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GHANA GOLD COAST

Ghana Time = GMT+0

 

 

1) Situation

 

a) Introduction

Ghana is an english speaking enclave of 238,000 sqkm among a group of french speaking countries.

Neigbouring countries include to the North Burkina Faso, to the West Ivory Coast, to the East Togo while

the Southern Coast of the country borders the Atlantic Ocean.

 

The landscape is relatively flat and the few hills to the North and South East constitutes a range of sandtone plateaus

with an average height of 900 metres (with the Mount Afadja as its the highest point at 1015m).  The coasts are made up of wide

plains 16 to 24 km long.

 

The Asokombo dam was built on the Volta – Ghana’s main river – creating the world’s widest artificial lake (8,500 sqkm).

The broad forest (approximately 60,000 sqkm) almost entirely covers the South West of the country and gradually becomes a

less luxuriant flora towards the North.  Elsewhere, the Savana can be found scattered with a few trees.

The coast is mostly made up of meadows and copses.

 

b) Access from abroad

The Kotoka airport is located 7 km from the capital, Accra.

 

 

2) Population

There are 19 million inhabitants in Ghana, of whom 52% are under the age of  20.  In 2000, 11.3 million of the total population

was economically active.  The main ethnic communities originate from the Kwa (Akans, Ewes, Gâ, Guan and Gonjas) and the Gur

(Molé, Dagbanis and Gurmas).  The number of foreign workers (Togo, Burkina Faso, Mali, Liberia and Nigeria) is estimated at 3 million.

 

 

Population (millions):   19

People/sqkm:    81

Natural increase of population: 2,3

Index of fertility:   4,2

Average length of life:   58

% of popoultation living in town: 38,4

 

 

3) Climate

The tropical climate is more gentle in the South of the country due to the Alizé and in the North -  during the dry season -

the Harmattan, which comes from the Saharan desert.  Warm and dry in the North, the climate is hot and humid in the South West

part of the country.  The rainy season lasts from May to October in the South and from June to September in the North.

The average rain fall, already heavy in the North and East of the country, increases in the South West but is less in the South East.

 

Minimum yearly rain fall: 0,3mm

Maximum yearly rain fall: 278 mm

Average yearly rain fall: 139 mm

 

The hygrometric level varies from 60% to 100% (65% to 98% in the afternoon along the coast; 80% in the morning to 25% in the

afternoon in the Northern part of the country, 10% during the Harmattan period).

 

The temperature is relatively high and stable with an average of 27 to 29 Celsius degrees.

 

The climate is softened by a breeze along the coast.

 

Average temperature in Northern Ghana:  24 to 38 C degrees

Average temperature in Southern Ghana: 21 to 32 C degrees

 

4) Main towns

a) Accra

The site, near the Guinea Gulf, was first identified by the Portugueses during the 15th century.  Accra’s infrastructure then developed

further in the 19th century and eventually became the main industrial and cultural place of the country with, nowadays, more than

2,5 million inhabitants.  The Osu Castle, which was built by the Danish in 1659 is nowadays the residence of the Head of State.

The University of Accra was built in 1948.

 

b) Kumasi

Located inland, it is the second biggest town of Ghana (1,5 million inhabitants), Kumasi is the former capital of the Ashantis

and the birthplace of Kofi Annan.  It is an important cultural hub (university, famous craft industry) as well as an important

regional market.  Kumasi is located approximately 200 kilometres to North West of Accra.

 

c) Sekondi-Takoradi

With approximately 700,000 inhabitants, Sekondi Takodari is a port located in the South West of the country.

 

d) Other towns

Tamale, in the North of the country, has 400,000 inhabitants.

The principal port of the country, Tema, is located 25 kilometers from Accra.

The Cape Coast is located in the Guinea Gulf,