Ghana

Ghana is a sovereign country located in West Africa.

It is bordered by Togo to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. To the west, it shares a border with Côte d'Ivoire. The southern coast sits along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean.

The nation features diverse ecologies. These range from coastal savannas to thick tropical rainforests. The capital and largest city is Accra.

The population of Ghana exceeds 35 million people. This makes it the thirteenth-most populous country in Africa. Within West Africa, it is the second-most populous nation. The country is multi-ethnic with many linguistic and religious groups. The Akan people represent the largest ethnic group, though they are a plurality. Religion is also diverse. Most Ghanaians are Christians, making up 71.3% of the people. Almost one-fifth are Muslims. About ten percent practice traditional faiths or report no religion.

Early history involves several powerful kingdoms. In the south, the Bonoman kingdom existed during the 11th century. The Kingdom of Dagbon emerged in the north. From the 17th century, various Akan states grew from the Bonoman area. These states relied heavily on gold trading. They included the Asante Empire, which eventually became a centralized kingdom. Its capital was Kumasi. The Asante operated a specialized bureaucracy. Other groups included the Adansi, Denkyira, and the Mankessim Kingdom.

European contact began in the 15th century. The Portuguese arrived to trade for gold. They established the Portuguese Gold Coast. In 1481, King John II of Portugal commissioned Diogo de Azambuja to build Elmina Castle.

This building is the oldest European structure in West Africa. Later, the Dutch joined the gold trade. They captured Elmina Castle from the Portuguese in 1617. Other powers like Sweden, Denmark-Norway, and Germany also established trading presence. Many merchants built over 30 forts and castles along the coast. These powers also participated in the Atlantic slave trade.

The name "Ghana" has a deep historical connection. It likely comes from Wagadu, an empire in West Africa. Arab traders used the name Ghana for the Wagadu empire between the 3rd and 12th centuries. The name might come from the title Kaya Maghan. This title translates to "ruler of gold." In the early 20th century, scholars debated these origins. Some suggested links to the Wangara or the ancient region of Akkad. By the time of independence, the name was a symbol of national legitimacy and prestige.

British control grew in the 19th century. The British eventually established control over the coast. They managed four separate colonial territories. These were the Gold Coast, Ashanti, the Northern Territories, and British Togoland. After long periods of colonial resistance, these territories unified. On 6 March 1957, Ghana became an independent dominion.

It was the first colony in Sub-Saharan Africa to achieve sovereignty. Kwame Nkrumah led the country as its first prime minister and later president. He was a leader in the Pan-African movement.

Today, Ghana is a unitary constitutional democracy. A president serves as both the head of state and head of government. The nation is recognized for its political stability in Africa. It ranked seventh in the 2022 Ibrahim Index of African Governance. It also ranked fifth in the 2024 Fragile States Index. Ghana is a member of many international organizations. These include the United Nations and the African Union. It is also part of the Economic Community of West African States.