Ashanti Region

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Ashanti Region
Location of Ashanti Region in Ghana
Abbreviation AS
ISO Code GH-AH
Capital Kumasi
Districts 27
Government
 • Regional Minister Hon. Kofi Opoku Manu (NDC)
 • Members of Parliament 39
Area[1]
 • Total 24,389 km2 (9,416.6 sq mi)
Population [2]
 • Total 3,612,950 (2,000 census)
Ranked 1st
 • Density 148.14/km2 (383.7/sq mi)
Time zone GMT
Area code(s) 032

The Ashanti Region is the third largest of 10 administrative regions in Ghana, occupying a total land surface of 24389 square kilometers or 10.2 per cent of the total land area of Ghana. In terms of population, however, it is the most populated region with a population of 3,612,950 in 2000, accounting for 19.1 per cent of Ghana’s total population. The Ashanti region also harbors the capital city of Kumasi.

Contents

[edit] Geography and climate

[edit] Location and size

The Ashanti region is centrally located in the middle belt of Ghana. It lies between longitudes 0.15W and 2.25W, and latitudes 5.50N and 7.46N. The region shares boundaries with four of the ten political regions, Brong-Ahafo Region in the north, Eastern region in the east, Central region in the south and Western region in the South west. The region is divided into 27 districts, each headed by a district chief executive.

[edit] Climate

[edit] Tourism

[edit] Parks

  • Bobiri Forest Butterfly Sanctuary
  • Bomfobiri Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Digya National Park
  • Kogyae Strict Nature Reserve
  • Owabi Forest Reserve and Bird Sanctuary

[edit] Recreation areas

  • Kumasi Zoo
  • Centre for National Culture

[edit] Historic sites

  • Komfo Anokye Sword
  • Manhyia Palace Museum
  • Kumasi Fort & Military Museum
  • Ghana Armed Forces Museum
  • The Prempeh II Jubilee Museum

[edit] Festivals

Several festivals are celebrated in the region, the major ones being the Akwasidae and Adae Kese. These are religious festivals celebrated by some members of the Akan ethnic group of which the Ashanti belong. The festivals are celebrated to remember past leaders and heroes. Though they are dead, their spirits are believed to be alive and taking interest in the affairs of the living, watching their actions, and consulting with them during the Adae festival.

  • Papa Festival
  • Kente Festival
  • Yaa Asantewaa Festival
  • Mmoa Nni Nko Festival
  • Nkyidwo Festival Nkyidwo Festival

[edit] Other Tourist Attractions

  • Kejetia Market
  • Patakro shrine
  • Adinkra cloth printing in Ntonso

[edit] Demographics

[edit] Population

The center of population of the Ashanti Region is located in the Kumasi Metropolitan District. According to the 2000 census, the region had a population of 3,612,950, making it the most populous region; however, its density (148.1 per square km) is lower than those of the Greater Accra (895.5/km2) and Central (162.2/km2) Region [3] Majority of the region’s population are Ghanaians by birth (87.3%) with about five per cent naturalized Ghanaians. A smaller proportion (5.8%) of the population originate from outside Ghana, made up of 3.7 per cent mainly from the five English-speaking countries of ECOWAS and 2.1 per cent from other African countries. The non-African population living in the region is 1.8 per cent of the total population. Akans are the predominant ethnic group in the region, representing 77.9% of Ghanaians by birth. A high proportion (78.9%) of the Akan population is Asante. The non-Akan population in the region comprises the Mole- Dagbon (9.0%), the Ewe (3.2%), the Grusi (2.4%), the Mande-Busanga (1.8%) and the Ga- Dangme (1.4%). The other smaller ethnic groups form about 1.3 per cent of the population of the region.[4]

[edit] Religion

The religious affiliations of the people of the Ashanti region are below:[5]

  • Christian – 77.5%
  • Muslim –13.2%
  • Non-Religious – 7.3%
  • All other religious groups constitute insignificant proportions of the population.
  • Do not forget that the religions have variants, where many of the population also incorporate traditional African into it, but also believe in witches, fairies, forest monsters, etc. This is in most of the Ashanti people's religion.

[edit] Transportation

The Ashanti region is served by the Kumasi Airport, which handles domestic flights. Five National highways – N4, N6, N8, N10 and N6 – and a few Regional highways such as the R52 and R106 serve the region.

The N4 connects Accra in the Greater Accra Region with Kumasi in the Ashanti Region through the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange, while the N6 connects both cities via Kwame Nkrumah Circle and through Nsawam. The region is also connected to the Central Region by the N8 and N10, both of which originate from Yemoransa in the Central Region. The N10, however, continues on, connecting the regional capital of Kumasi to Paga in the Upper East Region.

[edit] Districts

The political administration of the region is through the local government system. Under this administration system, the region is divided into 27 districts.[6] Each District, Municipal or Metropolitan Area, is administered by a Chief Executive, representing the central government but deriving authority from an Assembly headed by a presiding member elected from among the members themselves.

Districts in Ashanti Region Region[7]
District Capital Population
Adansi North Fomena 235,680 (2000 census)
Adansi South New Edubiase 129,325 (2000 census)
Afigya-Kwabre Agona
Ahafo Ano North Tepa 71,856 (2000 census)
Ahafo Ano South Mankranso 133,874 (2000 census)
Amansie Central Bekwai 219, 508 (2000 census)
Amansie West Manso Nkwanta 108, 768 (2000 census)
Asante Akim North Konongo 126, 465 (2000 census)
Asante Akim South Juaso 96, 885 (2000 census)
Atwima Kwanwoma Foase Kokoben 234, 759 (2000 census)
Atwima Mponua Nyinahin
Atwima Nwabiagya Nkawie
Bekwai Municipal Bekwai
Bosome Freho Asiwa
Bosomtwe Kuntenase 145,524 (2000 census)
Ejisu-Juaben Municipal Ejisu 124, 179 (2000 census)
Ejura/Sekyedumase Ejura 81, 119 (2000 census)
Kumasi Metropolitan Kumasi 1, 171, 311 (2000 census)
Kwabre Mamponteng 164, 668 (2000 census)
Mampong Municipal Mampong
Obuasi Municipal Obuasi
Offinso Municipal Offinso 138, 190 (2000 census)
Ofinso North Akomadan
Sekyere Afram Plains Kumawu
Sekyere Central Nsuta
Sekyere East Effiduase 157, 378
Sekyere South Agona Ashanti 143, 213
Districts of Ashanti Region

[edit] Education

[edit] Higher education

The Ashanti region has one public four-year institution, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. In addition, there are a number of private universities and university colleges spread throughout the region.

  • Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi
  • Garden City University College, Kenyasi, Kumasi
  • University of Education, Kumasi Campus, Kumasi

[edit] Sports

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ashanti Region

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Ashanti Region". Ghanadistricts.com. http://ghanadistricts.com/region/?r=2&sa=8. Retrieved 2010-10-13. 
  2. ^ "Ashanti Region". Ghanadistricts.com. http://ghanadistricts.com/region/?r=2&sa=12. Retrieved 2010-10-13. 
  3. ^ http://ghanadistricts.com/region/?r=2&sa=12
  4. ^ http://ghanadistricts.com/region/?r=2&sa=10
  5. ^ http://ghanadistricts.com/region/?r=2&sa=11
  6. ^ http://ghanadistricts.com/region/?r=2
  7. ^ http://www.geohive.com/cntry/ghana.aspx
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