most recent constitution, reinstating multiparty politics, was approved in 1992 and went into effect in 1993.

Ghana has universal suffrage for citizens over 18, and its legal system is based on English common law and customary law. Its executive branch is comprised of a president who fulfills the roles of chief of state and head of government. The president nominates a Council of Ministers, which are then approved by Parliament. The president and the vice president are elected on a single ticket every four years by popular vote.

The legislative branch is a single-chamber, 275-seat Parliament. The members of Parliament are also elected to four-year terms by popular vote. The judicial branch is made up of a Supreme Court.

By 2020 there were more than twenty registered political parties in Ghana. They include the All Peoples Congress, Convention People's Party, National Democratic Congress, New Patriotic Party, and the People's National Conventions.

Interesting Facts

• Lake Volta is one of the largest artificial lakes in the world.
• There are occasional earthquakes in Ghana, usually near Accra, the capital. A fault line runs along the eastern edge of the Akwapim-Togo mountain ranges.
• Ghana is known for its kente cloth, which is made by weavers in Kumasi. The cloth's bright colors and designs are symbolic and are often worn by tribal chiefs.
• The Ghanaian flag was the first to use the red, yellow, green, and black color combination that is now widely used by other African countries. On the Ghanaian flag, the red represents the blood spilled for independence, the yellow represents the country's mineral wealth, and the green represents its lush forests.

Bibliography

"Ghana." Human Development Insights, 13 March 2024, United Nations Development Programme, hdr.undp.org/data-center/country-insights#/ranks. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.

"Ghana." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 2 Jan 2025, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/ghana/. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.

"Ghana." World Health Organization, 2023, www.who.int/countries/gha. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023.

US Embassy in Ghana, United States Department of State, gh.usembassy.gov/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023.