Portal:Ghana

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The Ghana Portal

The Republic of Ghana is a country located in West Africa.It shares borders with Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) to the west, Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) to the north, the Republic of Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea or the Atlantic ocean to the south. Its population is estimated at 22,113,000 (in 2005) and it has an area of 238,534 km² (92,098 sq mi).

It was inhabited in pre-colonial times by a number of ancient kingdoms, including the Ga Adangbes and Ewe people and various Fante states along the coast and the Ashanti kingdom, Northern territories and others further inland. Trade with European states flourished after contact with the Portuguese in the 15th century. The British established a crown colony, Gold Coast, in 1874.

Ghana was formed from the merger of Gold Coast and the British Togoland trust territory by a UN sponsored plebiscite. It was the first black sub-Saharan country to obtain independence from colonial rule. Upon achieving independence from the United Kingdom on March 6, 1957, the name Ghana was chosen for the new nation to reflect the ancient Empire of Ghana that once roamed the west of Africa. After a period of frequent military interventions, Ghana has had a stable democracy and regular elections since 1992.

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The Akosombo Dam is a hydroelectric dam in southeastern Ghana. The dam is specifically located at the Akosombo gorge, on the Volta River. The construction of the dam resulted in the flooding of the Volta River Basin, and the subsequent creation of Volta lake, the world's largest man-made lake and covers about 3.6% of Ghana's total land surface area. It is the main source of power in Ghana. (more...)

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Selected picture

The Independence Arch at Osu in Accra.

Image credit: Stig Nygaard

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Selected biography

Kofi Atta Annan (born April 8, 1938) is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1, 1997 to January 1, 2007, completing two five-year terms. He was also the co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001. The Rwandan Genocide, and later while Secretary-General, the September 11, 2001 attacks and the 2003 invasion of Iraq were some of the problems he faced. (more...)

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Did you know...

...that the bark of the African tree Bombax buonopozense (pictured) is burnt in Ghana to drive away evil spirits?
...that Akwasi Afrifa became Lt. General and head of state of Ghana after a coup d'état, was detained after a second coup, won parliamentary elections after a third and was executed after a fourth coup?
...that the Ghana Navy was established under British Royal Navy command and headed by D. A. Foreman, a retired British officer commissioned as a Ghana naval officer with the rank of Commodore?
...that Patrick Kwateng Acheampong, celebrated his 54th birthday by assuming office as the Inspector General of Police of the Ghana Police Service?
...that Robert Kotei, then Ghana's high jump record holder, once successfully foiled a military coup against the NRC government, only to be executed years later after a successful coup against his own SMC government?

..that the Osu Castle (pictured) is the seat of government in Ghana?
...that Georgina Theodora Wood is the first female Chief Justice of Ghana, making her the highest ranked Ghanaian lady ever?
...that Samuel Azu Crabbe was named and fired as the Chief Justice of Ghana in a decree specifically made for the purpose by the Supreme Military Council that had appointed him four years earlier?
...that former Ghana MP Eric Amoateng was arrested in the United States and has plead guilty to drug trafficking-related charges?
...that Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka came to power in Ghana through a military coup d'état in 1966, only to be killed in a failed coup attempt fourteen months later?

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Ghana news

Jan 23: Two girls jailed one year each for drug trafficking.(BBC)

July 12: Two British girls are arrested at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana for attempting to smuggle 6.5 kg of cocaine worth £300,000 to the UK.(BBC)

July 11: Paa Kwesi Nduom resigns as Minister for Public Sector Reform.(Ghana Home Page)

July 10: The President of the Swiss Confederation, Mrs. Micheline Calmy-Rey has begun a 2-day visit to Ghana.(Ghana News Agency)

July 10:The Italian president, Giorgio Napolitano has completed a three day visit to Ghana.(Ghana Home Page)

July 6: Georgina Theodora Wood, the first female Chief Justice of Ghana was today decorated with the Order of the Star of Ghana, the country's highest honour for distinguished services to the nation. (Ghana News Agency)

July 4: The 9th summit of the Assembly of the African Union which lasted for 3 days ends in Accra, Ghana. (BBC) (Ghana Home Page)

July 3: A new currency was introduced in Ghana. The Ghanaian cedi will be used alongside the old until December 2007, when the old ceases to be legal tender. One GH¢ is 10,000 old cedis.(Ghana Home Page) (MyJoyOnline.com)

June 5: Erica Powell, Kwame Nkrumah's private secretary, dies.(The Independent)

May 31 Fathia Nkrumah, wife of Kwame Nkrumah died in Badrawy Hospital in Cairo, Egypt after a period of illness. (Ghana Home Page)

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