Ghana

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Quick Facts

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Capital

Accra

Population

19,162,000

Government

Constitutional Democracy

Religions

Christianity, Indigenous beliefs, Islam

Languages

English

Calling Code

+233

Nationality

Ghanaian

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Introduction

ballonga

© All Rights Reserved susanneh

Ghana is a land with a formidable past. Home to the Ashanti tribe, the wealth and splendor of Ashanti rulers was a thing to be marveled at, as Europeans greedily did. Ghana was first exploited for its gold, then its slaves. European settlement was rapid, spurred on by a fierce competition between the four European countries who warred for control of the slave trade: Portugal, Holland, Britain and Denmark. The British finally took charge of Ghana, maintaining their presence after the slave trade was outlawed. In 1957, however, Ghana became the first African nation to achieve independence.

Since then, Ghana has developed into a highlight of West African travel. Its past informs its present, with legends related to the Ashanti tribe still superstitiously upheld. Lively culture, one of the best cities on the continent (the capital, Accra), a unique and interesting Atlantic coast and a lush, beautiful landscape are some of the basic reasons for Ghana's popularity among travellers.

Brief History

Geography

Regions

Ghana is made up of 10 regions:

• Ashanti Region
• Brong-Ahafo Region
• Central Region
• Eastern Region
• Greater Accra Region
• Northern Region
• Upper East Region
• Upper West Region
• Volta Region
• Western Region

Cities

• Accra is the capital.
• Axim
• Elmina
• Kumasi
• Tema
• Tamale

Sights and Activities

Osu Castle

Osu Castle, also known as Fort Christianborg, is located in the capital and the building is the current seat of government. The original fort was built by the Danes in the mid 17th century, although the fort has been reconstructed several times. It has also switched between the hands of several different powers. During British rule the fort was made into the seat of government. Sadly today the fort is not open to the public and photography is limited for reasons of national security.

Elmina Castle

Elmina Castle built by the Portuguese in 1482 was the first fort built on the Gulf of Guinea in the present day town of Elmina. It is also the oldest European building south of the Sahara Desert. The castle quickly became an important stop along the Atlantic Slave Trade. This was continued even after the Dutch took over the fort in 1637. The British took control of the fort in 1871 and ended the slave trade. Today the castle is considered a popular tourist destination and is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Currently the castle is undergoing major renovations that should be completed in 2015.

Memorial to Kwame Nkrumah

The Memorial to Kwame Nkrumah is one of the most beautiful memorials in all of Africa. Kwame Nkrumah was an extremely important person to the Pan-African movement and this memorial helps to reflect that. Located in Accra, this memorial is a great way to spend an afternoon.

Other Sites and Activities

Mosque

© All Rights Reserved TriNeLL

• Larabanga Mosque, dating back to 1421, is Ghana's oldest mosque and one of the oldest mosques in West Africa.
• National Museum of Ghana is Ghana's oldest and largest museum, opened in 1957. This is a great place to start a trip in order to learn more about the culture and history of Ghana.
• Makol Market: Get some shopping down at this great market in Accra, which has everything from power tools to traditional crafts to medicine.
• Aburi Botanical Gardens: Visit these wonderful gardens in a slightly cooler environment then compared to the coast. This is an excellent day trip from Accra.
• Mount Afadjato and Tagbo Falls: Visit the the highest point in Ghana on a trip to the interior. Although the mountain itself is not super impressive go check out the nearby waterfalls and make this trip into a double whammy good time.
• Coastline: Visit small coastal fishing towns to get a taste of traditional life.
• Beaches: Surf it up on some excellent beaches located on the very pretty coastline of Ghana.
• Nightlife: Party it up in Accra, which has on of the best nightlife scenes in all of Africa.

Events and Festivals

Weather

As Ghana stretches from the Atlantic coastline towards the edges of the Sahara desert, the climate, although being hot almost anywhere anytime, has some variety.
The coastal area is hot and humid yearround, with temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius on most days. February to May is a bit hotter, when even nights are very warm at 26 degrees Celsius on average. Although the rainy season lasts from May to October, there generally is a peak in May/June and another in October, while in between it is relatively dry.
What is rather strange, is that rainfall along the coast is less than immediately inland. There are two reason for this.
First, the heaviest rainfall in Benin coincides with waters offshore being unusually cool for near-equatorial latitudes; a cool current appears on the ocean surface. Second, the coast follows a direction from west/southwest to east/northeast and is parallel with the prevailing winds.
In the north of the country, there is single rainy season from May to September and a long and hot dry season from October to April. The total amount of rain is much less compared to the southern and coastal zones. Temperatures during the hot season can reach well over 40 degrees Celcius during the days. From December to February the hot, dry and dusty Harmattan wind blows over most of the country as well, reaching almost to the coast although here with prevailing southwestern winds, the Harmattan only infects life for several days a year.

Getting there

By Plane

Ghana International Airlines is the national airline of Ghana and is based at Kotoka International Airport (ACC) near the capital Accra. International destinations include Johannesburg, London and Lagos. KLM flies to and from Amsterdam directly. British Airways and Lufthansa fly to London and Frankfurt respectively and New York is served by Delta Airlines. Alitalia flies to Milan. Other airlines and cities served are mainly within the West African region, but Cairo, Dubai, Beirut and Johannesburg have flights as well, mostly with their respective national airlines.

By Car

You can use all crossing to Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire and Togo mentioned below though travelling to Cote d'Ivoire generally is still not recommended. Be sure to have your car papers and insurance in order. Crossings are relatively hassle free and most roads are in an agreeable situation.

By Bus

To Burkina Faso, there are buses between Accra and Ouagadougou, normally via Kumasi, Tamale, Bolgatanga, Paga and Po (Burkina Faso). It takes around 24 hours when you take the direct service (daily, except Sunday). From Kumasi it's 20 hours, but only once a week. If you are doing it in stages, there are frequent services from Bolgatangato the border at Paga from where you can get onward transport to Po and Ouagadougou.
Another crossing is in the northwest of Ghana, between Tumu and Léo or from Hamale or Lawra and onto Bobo-Dioulasso. Tumu is reached from Bolgatanga, Hamale from Bolgatanga or Wa, and Lawra from Wa.
To Cote d'Ivoire you can take buses or bush taxis between Accra and Abidjan, via Elubo, with multiple connections daily. It's about 12 hour by regular bus. Another crossing is between Bole and Bouna, but it involves crossing the Black Volta river.
Buses and bush taxis go to Aflao, the border town with Togo, from Accra. Here you have to cross by foot and get onward transport to Lomé. If you need a visa, be sure to arrive during the afternoon or better: morning.

By Boat

Only cargo ships and the occasional private yacht harbors along Ghana's coastline, so no official passenger services exist.

Getting around

By Plane

Antrak Air flies between Tamala, Kumaisi and Accra.

By Train

There is a rail line connecting the cities of Accra, Takoradi and Kumasi and several intervening towns. There is also a rail link between the two main ports of Tema and Takoradi. Trains run at least twice a day between most destination.

By Car

You can rent cars, either with or without a driver, in Accra, but rates are very high. Roads are generally in a good condition but some minor roads are potholed or of the dirt and gravel kind and sometimes impassable when heavy rains strike the country during season. Traffic drives on the right and you need an international driving permit.

By Bus

STC operate between Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Tamale, Cape Coast and other main cities and there are fast aircon express services, as well as slower buses. On some routes, you might find minibuses (tro-tros), converted trucks or shared taxis (seven seat Peugeots) much more comfortable, cheaper and faster.

By Boat

The Yapei Queen runs twice weekly across Lake Volta between Akosombo and Yeji. Ferries connect at Yeji for Buipe and Makongo, both from which it is possible to arrange onward transportation to Tamale.

Red Tape

People from most West African countries (ECOWAS members) don't need a visa. Visas for people from Kenya, Zimbabwe and Egypt are free for up to 30 days.
Theoretically, a visa upon arrival is available for many nationals, though in practice this doesn't work always! Better do get a visa beforehand at the nearest embassy or consulate of Ghana. Single-entry 3 month valid visas are usually around $50 while one year multiple-entry visas are around $80.

Money

See also Money Matters

Work

Study

Language

Eat

Sleep

Drink

Health

See also Travel Health

Safety

See also Travel Safety

Keep Connected

Internet

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

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