Ghana

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Republic of Ghana
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Freedom and Justice"
Anthem: God Bless Our Homeland Ghana[1]
Capital (and largest city)		Accra 5°33′N 0°15′W / 5.55°N 0.25°W / 5.55; -0.25
Official languages		English
Demonym		Ghanaian
Government		Constitutional presidential republic
-	President	John Atta Mills
-	Vice-President	John Dramani Mahama
-	Speaker of Parliament	Joyce Bamford-Addo
-	Chief Justice	Georgina Theodora Wood
Independence		from the United Kingdom
-	Declared	6 March 1957
-	Republic	1 July 1960
-	Constitution	28 April 1992
Area
-	Total	238,535 km2 (81st) 92,098 sq mi
-	Water (%)	3.5
Population
-	2008 estimate	23,000,000[2] (48th)
-	Density	93/km2 (103rd) 215/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2008 estimate
-	Total	$34.259 billion[3]
-	Per capita	$1,520[3]
GDP (nominal)		2008 estimate
-	Total	$16.124 billion[3]
-	Per capita	$715[3]
HDI (2007)		▲ 0.553 (medium) (136th)
Currency		Ghanaian cedi (GHS)
Time zone		GMT (UTC0)
-	Summer (DST)	GMT (UTC0)
Drives on the		right
Internet TLD		.gh
Calling code		+233

The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It borders 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. The word Ghana means "Warrior King,"^[4] and was the source of the name "Guinea" (via French Guinoye), which has been used to refer to the West African coast (reflected in the Gulf of Guinea).

Ghana was inhabited in pre-colonial times by a number of ancient kingdoms, including the Ga-Daŋmes on the eastern coast, the inland Empire of Ashanti and various Fante and Ewe states along the coast and inland. Trade with European states flourished after contact with the Portuguese in the 15th century, and the British established a crown colony, Gold Coast, in 1874.^[5]

Gold Coast achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1957, becoming the first Sub-Saharan African nation to do so.^[6] The name Ghana was chosen for the new nation to reflect the ancient Empire of Ghana, which once extended throughout much of western Africa. In the Ashanti language it is spelled Gaana. Ghana is a member of many international organisations including the Commonwealth of Nations, the Economic Community of West African States,the African Union and the United Nations

Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 3 Regions and districts 4 Government and politics 5 Economy 6 Geography 7 Demographics 7.1 Population of major cities 8 Languages 9 Media 10 Education 11 International rankings 12 See also 13 References 14 External links

[edit] Etymology

The word Ghana means Warrior King and was the title accorded to the kings of the medieval West African Ghana Empire^[7] . Geographically, the Ghana Empire was approximately 500 miles (800 km) north and west of modern Ghana, and it ruled territories in the area of the Sénégal river and east towards the Niger rivers, in modern Senegal, Mauritania and Mali. Ghana was adopted as the legal name for the Gold Coast upon independence on March 6, 1957. It was not until July 1, 1960 that the country asserted its complete autonomy from Britain and became known as the Republic of Ghana.

.

[edit] History

There is archaelogical evidence which shows that humans have lived in what is present day Ghana from 1500 BC ^[8]. Nonetheless, there is no proof that those early dwellers are related to the current inhabitants of the area. Oral tradition has it that many of Ghana's current ethnic groups such as the Akan, the Ga and the Ewe arrived around the 13th Century AD.

Modern Ghanaian territory includes what was the Empire of Ashanti, which was one of the most influential states in sub-Saharan Africa before colonial rule. Akan migrants moved southward and founded several nation-states including the first great Akan empire of the Bono, which is now known as the Brong Ahafo region in Ghana. Much of the area of modern day south central Ghana was united under the Empire of Ashanti of the Ashanti people, a branch of the Akan by the 16th century. The Ashanti government operated first as a loose network and eventually as a centralized kingdom with an advanced, highly-specialized bureaucracy centered in Kumasi.It is said that at its peak, the King of Ashanti could field 500,000 troops and had some degree of military influence over all of its neighbours. The Ga people developed an effective unit around 1500 ^[9] and the Gonja, Dagomba and Mamprusi also fought for political power in the 1620's.^[10]

Early European contact by the Portuguese, who came to Ghana in 1471, focused on the extensive availability of gold. The Portuguese first landed at a coastal city inhabited by the Fante nation-state and they named the place Elmina, which means "the mine" in Portuguese. In 1481, King John II of Portugal commissioned Diogo d'Azambuja to build Elmina Castle, which was completed the next year. Their aim was to trade in gold, ivory and slaves, consolidating their burgeoning power in the region.

By 1598, the Dutch had joined them, and built forts at Komenda and Kormantsi. In 1637, they captured the Elmina Castle from the Portuguese and Axim in 1642 (Fort St Anthony). Other European traders joined in by the mid 17th century, largely English, Danes and Swedes. British merchants impressed with the gold resources in the area named it the Gold Coast after they took over while French merchants, impressed with the trinkets worn by the coastal people, named the area to the west "Côte d'Ivoire," or Ivory Coast.The coastline was dotted by more than 30 forts and castles built by Portuguese, Dutch, British and Danish merchants. The Gold Coast became the highest concentration of European military architecture outside of Europe.^{[citation needed]} By the latter part of the 19th century, the Dutch and the British were the only traders left,^{[citation needed]} and after the Dutch withdrew in 1874, Britain made the Gold Coast a protectorate. Following conquest by the British in 1896, until independence in March 1957, the territory of modern Ghana was organized as the Gold Coast, under British colonial rule.

The existing nation-states maintained varying alliances with the colonial powers and each other, which resulted in the 1806 Ashanti-Fante War, as well as an ongoing struggle by the Empire of Ashanti against the British ^[11]. After several wars and encounters the British conquered the Ashanti in 1901 ^[12] and thus became the main political power in the Gold Coast until 1957.

Even under colonial rule the chiefs and people often resisted the policies of the British; however, moves toward de-colonization intensified after World War II. In 1947 the newly formed United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) called for "self-government within the shortest possible time."^[13] After rioting increased in 1948, the members of the United Gold Coast Convention were arrested, including future Prime Minister and President, Kwame Nkrumah. Later Nkrumah formed his own party, the Convention People’s Party (CPP) with the motto 'self government now." He began a 'Positive Action' campaign and gained the support of rural and working class people ^[14].

One again he was imprisoned for being the leader of a party that caused boycotts, strikes and other forms of civil disobedience. After winning a majority of seats in the Legislative Assembly in 1952; however, Kwame Nkrumah was released and appointed Leader of Government Business. After further negotitations with Britain finally on March 6, 1957 at 12 a.m. Kwame Nkrumah's declared Ghana "free forever" ^[15]. The flag of red, gold, green and the black star became the new flag in 1957. Designed by Theodosia Salome Okoh, the red represents the blood that was shed towards independence, gold represents the mineral wealth of Ghana, the green symbolises the rich agriculture and the black star is the symbol of African emancipation ^[16].

Formed from the merger of the British colony Gold Coast, and British Togoland trust territory by a UN sponsored plebiscite in 1956, Ghana became the first sub-Sahara African country to gain its independence in 1957. Kwame Nkrumah, first Prime Minister and President of the modern Ghanaian state, was not only an African anti-colonial leader but also one with a dream of a united Africa which would not drift into neo-colonialism. He was the first African head of state to promote Pan-Africanism, an idea he came into contact with during his studies at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania (United States), at the time when Marcus Garvey was becoming famous for his "Back to Africa Movement." He merged the dreams of both Marcus Garvey and the celebrated African-American scholar W. E. B. Du Bois into the formation of the modern day Ghana. Ghana's principles of freedom and justice, equity and free education for all, irrespective of ethnic background, religion or creed, borrow from Kwame Nkrumah's implementation of Pan-Africanism. Although his goal of African unity never realised, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, as he is now known, played an instrumental part in the founding of the Organisation of African Unity, which was succeeded in 2002 by the African Union.

Although largely respected abroad and in other new African Nations, Kwame Nkrumah soon became somewhat authoritative and his domestic policies became very unpopular. He was overthrown by a military coup in February 1966 and exiled to Guinea. It has been argued that this was supported by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency;^[17][18] however, that assertion remains generally unproven. Although Nkrumah never returned to Ghana until his death of cancer in 1972, he is seen as one of the most influential and well known Ghanaians and is; thus, celebrated as a national hero.

A series of subsequent coups from 1966 to 1981 ended with the ascension to power of Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings in 1981. These changes resulted in the suspension of the constitution in 1981 and the banning of political parties. The economy suffered a severe decline soon after and many Ghanaians migrated to other countries. Although most migrating Ghanaians went to Nigeria, the Nigerian government deported about a million Ghanaians back to Ghana in 1983 ^[19].

Rawlings soon negotiated a structural adjustment plan with the International Monetary Fund and changed many old radical economic policies and the economy began to recover. A new constitution restoring multi-party politics, was promulgated in 1992, and Rawlings was elected as president then and again in 1996 to serve a second term. The Constitution of 1992 prohibited him from running for a third term and so his party, the National Democratic Congress chose his Vice President, John Atta Mills to run against the opposition parties. Winning the 2000 elections, John Kufuor of the New Patriotic Party was sworn into office as President in January 2001, and beat Mills again in 2004; thus, also serving two terms as President.

In 2009 John Atta Mills took office as president with a difference of about 40,000 votes (0.46%) ^[20] between his party the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party, marking the second time that power had been transferred from one legitimately elected leader to another, and securing Ghana's status as a stable democracy.^[21]

[edit] Regions and districts

Ghana is a divided into 10 regions, subdivided into a total of 138 districts. The regions are:

Ashanti, capital Kumasi Brong Ahafo, capital Sunyani Central, capital Cape Coast Eastern, capital Koforidua Greater Accra, capital Accra

Northern, capital Tamale Upper East, capital Bolgatanga Upper West, capital Wa Volta, capital Ho Western, capital Sekondi-Takoradi

[edit] Government and politics

Government: Ghana was created as a parliamentary democracy at independence in 1957, followed by alternating military and civilian governments. In January 1993, military government gave way to Fourth Republic after presidential and parliamentary elections in late 1992. The 1992 constitution divides powers among a president, parliament, cabinet, Council of State, and an independent judiciary. The Government is elected by universal suffrage.^[22]

Administrative Divisions: There are ten administrative regions which are divided into 138 districts, each with its own District Assembly. Below districts are various types of councils, including fifty eight town or area councils, 108 zonal councils, and 626 area councils. 16,000 unit committees on lowest level.^[22]

Judicial System: The legal system is based on Ghanaian common law, customary (traditional) law, and the 1992 constitution. Court hierarchy consists of Supreme Court of Ghana (highest court), Court of Appeal, and High Court of Justice. Beneath these bodies are district, traditional, and local courts. Extrajudicial institutions include public tribunals. Since independence, courts are relatively independent; this independence continues under Fourth Republic. Lower courts are being redefined and reorganized under the Fourth Republic.^[22]

Politics: Political parties became legal in mid-1992 after ten-year hiatus. Under the Fourth Republic, major parties are National Democratic Congress, led by Jerry John Rawlings, which won presidential and parliamentary elections in 1992; New Patriotic Party, major opposition party; People's National Convention, led by former president Hilla Limann; and (new) People's Convention Party, successor to Kwame Nkrumah's original party of same name.^[22]

Foreign Relations: Since independence, Ghana has been fervently devoted to ideals of nonalignment and Pan-Africanism, both closely identified with first president, Kwame Nkrumah. Ghana favors international and regional political and economic cooperation, and is an active member of United Nations and the African Union.

Many Ghanaians hold important positions in international organisations. These include Ghanaian diplomat, Kofi Annan, and Jerry Rawlings a former president, who was elected chairman of the Economic Community of West African States.^[22]

[edit] Economy

Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains somewhat dependent on trade and international assistance as well as the investment activities of Ghanaian diaspora. About 30 % of the population live below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day.^[23] Ghana known for its Gold in colonial times, will remains one of the world's top gold producers. Other exports such as cocoa, timber, electricity,diamond, bauxite, and manganese are major sources of foreign exchange.^[24] An oilfield which is reported to contain up to 3 billion barrels (480,000,000 m³) of light oil was discovered in 2007.^[25] Oil exploration is ongoing and, the amount of oil continues to increase.^[26]

Ghana’s labor force in 2008 totaled 11.5 million people ^[27] The economy continues to rely heavily on agriculture which accounts for 37.3% of GDP and provides employment for 56% of the work force,^[28] mainly small landholders. Manufacturing is only a small part of the Ghanaian economy totalling 7.9% of Gross Domestic Product in 2007 ^[29]. Ineffective economic policies of past military governments and regional peacekeeping commitments have led to continued inflationary deficit financing, depreciation of the Cedi, and rising public discontent with Ghana's austerity measures. Even so, Ghana remains one of the more economically sound countries in all of Africa.

In July 2007, the Bank of Ghana embarked on a currency re-denomination exercise, from the [Cedi]] (¢) to the new currency, the Ghana Cedi (GH¢). The transfer rate is 1 Ghana Cedi for every 10,000 Cedis. The Bank of Ghana employed aggressive media campaigns to educate the public about the re-denomination. The new Ghana Cedi is relatively stable and in 2008 generally exchanged at a rate of $1 USD =Gh¢ 1.1 ^[30] The Value Added Tax is a consumption tax administered in Ghana. The tax regime which started in 1998 had a single rate but since September 2007 entered into a multiple rate regime. In 1998, the rate of tax was 10% and amended in 2000 to 12.5%. However with the passage of Act 734 of 2007, a 3% VAT Flat Rate Scheme (VFRS) began to operate for the retail distribution sector. This allows retailers of taxable goods under Act 546 to charge a marginal 3% on their sales and account on same to the VAT Service. It is aimed at simplifying the tax system and increasing compliance.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Geography

Ghana is a country located on the Gulf of Guinea, only a few degrees north of the Equator, therefore giving it a warm climate. The Greenwich Meridian also passes through Ghana, specifically through the industrial city of Ghana-Tema; so it is said that Ghana is geographically closer to the "centre" of the world than any other country. The coastline is mostly a low, sandy shore backed by plains and scrub and intersected by several rivers and streams. Formerly, a tropical rainforest belt, broken by heavily forested hills and many streams and rivers, extended northward from the coast, but most of the rainforest was felled in the twentieth century, leaving scattered remnants, principally in the southwest, some of which are under protection. North of this belt, the land is covered by low bush, park-like savannah, and grassy plains.

The climate is tropical. The eastern coastal belt is warm and comparatively dry (see Dahomey Gap); the southwest corner, hot and humid; and the north, hot and dry. Lake Volta, the world's largest artificial lake, extends through large portions of eastern Ghana.

[edit] Demographics

The major ethnic groups are Akan 49.3%, Mole-Dagbon 15.2%, Ewe 11.7%, Ga-Dangme 7.3%, Guan 4%, Gurma 3.6%, Gurunsi 2.6%, Mande-Busanga 1%, other tribes 1.4%, other (Hausa, Zabarema, Fulani) 1.8% (2000 census).

According to the 2000 government census, religious divisions are as follows: Christian 69%, Muslim 16%, African beliefs 15%.^[31] The Christianity and Islam practiced in Ghana has many aspects of traditional African religion integrated into it.

[edit] Population of major cities

City	Population
Accra	2,096,653
Kumasi	1,604,909
Tamale	390,730
Sekondi-Takoradi	260,651
Tema	229,106
Teshie	154,513
Cape Coast	154,204
Obuasi	147,613

[edit] Languages

More than 250 languages and dialects are spoken in Ghana. English is the country's official language and predominates government and business affairs. It is also the standard language used for educational instruction. Native Ghanaian languages are divided into two linguistic subfamilies of the Niger-Congo language family. Languages belonging to the Kwa subfamily are found predominantly to the south of the Volta River, while those belonging to the Gur subfamily are found predominantly to the north. The Kwa group, which is spoken by about 75% of the country's population, includes the Akan, Ga-Dangme, and Ewe languages. The Gur group includes the Gurma, Grusi, and Dagbani languages.^[32]

Nine languages have the status of government-sponsored languages: Akan, Dagaare/Wale, Dagbani, Dangme, Ewe, Ga, Gonja, Kasem, and Nzema.

Though not an official language, Hausa is the lingua-franca spoken among Ghana's Muslims, who comprise about 14% of the population.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Media

The media of Ghana is one of the most free in Africa, and had previously undergone a series of government overthrows by military leaders and periods of severe restriction. Chapter 12 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana guarantees freedom of the press and independence of the media, while Chapter 2 prohibts censorship.^[33] Post independence, the government and media often had a tense relationship, with private outlets closed during the military coups and strict media laws that prevent criticism of government.^[34] The media freedoms were restored in 1992, and after the election in 2000 of John Kufuor the tensions between the private media and government decreased. Kufuor was a supporter of press freedom and repealed a libel law, though maintained that the media had to act responsibly.^[35] The Ghanaian media has been described as "one of the most unfettered" in Africa, operating with little restriction on private media. The private press often carries criticism of government policy.^[36] The media were vigorous in their coverage of the 2008 Ghanaian presidential election, and the Ghanaian Journalists Association (GJA) praised John Atta Mills on his election, hoping to foster a good media-government relationship.^[37]

[edit] Education

This article appears to contradict the article Education in Ghana. Please see discussion on the linked talk page. Please do not remove this message until the contradictions are resolved.

Presently, Ghana has 18,530 primary schools, 8,850 junior secondary schools, 900 senior secondary schools, 28 training colleges, 20 technical institutions, 4 diploma-awarding institutions, 6 public universities and over 10 private universities. Most Ghanaians have relatively easy access to primary and secondary education. These numbers can be contrasted with the single university and handful of secondary and primary schools that existed at the time of independence in 1957. Ghana's spending on education has varied between 28 and 40 percent of its annual budget in the past decade. All teaching is done in English, Ghana's official language.

Ghana has a 6-year primary education system beginning at the age of six, and, under the educational reforms implemented in 1987, they pass on to a 3-year junior secondary system all making up the basic education and then afterwards a three year senior secondary system. The new educational reforms programme which was introduced in 2007 has now replaced the previous system. Now the junior secondary school is now junior high school (JHS). At the end of the 3rd year of JHS, there is a Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). Those continuing must complete the 4-year senior high school (SHS) program and take an admission exam to enter university. School enrollment totals over 2 million: 1.3 million primary; 550,000 middle; 300,000 secondary; 84,280 technical; 18,000 teacher training, and 89,000 in university.^{[citation needed]} The shortage of places in post-secondary education is acute; one out of nine senior secondary graduates finds a place in a technical, teacher-training, or four-year university program.

[edit] International rankings

Organization	Survey	Ranking
Heritage Foundation/The Wall Street Journal	Index of Economic Freedom	91 out of 157[38]
Reporters Without Borders	Worldwide Press Freedom Index	31 out of 173[39]
Transparency International	Corruption Perception Index	69 out of 179[40]
United Nations Development Programme	Human Development Index	135 out of 177[41]
Vision of Humanity	Global Peace Index	40 out of 121[42]
World Economic Forum	Global Competitiveness Report	not ranked[43]

[edit] See also

• Commonwealth of Nations
• List of Ghana-related articles
• List of Ghana-related topics
• List of international rankings
• Outline of Africa
• Outline of geography
• United Nations

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Government

• Ghana official Website
• The Parliament of Ghana official site
• National Commission on Culture official site
• Chief of State and Cabinet Members

General information

• Country Profile from BBC News
• Ghana from Encyclopaedia Britannica
• Ghana entry at The World Factbook
• Ghana from UCB Libraries GovPubs
• Ghana at the Open Directory Project
• Wikimedia Atlas of Ghana

News media

• Ghana Broadcasting Corporation

Tourism

• Ghana Tourism Official Ghana Tourism Website
• Ghana travel guide from Wikitravel
• Ghana photos at Bigfoto.com

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Languages v • d • e Niger-Congo-speaking nations   Kordofanian  Sudan   Mande      Gambia  Guinea  Guinea-Bissau  Mali  Mauritania  Senegal  Sierra Leone  Liberia  Côte d'Ivoire  Nigeria  Burkina Faso  Benin  Togo   Atlantic-Congo     Atlantic  Benin  Burkina Faso  Cameroon  CAR Ijoid  Nigeria  Chad  Côte d'Ivoire  Gambia  Guinea Dogon  Mali  Guinea-Bissau  Liberia  Mali  Mauritania  Niger  Senegal  Sierra Leone  Sudan  Togo   Volta-Congo     Senufo  Benin  Côte d'Ivoire  Mali Gur  Benin  Burkina Faso  Côte d'Ivoire  Ghana  Mali  Nigeria  Togo Adamawa-Ubangi  Cameroon  CAR  Chad  Nigeria Kru  Burkina Faso  Côte d'Ivoire  Liberia Kwa  Benin  Côte d'Ivoire  Ghana  Nigeria  Togo   Benue-Congo     Bantu  Angola  Botswana  Burundi  Cameroon  DRC Yoruba and Igbo  Nigeria  Rep. of the Congo  Equatorial Guinea  Gabon  Kenya  Lesotho  Nigeria  Malawi  Mozambique  Namibia  Rwanda  South Africa  Swaziland  Tanzania  Uganda  Zambia  Zimbabwe CAR = Central African Republic • DRC = Democratic Republic of the Congo