Official name: Republic of Ghana
Population: 34.1 million (2023)
Type of government: unitary presidential republic
Head of state and government: Nana Akufo-Addo (President)
Gross domestic product (purchasing power parity): $227.18 million (2023)
Gini coefficient of wealth inequality: 44% (medium) (2024)
Human Development Index: 0.602 (medium) (2022)
Fun fact: It is home to the largest artificial lake in the world.
The country’s name comes from the Ghana Empire, although the latter did not include present-day Ghana. “Ghana” is thought to derive from the title Kaya Maghan, meaning “ruler of gold”.
Ghana is located in West Africa and borders Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and Côte d’Ivoire to the west.
There are two climates: tropical monsoon in the southwest and dry-winter tropical savanna in the rest. Temperatures range from 23 °C (73.4 °F) in winter to 31 °C (87.8 °F) in summer. The average annual temperature is 24.6 °C (76.3 °F).
The country is divided into sixteen regions. The largest cities in Ghana are Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, Takoradi, and Sunyani.
11th century-1957: Bono State
1200-present: Kingdom of Dagbon
1482-1642: Portuguese Gold Coast
1600-1734: Kingdom of Akwamu
1612-1872: Dutch Gold Coast
1658-1850: Danish Gold Coast
1650-1663: Swedish Gold Coast
1670-1957: Ashanti Empire
1682-1721: Brandenburger Gold Coast
1806-1807: Ashanti-Fante Confederacy
1821-1957: Colony of the Gold Coast
1823-1900: Anglo-Ashante wars
1884-1914: Togoland Protectorate
1902-1957: Colony of Ashanti; Northern Territories of the Gold Coast
1916-1956: Territory of British Togoland
1960-present: Republic of Ghana
1979: June 4th Revolution
Ghana mainly imports from China, the United States, and the Netherlands and exports to China, Switzerland, and India. Its top exports are cocoa beans, gold, and crude oil.
It has abundant diamond, gas, gold, oil, and silver reserves. Services represent 57.2% of the GDP, followed by industry (24%) and agriculture (18.3%).
Ghana is a member of the African Union, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the Economic Community of West African States.
The Akan are the largest ethnic group (45.7%), followed by the Mole-Dagbon (18.5%), Ewe (12.8%), Ga-Adangbe (7.1%), Gurma (6.4%), Guan (3.2%), Gurunsi (2.7%), and Mande (2%). The main religion is Christianity, practiced by 71.3% of the population, 49% of which is Protestant.
It has a negative net migration rate and a fertility rate of 3.6 children per woman. 58.6% of the population lives in urban areas. Life expectancy is 69.3 years and the median age is 21.4 years. The literacy rate is 79%.
The official language of the country is English. Akuapem, Asante, Dagaare, Dagbani, Dangme, Ewe, Fante, Ga, Gonja, Kasena, and Nzema are government-sponsored languages.
Ghanaians highly value politeness and honesty. They address older people using “mother” and “father”.
Men traditionally wear a wide striped tunic (smock), pants (kurugu), and a hat (zipligu). Women wear a longer smock as a dress.
Traditional houses in Ghana are rounded, have mud walls, and conical thatched roofs.
The Ghanaian diet is based on fish, meat, rice, seafood, and vegetables. Typical dishes include kenkey (sourdough dumplings served with fried fish and pepper sauce), koose (a spicy black-eyed pea fritter), mpoto mpoto (a yam stew with fish and onion), tubaani (steamed black-eyed peas pudding wrapped in leaves), and waakye (rice and beans served in a leaf).
Like other Christian and Muslim countries, Ghana celebrates Good Friday, Easter Monday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha. It also commemorates New Year’s Day and Labor Day.
Specific Ghanaian holidays include Constitution Day on January 7, Independence Day on March 6, Founders’ Day on August 4, Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day on September 21, and Farmers’ Day on the first Friday in December.
Other celebrations include the Akwasidae Festival, which honors ancestors; the Damba Festival, when traditional dresses are on display, and the Fire Festival, which involves fire processions and drumming.
There are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Asante Traditional Buildings and Forts and Castles in the Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions.
Other landmarks include the Kakum National Park, the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and Memorial Park, the Larabanga Mosque, the Mole National Park, and the Navrongo Catholic Cathedral.
Felicia Ansah Abban - photographer
Kwame Akoto-Bamfo - sculptor
Michael Essien - soccer player
Obo Addy - dancer and musician
Shirley Frimpong-Manso - movie director
You can find out more about life in Ghana in this article and this video.
