Ghana Guide
Ghana – country information
Country name | Ghana |
Official name | Ghana |
Capital | Accra |
Continent | Africa |
Area | 238,533 km2 |
Population | 24,658,823 (2010) |
Foundation of a state | 3/6/1957 |
The highest mountains | Mount Afadjoto 885 m |
State system | a pluralistic presidential republic with a unicameral parliament |
The biggest cities | Accra (capital) 2,100,000, Kumasi 500,000, Tamale 190,000 |
Official language | English |
Ethnicity/National Composition | Akan 54%, Mosi 16%, Ewe 12%, Ga-Andagme 7.5%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%, others 6.5% |
Religious affiliation | Christians 63%, traditional faith 22%, Muslims 15% |
Currency | 1 cedi © = 100 pesewas |
gross domestic product (GDP) | US$3,316 (2012) |
Average life expectancy of the population | 58.87 years (2006) |
Structure of GDP | agriculture and fishing 47.5%, mining 2%, industry 11%, construction 3%, services 36.5% |
Ghana – Neighboring States
State | Capital | Area | Population |
Burkina | Ouagadougou | 274,000 km2 | 17,322,796 |
Ivory Coast | Yamoussoukro | 322,463 km2 | 23,202,000 |
Togo | Broken | 56,785 km2 | 6,191,155 |
Country overview
Once called the Gold Coast, Ghana lies on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea between Ivory Coast and Togo.
According to Abbreviationfinder, Ghana (Gold Coast in the past) is a state in West Africa, formerly known as the Gold Coast. Common borders in the west – with Côte d’Ivoire, in the north-west, in the north – with Burkina Faso, in the east – with Togo.
The capital is Accra. The official language is English. Currency – sadie.
The surface of Ghana is predominantly flat with heights of 150-300 m above sea level, the climate is equatorial, monsoon.
On the eastern outskirts of the country, the mountains of Togo rise with the highest point of the country, Mount Afadzhoto (Afadiato) 885 m. The largest river is the Volta. Much of Ghana is savannah, with rainforests in the southwest.
Interesting facts
On the coast of Ghana in 1482, the Portuguese were the first to land.
The Black Stars are one of the strongest football teams in Africa. At the World Cup in Germany, they were the only African teams to qualify from the group, but lost to Brazil. At the 2010 African Championships, they reached the final, where they lost to Egypt.
Country data
Location: West Africa
Time zone: CET – 1 (during summer time: CET – 2)
Total area: 238,533 km²
Land area: 227,533 km²
Water area: 11,000 km²
Length of the state border: 2,420 km
Bordering countries:
Burkina Faso: 602 km
Ivory Coast / Côte d’Ivoire: 720 km
Togo: 1,098 km
Coastline: 539 km
Capital: Accra
Regions: 10
Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western
Telephone code: 00 233 (Source: Allcitycodes)
Highest point: Mount Afadjato 885 m
Population
Population: approx. 25.8 million residents (Countryaah, 2021)
Population growth: 2.2% per year
Population density (residents per km²): 108
Life expectancy: 63 (male), 68 (female)
Official language: English
Religions:
- 71% Christian
- 18% Muslim
- 11% other
Climate
In the tropical climate it is hot and humid in the north and in the southwestern plains. The rainy seasons last in the north from April to October and in the south from April to June and from September to October.
Rain showers are short-lived. There are no noticeable seasonal differences on the coast. The temperature varies with distance from the coast and altitude. The highest temperatures are in March and August.
The annual average temperature is 26 ° C.
Currency / finance
Currency unit: Cedi (GHS)
Classification: 1 Cedi = 100 Pesewas
ATMs: Available in the major cities.
International credit cards: Only a few leading hotels, restaurants and banks accept payments. However, no cash is paid out !!
Regulations: The import and export of the local currency is not permitted.
There is no limit to the amount of foreign currencies that can be imported. The export is permitted in the amount of the declared import minus the exchanged amounts.
Note: The local currency can only be exchanged if the exchange by an authorized body is noted on the back of the declaration form. To avoid problems, the amount to be redeemed should be as low as possible.
Customs regulations
The following may be carried duty-free:
- 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco
- 1 liter of alcoholic beverages
- small amounts of perfume
(Information applies to people aged 18 and over)
Tourists and people in transit can bring items of personal use with them duty-free.
All objects carried must be registered upon entry. Gifts are subject to duty
A security levy can be required for valuable items, which will be refunded upon re-export. This primarily affects laptops, video cameras and other expensive technical equipment.
Travel advice
Ghana is considered a safe travel destination with a low crime rate.
However, you should note the following points:
- The most common theft is at Kotoka Airport in Accra
- Photography is prohibited in all military and police installations
- Possession / trafficking in drugs (even small amounts) is punished with at least 5 years in prison
Behavioral advice
Water should only be boiled and filtered to drink.
There is a frequent shortage of water because the supply is often interrupted, even in larger cities.
If possible, you should ask for permission beforehand when taking photos of people.
Economy
Around 50% of the workforce is employed in agriculture.
The main agricultural export is cocoa.
The most important source of foreign currency is the diamond and gold mining.
Industries: mining, cocoa, food production
Natural resources: bauxite, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum, gold, limestone, manganese
Land use:
- Usable land: 12%
- Grain cultivation: 7%
- Pasture area: 22%
- Forests: 35%
- other: 24%
Plants
In order to gain space for agriculture, large areas of forest were cleared.
The remaining areas of the rainforest, in the south of the country, consist of kapok trees, khayas and boss trees. There are also over 1,000 different species of palm trees across the country.
The north of the country is covered by short grassland with few trees.
Animals
As a result of the deforestation, the number of animals living in Ghana has also decreased significantly.
The remaining species include monkeys, antelopes, buffalo, elephants, hippos, hyenas, cobras, crocodiles, leopards, semi-monkeys and forest pigs.