Ghana: Background & Geography

Introduction Ghana
Background:
 Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A long series of coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution in 1981 and the banning of political parties. A new constitution, restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. He was succeeded by John KUFUOR, who defeated former Vice President Atta MILLS in a free and fair election.
Geography Ghana
Location:
 Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo
Geographic coordinates:
 8 00 N, 2 00 W
Map references:
 Africa
Area:
 total: 239,460 sq km
land: 230,940 sq km
water: 8,520 sq km
Area - comparative:
 slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries:
 total: 2,094 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km
Coastline:
 539 km
Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
 territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM
contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate:
 tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north
Terrain:
 mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area
Elevation extremes:
 lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m
Natural resources:
 gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower
Land use:
 arable land: 15.82%
permanent crops: 7.47%
other: 76.71% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
 110 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
 dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts
Environment - current issues:
 recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements:
 party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
 Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

See Also: