The Ashanti Region is located in the southern part of Ghana. It is the third largest of the 16 administrative regions, occupying a total land surface of 24,389 km2 (9,417 sq mi), making up 10.2 percent of the total land area of Ghana. According to the 2021 census, it is the most populated region in Ghana, with a population of 5,440,463, accounting for around one-sixth of Ghana's total population.
Map of Ghana showing the Ashanti Region and its location within the country.
The Ashanti Region is known for its gold bar and cocoa production. It lies between longitudes 0.15W and 2.25W as well as latitudes 5.50N and 7.46N. The region shares boundaries with six of the sixteen political regions: the Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo in the north, the Eastern Region in the east, the Central Region in the south, and the Western Region in the southwest.
Demographics and Ethnicity
The majority of the Ashanti Region's population is from the Akan ethnic group and is made up of citizens by birth (94.2%), whereas 5% are naturalized Ghanaians. A smaller proportion (5.8%) of the population originates from outside Ashanti, Akanland, or Ghana; 3.7 percent of the population of Ashanti was from one of the five English-speaking countries of ECOWAS and 2.1 percent was from other countries in Africa. The non-African population living in the region is 1.8 percent of the total population. Akans are the predominant ethnic group in the region, representing 94.2% of citizens by birth.
Economy
The economy of the Ashanti Region is largely self-sufficient, dominated by the service sector, agriculture sector, as well as by natural resources. The center of population in the Ashanti Region is located in the Kumasi Metropolitan District.
Read also: History of Ashanti
According to the 2000 census, the region had a population of 3,612,950, making it the most populous region of Ghana; however, its density (148.1 per square km) is lower than that of the Central Region (162.2/km2).
Transportation
The Ashanti Region is served by the Kumasi Airport, which handles domestic flights. Five national highways, namely N4, N6, N8, N10 and N6, and some regional highways like R52 and R106 serve the region. The N6 is connected to Kumasi, Nsawam, the N4, and Accra via Kwame Nkrumah Circle. Ashanti is also connected to the Central Region by the N8 and N10, both of which originate from Yemoransa in the Central Region.
Discover Kumasi: Top 10 Must-See Attractions in the Heart of Ashanti! 🇬🇭✨
Education and Healthcare
The Ashanti region has three public universities. On top of that, plenty of private universities den university colleges dey scatter all ova de region. St. St. S.D.A. Healthcare in the region is managed by the Ashanti Regional Health Directorate (RHD), which is headed by Dr. Emmanuel Tinkorang.
Administrative Divisions
The political administration for Ashanti Region be thru local government system. Under dis system, de region dey dem divide am go 43 MMDA's (wey be 1 Metropolitan, 18 Municipal den 24 Ordinary Assemblies). Each District, Municipal anaa Metropolitan Assembly, get ein Chief Executive den MP wey go run am, dem go represent de central government but dem get authority from Assembly wey de presiding member wey dem elect from among de members go lead. de MMDA's increase from 10 to 18 in 1988, den from 18 to 21 for 2004, den from 21 to 27 for 2008, den from 27 to 30 for 2012 den recently from 30 to 43 for 2018.
The Ashanti Region is administered by a local government. Under its administrative system, the region is divided into 43 MMDAs (made up of 1 Metropolitan, 18 Municipal and 24 Ordinary Assemblies). Each District, Municipal, or Metropolitan Assembly is administered by a Chief Executive and Member of Parliament representing the central government, but deriving authority from an Assembly headed by a presiding member elected by the other members of the Assembly.
Read also: Economic Overview of Obuasi
List of MMDAs in Ashanti Region
Below is a table representing the Municipal and Metropolitan District Assemblies in the Ashanti Region:
| Type | Number |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan | 1 |
| Municipal | 18 |
| Ordinary Assemblies | 24 |
This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness.
Read also: The Meaning of Ashanti Masks
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