History
Almost oblong in shape and situated about mid-way on what
was known as the Guinea Coast, Ghana lies roughly between
1 degree east and 3 degrees west along the Atlantic Coast,
and stretches inland from about Latitude 5 degrees to
11 degrees North of the equator.
The country is thus truly a tropical land, and its
geography, like that of most other lands, has very much
influenced the course of Ghana’s history.
Ghana is generally a flat land, with one main continuous
upland range, which cuts across the country northwestwards
from the frontiers of the republic of Togo through the
Volta Region, Akwapem, Akyem, Kwahu and Asante to Kintampo
in the Bono-Ahafo Region. The range is broken up by
the River Volta by a gorge at Akosombo, where a hydro-electric
dam has been built, about eighty kilometers north-west
of Accra.
The most prominent peaks of the range are concentrated
north-east of the gorge, in the Volta region; the highest
of these peaks, mount Afadjato, is about 886 metres
above sea level. In many ways, the scarp is an important
geographical feature, dividing the country into two
main zones of land; the savannah to the north, and the
rich forest lands to the south. The existence of the
scarp also explains the pattern of early settlements
of the various people in the country, and the differences
in the economic and historical developments within the
two zones.
Ghana is blessed because of its many rivers, most of
which flow into the sea. The largest of these rivers
is the Volta, which has formed into the world’s
largest artificial lake as a result of construction
of the dam at Akosombo. The rivers not only helped the
fertility of the land but also promoted fresh water
industry. In early days, some of these rivers like the
Tano, Ankobra and the Pra were the only means of ferrying
timber logs downstream to the coast for shipment overseas.
The country enjoys two main seasons: the dry season
lasting from about October to March, and the wet season
consisting of the heavy rains from April to the end
of July, followed by light rains in August and September.
The southwestern part is the wettest zone of the country
with an annual rainfall of about 1,000 mm.
The Greater Accra region is the area with the least
rainfall: the annual average seldom exceeds 600mm. The
north is dry during greater part of the year.
Read more >>
::
Geography ::
Historical Ghana ::
Ghana before/after independence
::
Land and the people of Ghana ::
Tribes :: Religion
:: Gold Coast
:: Slave Trade
:: Pre-Colonial
Era :: Resource
Person
|
