Ghana is a small West African nation located on the
coast of the Gulf of Guinea roughly comparable to the U.S. state of Oregon in
size. Lying only a few degrees above the Equator, Ghana possess a tropical,
humid climate. Most of Ghana experiences two rainy seasons, from April to July
and September into November, while the northern-most part of the country has
one rainy season extending from April to September. From December to March, an arid
north-eastern desert wind known as the harmattan produces hot days and cool
nights. The average low temperature is 69°F and the average high 79°F. March is
the hottest month, while August is the coolest (GhanaWeb n.d.) .
Most
of Ghana is comprised of relatively low-lying grassy plains and savanna. An
area of hills and tropical rainforest extends north from the coast along Ghana’s
western border with the Cote d’Ivoire (the Ivory Coast). The Volta, formed by
the confluence of the Black Volta and White Volta rivers, is the major river in
Ghana, flowing through the center of the country into the Gulf of Guinea. The
Volta is the only river in Ghana navigable by watercraft larger than small
boats or canoes. Lake Volta, created by the damming of the Volta by the
Akosombo Dam, stretches 325 miles and is used to generate electrical power, for
transportation, and for irrigation. Lake Bosumtwi, in the Ashanti region, is
the country’s largest natural lake. (GhanaWeb n.d.) .
Accra,
located on the coast at 5° 33’ N latitude and 0° 12’ W longitude and boasting a
population of one million, became Ghana’s capital in 1877 when the British
located their colonial administrative offices in the city. Cape Coast, located
at 5° 6’ N and 1° 15’ W, is another important, historical city. Cape Coast was
the British colonial capital from 1700 to 1877, and is home to Ghana’s oldest
and best schools, as well as the Cape Coast Castle, one of the largest
slave-trading posts on the Ghanian coast. Kumasi, at 6° 40’ N and 1° 37’ W, is
the capital of the Ashanti region of Ghana and was once capital of the Ashanti
(Asante) Kingdom. Kumasi is home to the Manhyia Palace, the palace of the king
of Ashanti; the palace is now the largest historical and cultural center in
West Africa (GhanaWeb n.d.) .
According
to Reader, “Mineral wealth was the foundation of economies throughout Africa. At
independence, the development plans of many African states were dependent upon
the output of their mines, [including]…Ghana…” (Reader 1999,
16) .
While a large part of Ghana’s economy is dependent upon agriculture, Ghana
possesses many mineral and other natural resources. Agricultural exports
include cocoa, oil palm, timber, and rubber; mineral resources include
limestone, clay, and salt; and ore exports include gold, iron, copper, bauxite,
and manganese. In addition, Ghana is an emerging producer of oil and gas. (Government of Ghana 2016) .
Ghana’s
location on the coast of Africa exposed the region to European imperialism.
Furthermore, suitable harbors, such as Cape Coast, made Ghana an important
slave trading region, where the Ashanti were major slave exporters. After the
slave trade was outlawed in the British Empire in 1807, the Ashanti employed
their accumulated slaves in mining and agriculture; thus, in Ghana slavery was
perpetuated for decades after the slave trade was abolished (Reader 1999,
430) .
Bibliography
GhanaWeb.
n.d. http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/country_information/ (accessed
August 30, 2016).
Government of Ghana. 2016.
http://www.ghana.gov.gh/ (accessed August 30, 2016).
Reader, John. Africa: A Biography of the Continent. New
York, NY: Vintage Books, 1999.
