Ghana 101: Quick Facts About Ghana

Quick facts about Ghana... just in case you've not caught the "Ghana virus" yet, here's your chance to get infected: let's call it your Ghana 101:

Bordering Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south... Ghana is a peaceful, democratic country with a rich cultural and natural heritage -- and is the ideal destination for both first time and regular travelers to Africa.

Colourful traditional festivals full of pomp and pageantry with chiefs and queen mothers riding on lushly gilded palanquins are celebrated at different times of the year throughout the country. Traditional open markets and craft villages dotted around the country provide the sounds and sights of the African bazaar.

For ecologically-minded tourists, Ghana has a very rich biodiversity... with many plant and animal species that are not found anywhere else.

A narrow grassy plain stretches inland from the coast, widening in the east, while the south and west are covered by dense rainforests which are being developed into nature parks, such as the national park at Kakum (where you'll find the first canopy in Africa).

And now a little bit of history.

Ghana was the first place in sub-Saharan Africa where Europeans arrived to trade - first in gold, later in slaves. It was also the first black African nation in the region to achieve independence from a colonial power-- in this instance Britain.

And to this day, there remain many traces of our rich history and our long struggle for political and economic independence. There are over 40 European forts and castles, including Elmina and Cape Coast Castles which are all recognised by UNESCO as World Heritage Monuments as well as sites of wars between the British and the indigenous population.

After or nearly two decades of democratic rule with peaceful elections, and recent discovery of large oil deposits, the nation's economy is slowly but surely improving. Whether you're coming for business or leisure, I welcome you to sit back and join me as we explore the many natural and cultural treats as well as business opportunities that await you in Ghana.

Here are some ten (10) quick facts about Ghana to help you plan your trip:

1. Capital City: Accra, with population of over 3 million
2. Population: about 23 million, with 1:1 male:female ratio
3. Weather: *Hot* and humid all year round
4. Main Airport: Kotoka International Airport (KIA) in Accra.
5. Internet Country Code: Ghana's ccTLD is .GH
6. Telephone Country Code: Ghana's IDD code is 233.
7. Power Voltage: 240 Volts, and sockets are typically thr British type.
8. Currency & Symbol: Ghana Cedi (GHC or ¢) and Pesewa. 100 Pesewas = ¢1 = US$0.86 as of this writing. Use the Currency Calculator to get the ltest exquivalence in your currency.
9. Independence: Ghana gained independence from British colonial rule on the 6th of March 1957, and this day is a national holiday celebrated annually with pomp and peagentry.
10. Religions: 68.8% of Ghanaians claim they are Christians, 15.9% say they are Muslims, 0.7% belong to other religions, and 6.1% say they have no religious affiliations at all.

For more information about Ghana, read the Wikipedia entry on Ghana and the Ghana entry on CIA's World Factbook. Or return to the Ghana Travel Guide homepage for more guides to help you plan your trip to Ghana.

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