Welcome to Ghana, a country located on the west coast of Africa, known for its rich cultural heritage, diverse ecosystems, and stable democracy. Ghana was the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence from colonial rule, marking a significant milestone in the continent’s history. The name “Ghana” means “warrior king” in the Soninke language, reflecting the country’s past glories and achievements. Today, Ghana is a multicultural society with more than 100 ethnic groups and several religions, including Christianity and Islam.
Ghana's flag is comprised of red, gold, and green, with a black star situated in the center. Red symbolizes those who lost their lives as the country struggled to gain independence from British rule. The flag’s green stripe represents Ghana’s verdant forests and fertile land which provides abundant crops and the timber and shea butter it is renowned for. Finally, the black star, also known as the Lodestar of African Freedom, represents Ghanaians’ ownership and control over their land.
Ghana is known for its rich cultural traditions, including music, dance, and art. Ghanaian music is known for its lively rhythms, percussions, and vocals, ranging from highlife to hiplife, gospel to reggae. Ghanaian dance is characterised by its colourful costumes, energetic movements, and symbolic gestures, expressing the values and beliefs of the community. Ghanaian art is renowned for its bold, vibrant colors and depictions of everyday life, nature and spirituality.
In Ghana, funerals are both a time to mourn and celebrate life. Among the Ga people in southern Ghana, it’s believed that life continues in the next world just as it did on earth. For instance, a musician can be laid to rest in a guitar-shaped coffin, while a clan leader could be honored with a lion-shaped one. These artistic coffins first captured global attention in 1989 at the Les Magiciens de la Terre exhibition in Paris.
In Ghana, dancing and drumming are central to daily life and their passion has spread globally.
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Ace Liam holds the Guinness World Record for the youngest artist to exhibit a solo art show.
GhanaSat-1 is Ghana’s first nanosatellite, which was launched in 2017 by students from All Nations University in Koforidua, Ghana. The satellite was launched from the International Space Station (ISS) to monitor Ghana’s coastline and gather data for space research. Another feature is its ability to receive and play songs from Earth, such as Ghana’s national anthem, while orbiting in space.
The “war” is a debate over which country - Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Cameroon - makes the best version of jollof rice, a West African dish.
Ghana's Diverse Ecosystems
Ghana is situated on the Gulf of Guinea, bordered by Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. The country is home to diverse ecosystems, including rainforests, grasslands, and coastal wetlands. Ghana’s geography is diverse, with a range of ecosystems that support a rich variety of flora and fauna. The country has six major vegetation zones, including the tropical rainforest in the south, the savanna grassland in the north, and the coastal wetlands along the Atlantic coast. Although soils and biotic factors (i.e., those pertaining to living organisms, including humans) are important, vegetation is primarily determined by precipitation.
Ghana is relatively rich in animal life, although it has been reduced by hunting and the spread of human settlement. Large mammals include lions, leopards, hyenas, antelope, elephants, buffalo, wild hogs, chimpanzees, and many kinds of monkeys. Among the snakes are pythons, cobras, horned and puff adders, and green mambas. Crocodiles, the endangered manatees, and otters are found in the rivers and lagoons. Hippopotamuses are found in the Volta River. There are many species of lizards, tortoises, and giant snails.
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Insect life is particularly abundant. There are beetles, fireflies, ants, termites, butterflies, crickets, and bugs. Among the most dangerous insects are mosquitoes, tsetse flies, and blackflies (Simuliidae), which are responsible for transmitting the endemic diseases of malaria and yellow fever, trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), and onchocerciasis (river blindness, a parasitic disease), respectively.
Vegetation Zones
- Coastal Savanna: The coastal savanna in the southeastern plains around Accra consists of a mixture of scrub and tall grass (mostly Guinea grass), with giant anthills, often 10 to 14 feet (3 to 4 meters) high, providing an anchorage for thicket clumps that often include Elaeophorbia (a fleshy-leaved plant containing caustic latex) and other drought- and fire-resistant species such as the baobab (Adansonia digitata).
- Forest Zone: In the forest zone (the southern third of the country and the area along the Akwapim-Togo Ranges, where the mean annual precipitation exceeds 45 inches [1,140 mm] and is well distributed throughout the year without a pronounced dry season), the predominant vegetation is evergreen and tropical semi-deciduous forest. There are tall trees of varying heights, forming a closed canopy at the top, above which tower a few forest giants, such as the silk cotton tree, the wawa tree (African whitewood, a hardwood), and the African mahogany. The evergreen forest is in the extreme southwest, where the precipitation exceeds 65 inches (1,650 mm) a year, while there is a semi-deciduous forest farther north.
- Northern Savanna: The third vegetation type, the northern savanna, is found in the northern two-thirds of the country, where the low annual precipitation, between 30 and 45 inches (760 and 1,140 mm), occurs in a single season and is followed by a period of intense drought. There the vegetation consists mostly of tall Guinea grass, together with a scattering of low trees, such as the shea butter tree, various species of acacia, and baobabs. Along the northern border the savanna gives way to a more open type of grassland that has developed largely as a result of prolonged human interference.
Vegetation map of Ghana
The ocean, rivers, and inland lakes are rich in fish and other forms of life. Sardines, locally called herring, arrive seasonally in the coastal waters in large shoals; other fish include anchovy, tuna, mackerel, soles, skates, mullet, bonitos, flying fish, lungfish, elephant fish, sea bream, and sharks. Edible turtles, barracuda, and stingrays are fairly common; mussels, crabs, lobsters, and prawns also are found.
National Parks and Reserves
Ghana has several national parks and reserves, including Kakum National Park and Mole National Park. Ghana has some amazing national parks. Ghana has several protected areas, including national parks, wildlife reserves, and forest reserves, covering about 16% of the country’s land area.
- Kakum National Park: Kakum National Park, a tropical rainforest reserve is one of Ghana’s top attractions and lets visitors walk across canopy bridges 130 feet (40 meters) above the ground for great views and wildlife spotting. Kakum National Park, which is located about 14 miles (22 km) north of Cape Coast and opened to the public in 1994, had originally been established as a timber reserve in 1932. It comprises about 140 square miles (360 square km) of rainforest and contains many endangered mammals, reptiles, birds, and butterflies, as well as a large variety of tropical trees and plants. Kakum National Park is a tropical rainforest reserve that is home to many bird species, monkeys, and other wildlife. The 1,150-foot-high Kakum Canopy Walkway is a fantastic place to spot Diana monkeys, yellow-backed duikers, red river hogs, and African elephants. Africa’s only rainforest canopy walkway in Kakum National Park.
- Mole National Park: The Mole National Park near Damongo is about 1,900 square miles (4,900 square km) in extent and has an abundant game population including elephants, monkeys, and crocodiles. In Northern Ghana, Mole National Park is a great place to go hiking, where you may see many examples of native animals, including hippos, buffalo, elephants, lions, and leopards. Yes, there are elephants in Ghana. While they live in many different places, the best place to see elephants in Ghana is at Mole National Park.
- Bui National Park: The Black Volta River, which is home to a large herd of hippos, bisects this national park. You are also very likely to see other native animals, like antelope, leopards, and monkeys.
- Boin Tano Forest Reserve: The swampy area created by the Bisao and Tano rivers at this reserve is a great place to see endangered yellow-backed duiker and ursine colobus primates. This reserve’s bush-filled areas are also a fantastic place to see many of Ghana’s endangered birds, including white-breasted guinea fowls and the yellow-bearded greenbuls, along with other wildlife.
- Nini Suhien National Park and Ankasa Resources Reserve: Managed as one unit, this area in southern Ghana is a great place to see African elephants and endangered Diana monkeys. Look in the bush at this park and reserve to see how many of the 260 bird species known to have visited this park you can spot.
Other reserves have been developed farther south, notably on the western side of Lake Volta.
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Kakum National Park – Near Cape Coast (Get Out Of Outside Accra, Ghana)
Ghana's Rich Biodiversity
There are thousands of animals in Ghana. All different types of animals live in the country. Below you can find a complete list of Ghanaian animals. There are 221 amphibian and reptile species, 724 bird species, and 225 mammalian species in this nation renowned for its copious quantities of gold which sits on the West African coast with its upper limits extending just shy of the Sahara desert. Of the bird species found in Ghana, about 66% live in the country all the time while the others are seasonal visitors. At least 20 species of endemic or near-endemic species of butterflies live in the country.
Ghana is an important country for dozens of vulnerable, threatened, endangered, critically endangered or near-extinct mammalian species including the primates common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) and western red colobus (Piliocolobus badius), the big cats lion (Panthera leo) and leopard (Panthera pardus), African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana), and water-birds, being located on the boundary of the east Atlantic Ocean Flyway and Mediterranean Flyway.
Ghana is home to a significant number of fungi species including: Aspergillus flavus; Athelia rolfsii; Auricularia auricula-judae; Curvularia; Fusarium oxysporum; Fusarium solani f.sp.
The tawny eagle is the national animal of Ghana. This bird was chosen as a symbol of protection and strength. A large raptor somewhat reminiscent of a golden eagle with lighter-colored plumage, this avian can be found throughout western Africa, eastern, and southern Africa, and India. This national emblem is a skilled hunter although it is not above eating carrion or engaging in theft to obtain a meal. Compared to other eagles which live in the tropics, it enjoys a rather varied diet and hunts 200 species including flamingos, genets, and pigeons. As far as eagles go, the tawny eagle certainly isn’t the biggest and is actually considered rather small in size for a member of the Aquila genus, and medium-sized in general. The eagle is fairly tolerant of humans in Asia and may remain passive when approached by observers as long as a certain distance is maintained.
Endangered Species in Ghana
There are many types of endangered animals in Ghana, and the number continues to grow as humans encroach on more native habitats regularly. Other animals are poached, and their body parts are sold for use in traditional medicine. The country is home to five endangered mammals, 11 vulnerable species and 14 near-threatened species. While shrews and bats make up many of these endangered animals, there are also other threatened species.
Some notable endangered species include:
- African White-Bellied Pangolin: Also known as the tree pangolin (Phataginus tricuspid), this elusive mammal looks something like a sentient pineapple, with its pale three-pointed scales which seem to slightly extend outwards. Found in Western, Central, and Eastern Africa, it prefers humid heavily forested areas.
- Baer’s Wood Mouse: A tiny rodent with light brown fur, this wood mouse also has large dark eyes, and can be found in neighboring Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast. Not much is known about the diminutive critter although scientists agree it is threatened by its shrinking habitat.
- Big-Eyed Forest Treefrog: This medium-sized, arboreal amphibian is characterized by light brown skin, bulging brown eyes, and large dark pupils.
- Giant Pangolin: The giant pangolin (Smutsia gigantea) is one of this west African nation’s rarest, and most elusive creatures. Found along the heavily forested regions close to the Atlantic coast, the largest of all pangolin species can also be found in Central and Eastern Africa. The insectivore which spends its spare time breaking open termite mounds and extracting proteinous goodness thanks to a sticky tongue, is capable of measuring 16 inches in length. Males of the species are capable of growing to 4.6 feet and weighing up to 72 lbs. Wildlife experts aren’t too sure just how many of these scaly mammals are left in the wild.
African White-Bellied Pangolin
Dangerous Animals in Ghana
There are many different types of poisonous and non-poisonous animals live in Ghana. Domestic cattle breeds include Ghana shorthorn, N’Dama, Sokoto gudali and sanga. If you visit Ghana farms, you are may also see domestic dwarf and long-legged goats being raised along with guinea fowl.
Some of the dangerous animals in Ghana include:
- Hippopotamuses: Hippopotamuses are large animals that often weigh more than 3,000 pounds, and they are highly unpredictable. They often use their tusks as weapons. Hippos have enormous teeth that can tear predators, including humans, to shreds. If you are going to travel to Ghana, be sure to take precautions to avoid this deadly animal.
- Elephants: While elephants tend to be peaceful animals when left alone when humans encroach upon their territories, elephants often become dangerous. They often crush people to death.
- Black Mamba: The black mamba is the longest poisonous snake in Africa, and it can strike up to 12 times within a minute. These strikes shut down the respiratory system, so they are generally fatal.
Deforestation and Conservation
Most tragic is that what remains is still being destroyed at a devastating rate. At every forest we birded (except Kakum National Park which was logged until 1989), logging was actively taking place. All these forests are in “protected” forest reserves, however at some, logging permits are reportedly being issued for harvesting of these forests.
Ghana has the dubious distinction of being the first country to have lost a major primate species since the Convention on Biological Diversity came into force: Miss Waldron’s Red Colobus was declared extinct in 2000 due to forest destruction.
Figures I could obtain indicate that Ghana’s forests have reduced alarmingly from 8.2 million hectares at the beginning of the 20th century to a mere 1.4 million hectares in 2007. Between 1990 and 2010, Ghana lost 33.7% of its forest cover (around 2,5 million hectares, nearly double what now remains!) According to the World Bank, up to 80 percent of Ghana’s forests had been destroyed by illegal logging by 2008. Official estimates suggest that logging is proceeding at about four million cubic meters per annum - four times the sustainable rate.
At the same time, the last remaining larger mammals and birds are being blasted by hunters to supply the insatiable demand for bushmeat, a market that in Ghana alone is estimated to generate revenues of up to US$350 million per annum. Although this hunting is in many cases illegal it is brazenly undertaken by hunters, and their victims (including endangered species) are commonly sold along the main roads of the country.
Economic and Social Factors
With an economic growth rate of over 20%, Ghana is listed as “The World’s Fastest Growing Economy in 2011”. This combined with a burgeoning population that is becoming more and more affluent, is creating an unsustainable demand on the land. Some stats include the fact that over three million rural Ghanaians depend on forests for survival, and about 69% of all urban households use charcoal for cooking and heating.
A 2006 report titled “Forest Governance in Ghana - a NGO perspective” drafted by Forest Watch Ghana stated “Ghana’s forestry sector is in deep crisis. The timber industry-led assault on this resource is building towards ecological catastrophe. The state’s failure to capture even a minimal portion of resource rent for the public and for the communities that own and depend on these forests for their livelihood has created a social catastrophe.
Ecotourism as a Solution
My thinking (and my professional background is not conservation, so these are just my personal and amateur musings) is that if community members are given an alternative option to forest destruction and hunting, they will embrace these. However, one of the few ways to bring opportunities and income to these communities is through ecotourism; from employment as guides, lodge and support staff and through to entry fees, land rentals for lodges etc. Furthermore, when communities observe people that have travelled across the world to enjoy their wildlife and forests, they realize that what they have is special and should be protected. By empowering the communities both financially and educationally, they will gain the power to resist higher authority’s attempts at destroying their resources and they themselves will also have the will and means to protect their natural heritage. Ecotourism is unlikely however to support very remote communities and it also has its limitations and risks so in no way am I proposing that it is the sole solution.
Experienced world travelers often leave Ghana stating that its citizens are the friendliest people in the world and I wholeheartedly agree.
Ghana's Role in the World
Ghana is one of the largest cocoa producers in the world, second only to Côte d’Ivoire. Cocoa is Ghana’s main agricultural export, accounting for about 25% of the country’s total export earnings. The country has a growing oil industry and is also a major exporter of gold and other minerals: Ghana is a resource-rich country, with significant deposits of gold, bauxite, manganese, and diamonds. In recent years, Ghana has also become a major player in the oil and gas industry, with offshore oil fields that produce over 200,000 barrels of oil per day.
Ghana is a stable democracy with a multi-party political system: Ghana is one of the few stable democracies in Africa, with a multi-party political system and a peaceful transition of power from one government to another. Ghana’s political stability is attributed to its commitment to democracy, respect for the rule of law, and a vibrant civil society.
Ghana has a diverse population with more than 100 ethnic groups and several religions, including Christianity and Islam: Ghana is a multicultural society with a rich diversity of languages, traditions, and religions. The country has more than 100 ethnic groups, each with its unique customs and traditions, but united by a common identity as Ghanaians. Christianity is the largest religion in Ghana, followed by Islam, traditional religions, and other faiths.
The largest of these groups are the Akan (which includes the Anyi, Asante [Ashanti], Baule, Fante, and Guang), Mole-Dagbani (see Dagomba), Ewe, Ga-Adangme (see Ga and Adangme), and Gurma.
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