Ghana. is a country in Western Africa. It is surrounded by Cote d’ Ivoire in the west, Togo in the east and Burkina Faso in the north. To its south lies the Gulf of Guinea. Its proximity to the Equator makes its climate hot. Ghana has abundant natural resources — it is famous for being Africa’s second largest producer of gold and the world’s second largest producer of cocoa beans. The country’s capital and largest city is Accra and its currency is the Cedi.
Ghana mainly consists of low plains. The eastern part features the Akwapim-Togo mountain ranges and Lake Volta, the largest artificial lake in the world. The country’s highest peak is Mount Afadja, located close to its border with Togo. The south-central area has a small plateau.
History
It was formerly known as Gold Coast, owing to the large supply of gold in the region. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive here in search of gold. The first Europeans to arrive here were the Portuguese, and they came in search of the source of African gold. Soon, the area attracted the British, Dutch, Danish and Germans. Gold Coast became a British colony of the British empire in the 20th century. It gained freedom from Britain in 1957 and became known as Ghana. It was the first sub-Saharan colony to become an independent nation.
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There are more than 50 ethnic groups speaking numerous languages and dialects. The official language is English. A traditional fabric called Kente is quintessentially Ghanaian and globally popular. The most popular sport in the country is football. The national team, known as the Black Stars, has won the African Cup of Nations four times and competes regularly at the international level. A world renowned Ghanaian is Nobel Peace Prize Winner Kofi Annan, who was the Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006.
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Cuisine
Ghanaian food is flavourful and features tropical produce such as beans, corn, millet and cassava. Some popular dishes are waakye (cooked rice and beans), red-red (a stew made from beans), fufu (a soft sticky paste made of boiled cassava and plantains), kelewele (fried plantains served as a snack or side dish), omo tuo (rice balls), and chichinga (skewered and grilled meat).
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Ghana is rich in animal life. It has several national parks and reserves. A wide range of creatures such as lions, leopards, antelope, elephants, buffalo, hyenas, wild hogs, pythons, cobras, crocodiles, manatees, otters, hippos, lizards, tortoises, and several species of birds, fish and insects, call this region their home. The Kakum National Park is home to over 650 species of butterflies.
