Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean, in the subregion of West Africa.
Geography and Climate of Ghana Ghana’s topography consist mainly of low plains but its south-central area does have a small plateau. Ghana is also home to Lake Volta, the world’s largest artificial lake. Because Ghana is only a few degrees north of the Equator, its climate is considered tropical.
Key Cities
Key cities in Ghana include: Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi, Sunyani, Tamale, Obuasi, Cape Coast, and Koforidua.
Historical, Cultural facts & Religion
The Gold Coast was the first British colony in Africa to become independent. After independence, its name changed to Ghana, and the first president was Kwame Nkrumah. Ghana is in West Africa, in the Gulf of Guinea. Its neighboring countries are Cote D’Ivoire, Togo, and Burkina Faso, and the capital is Accra. The name Ghana comes from an ancient kingdom several 100 kilometers northwest of the modern republic.
There are over 100 ethnic groups living in Ghana. The largest are Akan, Moshi-Dagbani, Ewe, and Ga. The Ashanti tribe of the Akan are the largest tribe and one of the few societies in West Africa where lineage is traced through the mother and maternal ancestors.
Christianity is the largest religion in Ghana, with approximately 71.2% of Ghana’s population being member of various Christian denominations as of 2010 census.
Brief Country History
The modern Republic of Ghana is a democratic nation in West Africa. It is named after the medieval Ghana Empire of West Africa which existed from roughly the 4th through 13th centuries. In the 11th and 12th centuries, the Ghana Empire began mining and trading gold, and in the 13th century the empire was conquered by the Kingdom of Melle.
In the 15th century, the first Europeans arrived in the area that had come to be known as the Gold Coast, the name the region would keep until it regained independence in 1957. The Portuguese arrived first and traded gold, ivory, and pepper with the Akan, the ethnic group that populated the Gold Coast and comprised the Asante, Fante, and more. In the 15th century, people of the Gold Coast were not yet taken as slaves, but the Portuguese did sell slaves from other parts of Africa to the Akan. The Dutch began to trade in the Gold Coast as well at the end of the 16th century, and the British, Danes, and Swedes, among others, set up trade with tribes of Akan people in the 17th century.
During the 17th century, the Akwamu controlled the area, but during the 18th century the area was taken over by the Asante (also spelled Ashante or Ashanti). At this time of Asante power, Osei Tutu was the Asanthene and the capital was in Kumasi. At this time, the major focus of trade also changed from gold to slaves. As many as 20 million Africans were sent across the Atlantic during this time. This was a profitable era for many Akan tribes, especially the Akwamu, Fante and Asante, and the Asante were able to develop and protect Kumasi with the weapons and other Western goods they traded for.
In the 18th century, the Asante fell from power. Britain, Denmark, and other European countries instituted bans on the slave trade (though not on slavery itself) between 1792 and 1807. The Asante also went to war with the Fante, who were supported by the British, during this time. Then, in 1824, Osei Bonsu, the Asantehene during the early 19th century, died. The British saw this as an opportunity to take control of the Gold Coast. Battles for control between the British and Asante stretched on until 1874 when The Gold Coast officially became a British crown colony. The Asante remained, and resisted British control and influence throughout the early 20th century, but the British retained control.
During and after World War II, the British colonial powers were weakened and the United States and USSR pressured for African independence. Political parties supporting independence developed within the Gold Coast, including the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC). Kwame Nkrumah, the party secretary for the UGCC, broke with the group in 1949 and formed the Convention People’s Party (CPP). Nkrumah was jailed in 1950, but released in 1951; in 1952 he became the first African prime minister, sharing power with the British governor.
In 1957, the Republic of Ghana became the first of the colonies in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence. Prosperity followed, with steady trade, especially of cocoa, and relatively high levels of education. Nkrumah was elected as president and ruled democratically until 1964 when, following economic downturn, he declared a dictatorship. Following this, Nkrumah quickly lost popularity and the economy continued to spiral downward. Economic trouble and political instability continued through the 1970s and early 1980s. Ghana returned to a democracy in the early 1990s and social projects such as a system of national health insurance showed the world Ghana’s progress and stability.
Language (s) Written & Spoken
Ghana is a multilingual country in which about eighty languages are spoken. Of these, English, which was inherited from the colonial era, is the official language and lingua franca. Of the languages indigenous to Ghana, Akan is the most widely spoken.
English is the official language used in Ghana. It was passed on to the Ghanaians by their British colonialists. English is predominantly used for government and business affairs. It is used in legal and administrative documents and procedures.
Important Types of Commerce in Ghana
Ghana is an independent state that is situated in West Africa. Ghana is surrounded by Gulf of Guinea, Togo, Burkina Faso, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Ivory Coast. Ghana occupies an area of about 92,099 sq miles with a population of over 28,308,301 people. The first permanent kingdom in present-day Ghana dates back to the eleventh century. Various empires and kingdoms have emerged in Ghana over the centuries with the most powerful one being the Ashanti Kingdom. Several European nations including the Portuguese contested for trading rights in the region from the fifteenth century. The United Kingdom managed to establish ultimate control over the region during the late nineteenth century. After a century of resistance from the natives, the country’s boundaries were established during the 1900s. The Ghanaians gained their independence in 1957. The country’s democratic political system and economic prosperity have contributed to it becoming a regional power in the region.
The largest industries in Ghana includes:
- Mining
- Energy
- Tourism
- Agriculture
- Telecommunication
Language Services US and others will provide working with Ghana
Ghana a multilingual country with over 100 languages. Ghana is known as “the gateway to Africa” in that its stability and familiarity with Europe makes it an ‘easy’ place to do business. Although English is the shared language, if you really want to communicate to the heart of the people, in their culture you would be required to utilize professional translation/ interpretation services. Professional translators who are very knowledgeable about the culture, traditions, people, lifestyle and language of their adopted country should be considered.
Looking for an Akan translation company? Look no further. American Language Services (AML-Global) offers certified translations, native interpreting services, and turn-key localization solutions for any language. Call us today @ 1-800-951-5020 for further information, visit our website https://www.alsglobal.net/ or for a quick quote click http://alsglobal.net/quick-quote.php.
