Introduction to Ghana
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Prof Song Xian dao
Lawrence Ampem Darko(王芳)
B07
Contents
• Geographical location and regions
• History
o Colonization
o Post colonization
• Politics
• Economy
• Education and languages
Geographical Location and Regions
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Ghana is located in the western part of Africa, on the Greenwich meridian and some nautical miles from the equator, so technically Ghana is located in the middle of the world.
Ghana shares its borders with Cote D’ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east and the Gulf of Guinea to the south. All its neighbors are francophone countries but Ghana is an Anglophone country.
There are ten regions in Ghana, these are Upper West, Upper East, Northern Region, Brong Ahafo, Ashanti Region, Volta Region, Western Region, Central Region, and Greater Accra Region.
The capital city of Ghana is Accra, which is located in the Greater accra region.
Ghana has a population of about 23million.
History
Colonization
The Portuguese were the first to arrive in contemporary Ghana. Their original plot was to find another route to India. By 1471, they had reached the area that was to become known as the Gold Coast because it was an important source of gold. The Portuguese interest in trading for gold, ivory, and pepper so increased that in 1482 the Portuguese built their first permanent trading post on the western coast of present-day Ghana. This fortress, a trade castle called São Jorge da Mina, was constructed to protect Portuguese trade from European competitors.
The Portuguese position on the Gold Coast remained secure for over a century. During that time, Lisbon sought to monopolize all trade in the region in royal hands, though appointed officials at