A Little History about Ghana

  • Ancient Ghana was located hundreds of miles to the north of present-day Ghana between the Senegal and Niger rivers. It was known as the Wagadugu Empire and the name “Ghana” was the title given to the rulers of the kingdom. 
  • The first Europeans to arrive in Ghana were the Portuguese in 1470, who built Elmina Castle in 1482. Their main reason to stay was to trade gold, ivory and slaves with other countries. Due to the gold production in the country, Ghana became known as the Gold Coast.
  • The Danish built a fortress called Christianborg Castle in 1661 which became a center of slave trading.
  • Slave trade was banned in Ghana in the early 19th century. The British eventually made the Gold Coast a colony. This area along with Togoland, a trust territory would later become Ghana.
  • In 1957 Ghana was the first of the sub-Saharan African country to become an Independent nation and the country became known as the Republic of Ghana. 
  • Dr. Kwame Nkrumah PC became the first prime minister and president of Ghana, having led it to independence from Britain. 

Some Geography about Ghana

  • Ghana is situated on the west coast of Africa and is a land of lowland hills.
  • The country shares borders with Côte Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to the east. To the south are the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean.
  • Lake Volta is the largest artificial lake in the world. It extends for over 320 miles and can be seen from space.
  • Accra, the capital, is a large city with a population of 4.1m.
  • Ghana has a very warm climate as it is located on the equator.

Some Fun Facts About  Ghana

  • Ghana is the second largest producer of gold in Africa.
  • Ghana is the world’s second largest producer of cocoa beans.
  • The colorful national costume is made from century old handwoven cloth called kente.
  • Ghana is in the Greenwich Meridian time zone.