The Republic of Ghana
The Republic of Ghana
Formerly Gold Coast and a former colony of the British Empire is situated in the
Gulf of Guinea between longitude 3 15' W and 1 12' East, latitude 5 and 10 north.
It is bounded to the East by Togo (Former French Colony), the West by Ivory Coast
(Former French Colony), the North by Burkina Faso (Former French Colony), and the
South by the Atlantic Ocean. Its land mass covers a total of about 238,500 km sq.
Ghana was called the "Gold Coast" by the European merchants, and was known by this
name until the attainment of Independence in 1957.
The name Ghana was suggested
by the Hon. J.B. Danquah of the Big Six. In the late 1920's, a number of political
parties dedicated to regaining African Independence sprang up, but neither these
nor the United Gold Coast Convention (U.G.C.C.), which was founded in 1947, were
nationally based. They also ignored the aspirations of the large numbers of workers
attracted to the cities by the boom in public works. Aware of this, the then secretary-general
of the U.G.C.C, Kwame Nkrumah, broke away in 1948 to found his own political party
- the Convention People's Party (C.P.P.). It quickly became the voice of the masses
and, for the first time, drew the north into national politics; its slogan was "Self-Government
Now".
The CPP was an overnight success and Nkrumah's fiery speeches captured the
mood of the nation perfectly. More information about the history of politics in
Ghana and Kwame Nkrumah can be found on the web site. Ghana offers tourist attractions
which are based on the history of many occupations by European invaders. Explore
Elmina Castle built by the Portuguese in 1471 in their search for gold and spices.
The British built numerous castles during their occupation in search of those same
gold mines. The slave trade has been preserved in Ghana with a tribute to this dark
period of history, with areas intact where slaves were held until their departure
for the New World. English is the official language with various tribal dialects
regionally spoken throughout the country. Major cities such as Accra, Tema and Cape
Coast boom with hotels and restaurants.
Marketplaces are common and shoppers are
expected to barter for the best price. Ghana is home of the traditional KENTE cloth,
whose familiar woven golds, reds, and greens are used throughout the world in clothing
and handbags. Gold jewelry is of the highest quality and carved handcrafts are plentiful.
The forests can be explored. There are organized safaris to view the natural wildlife,
and the numerous birds and butterflies are a sightseer's delight. The tropical climate
is ideal for lounging on Ghana's beaches and exploring its coastal castles. Ghana
Is A Country Of Great Contrast. » more