Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The area that now makes up Ghana was once the Empire of Ashanti and before that the Empire of Ghana (from whom the modern country takes its name). The region began trading with the Portuguese in the late 15th century. Soon the British, Danes and Dutch joined them, drawn by the wealth of gold and ivory they found there.
In 1896, the Europeans had driven back the native inhabitants (as well as sold their young men and women in the slave trade) and the area became a British colony called the Gold Coast. It remained thus for more than 60 years.
In 1957, Ghana became the first sub-Saharan country to gain its independence.
Ghana contains 2094 square kilometers, an area a little smaller than the state of Oregon. The nation's topography ranges from the southern coastline along the Gulf of Guinea to the rain forest (much of which was felled during the 20th century) to rolling hills and grassy savannahs in the northern regions. Ghana is also home to Lake Volta, the largest man-made lake in the world.
Ghana is a parliamentary democracy, similar to British governmental structure. There are five parts of government--a president, parliament, cabinet, Council of State, and an independent judiciary, which is based on British common law. John Atta Mills, the current president, was elected in 2009.
Ghana is one of the richest nations in Sub-Saharan Africa, due in large part to its vast natural resources. It is, however, still very poor by western standards, with a per capita annual income of just $1500. A third of Ghana's families are farmers.
Ghana's major industries include gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese mining and fishing.
Ghana is easily accessible from the United States via direct flights from New York City to Accra, the nation's capital city. A visa is required for US citizens to enter the country and may be obtained by applying to an embassy of consulate office of Ghana.
Since it was a British colony, a majority of the people in Ghana speak English.
Tourist sites include Mole National Park, a major elephant reserve; Kakum National Park, a rainforest; and Cape Coast Castle, an UNESCO World Heritage Site and a reminder of the age of British rule.