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. flag of Ghana was adopted in 1957 It was replaced with a variant with a white stripe in the middle from 1964 to 1966 The coat of arms of Ghana pictured here was introduced on 4 March, 1957 by Elizabeth II. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group 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 nation's God Bless Our Homeland Ghana is the National anthem of Ghana. The Demography of Ghana describes the condition and overview of Ghana's peoples Accra is the capital, and most populous city of Ghana. The city also doubles as the capital of the Greater An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A constitutional Republic is a State where the Head of state and other officials are elected as representatives of the people and A presidential system is a System of government where an executive branch exists and presides (hence the term separately from the Legislature A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its Prior to independence Ghana was known as the British colony of Gold Coast. John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor (born 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. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1192 - Assassination of Conrad of Montferrat (Conrad I King of Jerusalem, in Tyre, two days after his title Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here Surface areas between 100000 km² and 1000000 km² This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 5
Population
-	2007 estimate	23,000,000[2] (48th)
-	Density	93/km² (103rd) 215/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2007 estimate
-	Total	$70 Billion [3] (75th)
-	Per capita	$3141[4] (130th)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 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 Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 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. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The cedi is the unit of Currency of Ghana. One cedi is divided into one hundred pesewas ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Greenwich Mean Time ( GMT) is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London Daylight saving time ( DST Greenwich Mean Time ( GMT) is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E West Africa or Western Africa is the Westernmost Region of the African Continent. 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. Côte d'Ivoire (ˌkoʊt divˈwɑː(r ' in English, kot diˈvwaʀ in French) or Ivory Coast, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a Burkina Faso (bɚˌkiːnəˈfɑːsoʊ burr-KEE-na FAH-soh) also known by its short-form name Burkina, is a Landlocked nation in West Africa TOGO was a Japanese roller coaster design company famous for inventing the Stand-up roller coaster. The Gulf of Guinea is the part of the Atlantic Ocean southwest of Africa. The word "Ghana" means "Warrior King",^[5] and was the source of the name "Guinea" (via French Guinoye) used to refer to the West African coast (as in Gulf of Guinea). The Gulf of Guinea is the part of the Atlantic Ocean southwest of Africa.

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. The Ashanti Empire or Asante Empire, also known as the Ashanti Confederacy or Asanteman (independent from 1701-1896 was a pre-colonial West For the writer see John Fante. Fante can also refer to the Fante language. 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. The Portuguese Empire was the earliest and longest lived of the modern European colonial empires spanning almost six centuries from the capture of Ceuta The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927 The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom This article is about the British colony in west Africa 1821-1957 ^[6]

Upon achieving independence from the United Kingdom in 1957,^[7] the name Ghana was chosen for the new nation to reflect the ancient Empire of Ghana that once extended throughout much of western Africa. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Ghana Empire or Wagadou Empire (existed c 750 - 1076) was located in what is now southeastern Mauritania, Western Mali In the Ashanti language it is spelled Gaana. Twi (tɕʷi in Twi ˈtwiː /ˈtʃiː/ or /ˈtʃwiː/ in English specifically Ashanti Twi is a language spoken in Ghana by about 15 million people

Contents 1 History 2 Regions and districts 3 Government and politics 4 Economy 5 Geography 6 Demographics 6.1 Population of major cities 7 Languages 8 Education 9 International rankings 10 See also 11 References 12 External links

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 Republic of Ghana is named after the medieval Ghana Empire of West Africa The Ghana Empire or Wagadou Empire (existed c 750 - 1076) was located in what is now southeastern Mauritania, Western Mali 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. The Mali Empire or Manding Empire or Manden Kurufa was a Medieval West African civilization of the Mandinka from c (Mali Empire reached its peak of success under Mansa Musa around 1307. ) Around 1235, a Muslim leader named Sundiata united warring tribes. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Sundiata is a given name or surname and may refer to Sundiata Keita (circa 1217-1255 founder of the Mali Empire and subject of the epic known as "Sundiata" He then brought neighboring states under his rule to create the Mali empire. Its capital city was called Kumbi-Saleh.

Geographically, the old Ghana was approximately 500 miles (800 km) north of the present Ghana, and occupied the area between Rivers Senegal and Niger.

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. The Ashanti Empire or Asante Empire, also known as the Ashanti Confederacy or Asanteman (independent from 1701-1896 was a pre-colonial West It is said that at its peak, the King of Ashanti could field 500,000 troops. Ashanti, or Asante, are a major Ethnic group of Ashanti Region in Ghana.

Up until March 1957, Ghana was known to much of the world as the Gold Coast. Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) 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 Portuguese Empire was the earliest and longest lived of the modern European colonial empires spanning almost six centuries from the capture of Ceuta Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 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.

In 1481, King John II of Portugal commissioned Diogo d'Azambuja to build Elmina Castle, which was completed the next year. Elmina Castle was erected by the Portuguese in 1482 as São Jorge da Mina ( St Diogo de Azambuja (1432-1518 Portuguese explorer of the African coast lead an expedition into the Gold Coast with Bartolomeu Dias, in 1481 Elmina Castle was erected by the Portuguese in 1482 as São Jorge da Mina ( St Their aim was to trade in gold, ivory and slaves, consolidating their burgeoning power in the region. Ivory is formed from Dentine and constitutes the bulk of the Teeth and Tusks of animals such as the Elephant, Hippopotamus,

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. British people, or Britons, are the native inhabitants of Great Britain and their descendants or citizens of the United Kingdom, of the 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 the 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. Year 1874 ( MDCCCLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common In International law, a protectorate is a autonomous territory that is "protected" by a stronger state or entity hense the protector which engages to protect

For most of central sub-Saharan Africa, agricultural expansion marked the period before 500. The Sahara (الصحراء الكبرى aṣ-ṣaḥrā´ al-kubra, "The Great Desert" is the world's largest hot Desert and the world's second largest Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture 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. The Ghana Empire or Wagadou Empire (existed c 750 - 1076) was located in what is now southeastern Mauritania, Western Mali 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. Bono state was an Akan state which existed from the early middle ages to the 18th century in what is now the Brong-Ahafo or Bono-Ahafo region of Ghana. Districts Asunafo North District Asunafo South District Asutifi District Atebubu-Amantin 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. Ashanti, or Asante, are a major Ethnic group of Ashanti Region in Ghana. For the writer see John Fante. Fante can also refer to the Fante language. Much of the area was united under the Empire of Ashanti by the 16th century. The Ashanti Empire or Asante Empire, also known as the Ashanti Confederacy or Asanteman (independent from 1701-1896 was a pre-colonial West The Ashanti government operated first as a loose network and eventually as a centralized kingdom with an advanced, highly-specialized bureaucracy centered in Kumasi. Ashanti, or Asante, are a major Ethnic group of Ashanti Region in Ghana. Bureaucracy is the structure and set of regulations in place to control activity usually in large organizations and government Kumasi is a City in southern central Ghana. It is located near the Lake Bosomtwe, in the Rain Forest Region about 250 km (by road

The first contact between the Ghanaian peoples, the Fantes on the coastal area and Europeans occurred in 1482. Aburi is a town north east of Accra, the capital city of Ghana. The Portuguese first landed at Elmina, a coastal city inhabited by the Fanti nation-state in 1482. 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. Fante can also refer to the Fante language. 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. Year 1806 ( MDCCCVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Ashanti Empire or Asante Empire, also known as the Ashanti Confederacy or Asanteman (independent from 1701-1896 was a pre-colonial West Moves toward regional de-colonization began in 1946, and the area's first constitution was promulgated in 1951. Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January

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. This article is about the British colony in west Africa 1821-1957 The Ashanti Empire or Asante Empire, also known as the Ashanti Confederacy or Asanteman (independent from 1701-1896 was a pre-colonial West British Togoland was a League of Nations Class B mandate in Africa, formed by the splitting of German protectorate Togoland into The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security 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. Kwame Nkrumah ( September 21, 1909 - April 27, 1972) was an influential 20th century advocate of Pan-Africanism, and the leader of 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. Pan-Africanism is a Sociopolitical World view, and Philosophy, as well as a movement which seeks to unify both Native Africans and those of The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Marcus Mosiah Garvey Jr, National Hero of Jamaica (17 August 1887 10 June 1940 was a Publisher, Journalist, Entrepreneur, Black nationalist " 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. William Edward Burghardt Du Bois (duːˈbɔɪz ( February 23, 1868 August 27, 1963) was an American Civil rights activist 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. Kwame Nkrumah ( September 21, 1909 - April 27, 1972) was an influential 20th century advocate of Pan-Africanism, and the leader of

The leader of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah, was overthrown by a military coup in 1966. Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. It has been argued that this was supported by the U. S. Central Intelligence Agency;^[8][9] that assertion remains generally unproven. A series of subsequent coups ended with the ascension to power of Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings in 1981. Flight Lieutenant ( Flt Lt in the RAF; FLTLT in the RAAF and RNZAF, F/L in the former RCAF) is a junior Jerry John Rawlings (born Jeremiah Rawlings John June 22, 1947 in Accra) was twice the Head of state of Ghana and was the 1st Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 These changes resulted in the suspension of the constitution in 1981 and the banning of political parties. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 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. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) 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. John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor (born December 8, 1938) is the current president of Ghana, since January 7 2001. 2007 marked Ghana's Golden Jubilee, celebrating fifty years of independence since March 6, 1957. Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar)

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. |||} Ghana is divided into ten Regions ( Capitals in parentheses Ashanti Region ( Kumasi) Brong-Ahafo Region |||}The Districts of Ghana were re-organized in 1988/1989 in an attempt to decentralize the government and to combat the rampant corruption amongst officials |||} Ghana is divided into ten Regions ( Capitals in parentheses Ashanti Region ( Kumasi) Brong-Ahafo Region |||}The Districts of Ghana were re-organized in 1988/1989 in an attempt to decentralize the government and to combat the rampant corruption amongst officials The regions are:

Ashanti Brong Ahafo Central Eastern

Greater Accra Northern Upper East

Upper West Volta Western

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. Sources GhanaDistrictscom 19 New Districts Created, GhanaWeb November 20, 2003. Districts Asunafo North District Asunafo South District Asutifi District Atebubu-Amantin Districts Abura/Asebu/Kwamankese District Agona District Ajumako/Enyan/Essiam District Sources GhanaDistrictscom Sources GhanaDistrictscom The Ga district is the capital of Ghana Geography The region lies in the north of the country and is bordered in the northwest by the Upper West Region, in the northeast by the Upper East Region, in Economy and Tourism The region's economy is based on agriculture primarily Cattle and cereals like Millet, Sorghum and Rice. Districts The Upper West Region of Ghana contains the following 8 districts Jirapa/Lambussie District Lawra District Background See also British Togoland, Togoland The region is formed out of the former British Togoland which was part of the German The Western Region of Ghana includes the large twin city of Sekondi - Takoradi on the coast coastal Axim and a hilly inland area including Politics of Ghana takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic Republic, whereby the President of Ghana is both 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. ^[10]

Administrative Divisions: There are ten administrative regions which are divided into 110 districts, each with its own District Assembly. John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor (born December 8, 1938) is the current president of Ghana, since January 7 2001. 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. ^[10]

Judicial System: The legal system is based on Ghanaian common law, customary (traditional) law, and the 1992 constitution. Common law refers to law and the corresponding legal system developed through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive 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. ^[10]

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. Jerry John Rawlings (born Jeremiah Rawlings John June 22, 1947 in Accra) was twice the Head of state of Ghana and was the 1st ^[10]

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. ^[10]

Economy

Main article: Economy of Ghana

Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. The economy of Ghana, West Africa has a diverse and rich resource base and as such has one of the highest GDP per capita in Africa. West Africa or Western Africa is the Westernmost Region of the African Continent. 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. Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 Lumber or timber is Wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural Material for Construction, or Cocoa is the dried and fully fermented fatty seed of the cacao tree from which Chocolate is made In Mineralogy, diamond is the allotrope of carbon where the carbon atoms are arranged in Bauxite is the most important Aluminium Ore. It consists largely of the minerals Gibbsite Al(OH3 Boehmite γ-AlO(OH and Manganese (ˈmæŋgəniːz is a Chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. ^[11] An oilfield which is reported to contain up to 3 billion barrels (480,000,000 m³) of light oil was discovered in 2007. ^[12] Oil exploration is ongoing and, the amount of oil continues to increase ^[13].

The domestic economy continues to revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 50% of GDP and employs 85% of the work force,^[11] mainly small landholders. Ghana made progress under a three-year structural adjustment program in cooperation with the IMF. The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic 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. The cedi is the unit of Currency of Ghana. One cedi is divided into one hundred pesewas In Economics, austerity is when a national government reduces its spending in order to pay back Creditors Austerity is usually required when a government's fiscal Even so, Ghana remains one of the more economically sound countries in all of Africa.

The country has since July, 2007, embarked on a currency re-denomination exercise, from Cedi (¢) to the new currency, the Ghana Cedi (GH¢). Makola Market is a renowned Market place and shopping district in the centre of the city of Accra, the capital of Ghana. Accra is the capital, and most populous city of Ghana. The city also doubles as the capital of the Greater Denomination is a proper description of a Currency amount usually for Coins or Banknotes Denominations may also be used with other means of payment like The cedi is the unit of Currency of Ghana. One cedi is divided into one hundred pesewas 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

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

Main article: Geography of 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. In Computer graphics, a raster graphics image or bitmap, is a Data structure representing a generally rectangular grid of Pixels The Map Library should not be confused with the Map Library of The British Museum. Location and size Ghana which lies in the center of the West African coast shares 2093 km of land borders with the three French-speaking nations of Burkina Faso (548 Mount Afadjato is the highest mountain in Ghana, at an altitude of 880 m (2900ft Osu is a district in central Accra, Ghana, known for its busy commercial restaurant and nightlife activity The Gulf of Guinea is the part of the Atlantic Ocean southwest of Africa. The equator (sometimes referred to colloquially as "the Line") is the intersection of the Earth 's surface with the plane perpendicular to the 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 "centre" of the world than any other country. The coastline is mostly a low, sandy shore backed by plains and scrub and intersected by several rivers and streams. Formerly, a tropical rainforest belt, broken by heavily forested hills and many streams and rivers, extended northward from the coast, but most of the rainforest was felled in the twentieth century, leaving scattered remnants, principally in the southwest, some of which are under protection. North of this belt, the land is covered by low bush, park-like savannah, and grassy plains.

The climate is tropical. A tropical climate is a kind of Climate typical in the Tropics. The eastern coastal belt is warm and comparatively dry (see Dahomey Gap); the southwest corner, hot and humid; and the north, hot and dry. In West Africa, the Dahomey Gap refers to the portion of the Guinean forest-savanna mosaic that extends all the way to the coast in Benin, Togo Lake Volta, the world's largest artificial lake, extends through large portions of eastern Ghana. Lake Volta (located at) is the largest reservoir by surface area in the world lying in Ghana and covering almost 8502 km² (3275 square miles.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Ghana

The major ethnic groups are Akan 49%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%. The Demography of Ghana describes the condition and overview of Ghana's peoples Kumasi is a City in southern central Ghana. It is located near the Lake Bosomtwe, in the Rain Forest Region about 250 km (by road European and other: 0. 2%. Religious divisions are as follows: Christian 63%, African beliefs 21%, Muslim 16%^[14] The Christianity practiced in Ghana has many aspects of traditional African religion integrated into it. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion

Population of major cities

City	Population
Accra	2,096,653
Kumasi	1,604,909
Tamale	390,730
Sekondi-Takoradi	260,651
Tema	229,106
Teshie	154,513
Cape Coast	154,204
Obuasi	147,613

Languages

Main article: Languages of Ghana

More than 250 languages and dialects are spoken in Ghana. Accra is the capital, and most populous city of Ghana. The city also doubles as the capital of the Greater Kumasi is a City in southern central Ghana. It is located near the Lake Bosomtwe, in the Rain Forest Region about 250 km (by road Tamale (pronounced ma lɛ}} is the capital of the Northern Region of Ghana, with a population of 305000 (2005 Sekondi-Takoradi, population 335000 (2005 is the capital of the Western Region of Ghana. Tema, population 209000 ( 2005) is a city on the Atlantic Ocean coast east of the capital city of Accra, in the region of Greater Accra Teshie is a city in Ghana in the Greater Accra Region]] Fort Augustaborg, built by the Danes in 1787 is located in Teshie and was occupied by the Cape Coast, or Cabo Corso, is the capital of the Central Region of Ghana and is also the capital city of the Fante (Fanti people or Obuasi is a city in southern Ghana, lying south of Kumasi. It has a population of 115564 (2000 census On the Railway line from Kumasi to Sekondi Languages in education In the early colonial period education was in the colonial home language Portuguese, Dutch, Danish or English. 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. The Niger-Congo languages constitute one of the world's major language families, and Africa 's largest in terms of geographical area number of speakers and number 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. A tamale ( Spanish tamal, from Nahuatl tamalli) is a traditional indigenous American food consisting of steam-cooked corn The (West Kwa languages are spoken in the south-eastern part of Côte d'Ivoire, across southern Ghana, and in central Togo. The Volta is a River in western Africa that drains into the Gulf of Guinea. The Gur languages, also known as Central Gur, belong to the Niger-Congo languages. The Kwa group, which is spoken by about 75% of the country's population, includes the Akan, Ga-Dangme, and Ewe languages. See also Akan languages Akan is a language group spoken by related peoples in mainly Ghana and eastern Côte d'Ivoire. Ga-Dangme is a branch of the Nyo family within the Kwa language family. Ewe (native name Ɛ̀ʋɛ̀gbè ὲβὲg͡bè is a Niger-Congo language spoken in Ghana, Togo and Benin by approximately five The Gur group includes the Gurma, Grusi, and Dagbani languages. The Grũsi or Gurunsi languages form a subgroup of the Central Gur languages, comprising about 20 languages spoken by the Gurunsi peoples Dagbani is a Gur language spoken by about 800000 people in Ghana. ^[15]

Nine languages have the status of government-sponsored languages: Akan, Dagaare/Wale, Dagbani, Dangme, Ewe, Ga, Gonja, Kasem, and Nzema. See also Akan languages Akan is a language group spoken by related peoples in mainly Ghana and eastern Côte d'Ivoire. The Dagaare (also spelled Dagare Dagarti Dagaran or Dagao are an ethnic group in the West African nations of Ghana and Burkina Faso. Dagbani is a Gur language spoken by about 800000 people in Ghana. Adangme (also called Dangme) is a Kwa language spoken in south-eastern Ghana by 800000 people Ewe (native name Ɛ̀ʋɛ̀gbè ὲβὲg͡bè is a Niger-Congo language spoken in Ghana, Togo and Benin by approximately five The Ga language is a Kwa language spoken in Ghana, in and around the capital Accra. The Gonja language is a Kwa language spoken by an estimated 230000 people almost all of whom are of the Gonja Ethnic group of northern Ghana The Nzema are an Akan people numbering about 328700 people of whom 262000 live in southwestern Ghana and 66700 live in the southeast of Côte d'Ivoire Though not an official language, Hausa is the lingua-franca spoken among Ghana's Muslims, who comprise about 14% of the population. 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 A lingua franca (from Italian, literally meaning Frankish language, see etymology under Sabir and Italian below is any Language widely

Education

Main article: Education in Ghana

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. The Republic of Ghana has 12630 primary schools 5450 junior secondary schools 503 senior secondary schools 21 training colleges 18 technical institutions two diploma-awarding 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 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. Nsawam is a town in the Eastern Region of Ghana approximately 40 km from the capital Accra. 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.

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

Organization	Survey	Ranking
Heritage Foundation/The Wall Street Journal	Index of Economic Freedom	91 out of 157[16]
Reporters Without Borders	Worldwide Press Freedom Index	29 out of 168[17]
Transparency International	Corruption Perception Index	69 out of 179[18]
United Nations Development Programme	Human Development Index	135 out of 177[19]
Vision of Humanity	Global Peace Index	40 out of 121[20]
World Economic Forum	Global Competitiveness Report	not ranked[21]

See also

References

External links

• Wikimedia Atlas of right

Ghana News

• Ghana Broadcasting Corporation
• Latest Ghana News
• Headline News, photos, video from Ghana
• News in Ghana

Government

• Ghana official Website
• The Parliament of Ghana official site
• National Commission on Culture official site
• [3]
• Ghana's Independence Video by Information Services Department

Healthcare

• Korle Bu Hospital
• Unite For Sight at Buduburam Refugee Camp, Ghana A Unite For Sight video documentary with interviews of residents at Buduburam Refugee Camp, Ghana. Unite For Sight provides free eye care for the residents.
• Subayo Foundation A not for profit charity for women and children in Ghana based out of the US.
• Ghana Eye Foundation A Non Governmental Organisation to create awareness and mobilise resources to support the provision of a sustainable, equitable and quality eye health service by well-trained and appropriately motivated personnel to all residents in Ghana.

Overviews

• Rural poverty in Ghana (IFAD)
• BBC Country Profile - Ghana
• Encyclopaedia Britannica, Country Page - Ghana
• CIA World Factbook - Ghana
• Ethnologue Ghana languages
• Ghana at the Open Directory Project
• US State Department — Ghana includes Background Notes, Country Study and major reports
• Business Anti-Corruption Portal Ghana Country Profile
• Historical Notes and Memorial Inscriptions From Ghana, Compiled 1988 to 1990 by M. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD a specialized agency of the United Nations, was established as an international financial institution in 1977 as one The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory E. J. Crew of Ofinso Training College, Ofinso, Ashanti, Ghana
• [4] Short Documentary looking at the problems faced by Ghana's rice farmers

Teaching resources

• Ghana: And Annotated List of Books and Other Resources for Teaching About Ghana
• Proverbs from Ghana

Tourism

• Ghana travel guide from Wikitravel
• Ghana Tourism Official Ghana Tourism Website
• Ghana@50 official independence anniversary site
• Teaching in Ghana
• Pictures Ghana
• Ghana Tourism Information

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