10 Interesting Facts About Ghana | People, Culture & History

10 interesting facts about Ghana. Ghana, officially known as the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It spans the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north and Togo in the east. Ghana covers an area of 238,535 square kilometers, spanning diverse bounds that range from coastal savannas to tropical rainforests. With over 31 million people, Ghana is the second most populous country in West Africa, after Nigeria. The capital and largest city is Accra. Other major cities are Kumasi, Tamale and Sekondi Takoradi. Ghana is a multinational state, home to a variety of ethnic, linguistic and religious groups, while the Akan are the largest ethnic group. They constitute only a plurality. The vast majority of Ghanaians are Christian, 71.3%, with close to a fifth being Muslim and a tenth practicing traditional faiths or reporting no religion. Ghana is a unitary constitutional democracy, led by a president who is both head of state and head of government. Since 1993, it has maintained one of the freest and most stable governments on the continent and performs relatively well in metrics of healthcare, economic growth and human development. Ghana consequently enjoys significant influence in West Africa and is highly integrated in international affairs, being a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States, the Group of 24 and the Commonwealth of Nations. Welcome to Think, Reach Africa, the community which brings you to entrepreneurial, business and personal development content to inform, motivate and inspire you. We also want to introduce you to our Special African Development Playlist because we strongly believe that entrepreneurship, rather than global pity, is the key to Africa's growth and development. So, if you're African and aren't subscribed to our community, you're missing out. Ghana is a country with interesting cultures, friendly people and rich cuisines. With that said, let's take a look at 10 interesting facts about Ghana. Number 10. Ghana is home to the largest open-air market in West Africa, which is located in the capital city of Kumasi. The first of our Ghanaian facts informs us about the fascinating spot to go shopping in the nation. Ghana is fortunate in that it is home to the largest open-air market in West Africa. It is known as Kejetia Market and it is located in the capital city of the Ashanti region, Kumasi. Locals and tourists alike go to the store to purchase traditional clothing and materials, as well as foodware and outfits. The market is also home to a specialized meat market, as well as kiosks that offer fresh fruits and vegetables from the surrounding area. Number 9. Ghanaian celebrities are famed for not letting their wealth and status affect them. Ghana is probably not a country that most people identify with wealthy and renowned celebrities who are well-known throughout the world. In spite of this, the country boasts a number of superstars who are probably more renowned for not allowing their celebrity wealth and position to impact their lives. One of the most well-known of these individuals is John Domelo, who in addition to being a gifted actor and fashion designer, is also well-known for his humanitarian works. He has his own philanthropic foundation, the John Domelo Foundation, which was established in his honor to assist others who are less fortunate than himself. Number 8. Ghana was the first sub-Saharan country in Africa to gain independence. One of the most remarkable historical facts about Ghana is that the country became the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to achieve complete independence in 1957, according to a research. Ghana was founded as a result of the union of the former British Gold Coast area and the Togoland Trust in 1957. Despite the fact that the country had earned its independence by 1957, it was subjected to a succession of politically destructive coups between 1957 and 1981. The most recent of them occurred in 1981, when Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings came to power and outlawed all political parties. By 1992, a new legislature had established the constitutional right to participate in several political parties once more. Number 7. The Sidi, Ghana's national currency, is actually a shell. Before the region was controlled by the British Empire, a major currency in Ghana was the cowrie shell. It was an important currency in Ghana, prior to the British Empire's domination of the region. The shells, which were native to the Indian Ocean, arrived in the area in the 14th century. Arab traders transported them. Cowries were still used as cash as late as 1901. Sidi is the Akan term for cowrie. When Ghana transitioned away from the Ghanian pond, this was the name chosen for the new currency. A cowrie shell was shown on a few early coins. Number 6. Lake Volta, located in Ghana, is one of the world's largest man-made lakes. Lake Volta is a man-made lake in Ghana. The lake is constructed by the Akosombo Dam, which blocked the Volta River, just south of Agena. Construction began in 1961 and finished in 1965. It has a storage capacity of 124 million acre-fees. It is approximately 250 miles long and occupies 3,283 square miles, or 3.6% of Ghana's land area. The lake's formation necessitated the flooding of 15,000 dwellings and 740 communities, as well as the relocation of 78,000 inhabitants. The lake is navigable and serves as a low-cost connection between Ghana's northern savannah and the coast. The Akosombo Dam's hydroelectric power plant has a producing capacity of 912 megawatts of energy, which is used by the aluminium smelter located at the port of Thema, on the Gulf of Guinea, and also serves the majority of Ghana's other electrical demands. Number 5. Ferdi Ato Adobo, a Ghanian athlete, currently holds the world record for walking backwards. This one-of-a-kind interesting Ghana fact concerns athletics. Although it's not recognized as an Olympic sport, when it comes to running backwards in a 100-metre dash, Ghana's Ferdi Adobo is the fastest human alive. Ferdi Ato Adobo set a world record by running 100 metres backwards in 12.7 seconds on July 25, 1991, at the Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, USA. The record was equalled by Roland Wagner in 2007, but Adobo is still a record holder, as he also holds the same title for running backwards over a distance of 100 yards. This feat he managed in 12.7 seconds. Number 4. Ghana is home to Sub-Saharan Africa's oldest European-built castle. Built by the Portuguese in 1482, Elmina Castle is the oldest European building still in existence in Sub-Saharan Africa. The castle was later controlled by the Dutch and then the British, before finally being handed over to the people of Ghana, when Britain granted the Ghanaians their independence in 1957. Cape Coast Castle has a similar history, as it was built by Swedish traders in 1653, later seized by the Dutch, and then changed hands to the British, before finally resting in control of the Ghanaian people. Visiting Elmina Castle and Cape Coast Castle allows you gain a better understanding of Ghana's past and its effect on the people and culture of the present. The castles tell a story of immense oppression and hardship. There were places where Ghanaian ancestors were held captive, tortured, and bought and sold as commodities. Learning this history undoubtedly leaves a lasting impression on many. Number 3. The country is the world's 7th largest producer of gold. Ghana is Africa's largest gold producer, 7th largest worldwide, and more ounces per kilometre than Nevada. Ghana produced approximately 5 million ounces of gold in 2020, surpassing South Africa's 2020 production of 4.2 million ounces. Ghana produces more gold per square kilometre than Nevada, and holds more estimated reserves than key gold-producing countries like Peru and Papua New Guinea. Southern Ghana has been considered one of the world's most prolific regions for gold discoveries for some time, with both gold producers and explorers enjoying success there. Mining and gold are essential to Ghana's economy, and tax-based gold contributes over 90% of Ghana's total mineral export, and makes up 49% of the country's total export value. Number 2. Ghana produces a distinctive cloth known as kente. Kente comes from the word kenten, which means basket in the Asante dialect of the Akan language, referring to its basket-like pattern. Kente refers to a Ghanaian textile made of hand-woven cloth, strips of silk, and cotton. Historically, the fabric was worn on a toga-like fashion by royalty among ethnic groups such as the Asante and Ewe. It is also worn by queens, princesses, and women of Dagbon. In modern-day Ghana, the wearing of kente cloth has become widespread to commemorate special occasions, with highly sought-after kente brands led by master weavers. Due to the popularity of the kente cloth patterns, kente print, which is a mass-produced version, is popular through the West. Globally, the print is used in the design of academic stalls in graduation ceremonies. Number 1. Ghana is the first African country to launch its first satellite into space. GhanaSat-1, which was developed by students of All Nations University in Koforidwa, was sent into orbit from the International Space Station. Cheers erupted as 400 people, including the engineers, gathered in the southern Guinean city to watch live pictures of the launch. The first signal was received shortly afterwards. It is the culmination of a two-year project, costing $500,000 or £400,000. It received support from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA. The satellite will be used to monitor Ghana's coastline for mapping purposes and to build capacity in space science and technology. These were just a few of the many facts we gathered about Ghana. Ghana is a country of rich history and fun facts. And for staying up on to this point, here are bonus facts. Ghana is essentially a tropical country, though it has two very distinct split seasons. The southwest of the country is in a warm and west forest zone. The capital, Accra, is considered to be the drier arid equatorial zone. There are two distinct seasons, the rainy season from April to October and the dry season from November to March. However, in south Ghana, the rainy season is split in two. It's wet from April to June, then there is a two-month reprieve of dry weather, followed by a second rainy season from September to October. The man who is probably most well-known for his role as General Secretary of the United States was born and raised in Kumasi. Yes, we are talking about the famous Kofi Annan. He took his most prestigious role in the UN between the years of 1997 and 2006. But before that, he worked as a director of tourism for Ghana and also held a position within the World Health Organization. Ghana's name means Warrior King. When the country achieved independence in 1957, it took its new name from the Ghana Empire. The word Ghana roughly translates into English as Warrior King. Prior to this, the country had been known as the Wagadu Empire for around 300 years. The capital Accra also has an unusual translation. It comes from the African word Nkran meaning Ant. It is so called as there is an abundance of ant hills in the areas surrounding the city. We have come to the end of this video. Hope you enjoyed it. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section. Share our video with your friends and family. Give our video a thumbs up and subscribe to our community for more enriching information. We'll see you in our next video.