Young children smiling

Ghana

Time Difference: EST + 4 hours   Current Time and Date in Ghana
Currency: Currency Converter  – Ghanaian Cedi (GHS)
Travel Advisory : State Department Report Ghana
US Embassy in Ghana: gh.usembassy.gov

Ghana is located on the Gulf of Guinea and Atlantic Ocean in West Africa. Ghana consists of ten territorial administrative regions with several islands and it is bordered by the Ivory Coast to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east and the Gulf of Guinea and Atlantic Ocean to the south. The word Ghana means “Warrior King”.

Ghana has the same land mass as the United Kingdom with the northern half of Ghana containing deserts, savannas and wildlife and the southern half of Ghana containing great industrial mineral and fossil fuel wealth, principally gold, petroleum and natural gas. The southern half of Ghana dominates in terms of population and agricultural resources, and is rich in forests, woodlands and fertile lands, and features a string of springs, waterfalls, streams, rivers, caves, lakes, estuaries, mountains, wildlife parks and nature reserves. The coast of Ghana is a labyrinth of castles, forts, ports, harbors, Cape Three Points peninsula, and beaches that line Ghana’s 348 miles Gulf of Guinea and Atlantic Ocean coastline of mainly sandy beaches.

Ghana was inhabited in the Middle Ages and the age of discovery by a number of ancient predominantly Akan kingdoms, including the inland Ashanti Empire, the Akwamu, the Bonoman, the Denkyira, and the Mankessim Kingdom among others. Non-Akan states created by the Dagomba also existed. Prior to the Black contact with Europeans, trade between the Akan and various African states flourished due to Akan gold wealth. Trade with European states began after contact with the Portuguese in the 15th century. In 1874 England established control over some parts of the country assigning these areas the status of Gold Coast. The Gold Coast declared independence from the United Kingdom in 1957 and established the nation of Ghana. This made it the first African country to gain independence from colonial rule.

Health: CDC Ghana
What to Pack
Weather: Ghana Weather
Communications: Dial 011 followed by country code 233

Travel Requirements

Diplomatic Missions

Ghana Permanent Mission Geneva
Ghana’s Permanent Mission to the UN.
Embassy of Ghana
The Hague – the Netherlands.
A list of foreign representations in Ghana.

CLIMATE

Warm Season: March – April;  Average High Temperature of 91°F – Average Low of 77°F
Cold  Season: June-December; Average daily high temperature of 84°F and low of  74°F

Language: English is widely spoken

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES

Asante Traditional Buildings

Asante Traditional Buildings is a World Heritage Site in Ghana, which is a collection of 13 traditionally built buildings from the time of the Ashanti Empire in the area. The Asante Kingdom had its golden age in the 18th century, fell during the British occupation of the area from 1806 to 1901, and most Asante buildings of the period were destroyed during the area. Among other buildings, the royal mausoleum was destroyed by Baden-Powell in 1895. The buildings were described as “home of men and gods”, and are the last remains of the history and culture of the Asante people. The houses are built of clay, straw and wood, and are vulnerable to natural fluctuations. There is therefore a need for the preservation of the buildings.

Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions

Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions is the collective designation by UNESCO of European-style fortifications and outposts (mostly Portuguese, Dutch and British) along the Gold Coast (modern-day Ghana) during the colonial period. The term specifically applies to 11 ensembles designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979:

  • Elmina Castle, Elmina
  • Fort Santo Antonio, Axim
  • English Fort (Fort Vredenburgh), Komenda
  • Fort Metal Cross, Dixcove
  • Fort San Sebastian, Shama
  • Fort Batenstein,[1] Butri
  • Fort Coenraadsburg, Elmina
  • Fort Amsterdam, Abandze
  • Fort Lijdzaamheid (‘Patience’), Apam
  • Cape Coast Castle, Cape Coast
  • Fort Good Hope (Fort Goede Hoop), Senya Beraku