Ghana Economy Gross domestic product: 65.5 billion US $ (2018) Per capita income (purchasing power parity): 4,746 US $ (2018) Human Development Rank (HDI): 142 of 189 (2018) Proportion of poverty: 47% Gini coefficient: 43.5 (2017) Economic Transformation (BTI): Rank 69 of 137 (2020) Cocoa and gold Timber industry around 1890 The coast in… Read More »
Topography of Ghana Five natural geographical zones structure the diverse landscape: The Volta Delta and the huge Volta Reservoir in the east and the rainy Akan Plain in the west shape the coastal region, the Ashanti highlands and the water and weather divide of the Kwahu Plateau in the northwest. In the northeast, on the… Read More »
The Galamsey dig for gold on their own account, which can be quite dangerous at times and has claimed many dozen victims in recent years. Formerly illegal and often viewed by mining companies as an annoying competition to their concessions, the Galamsey system has been officially recognized since 1989 with two restrictions: this form of… Read More »
President Akufo-Addo confirmed in office – ruling party NPP suffers losses President Akufo-Addo President Akufo-Addo and his deputy Mahamudu Bawumia will head the country for another four years. As expected, the election victory for the incumbent was relatively clear, so that he could win the election on December 7, 2020 in the first ballot. This… Read More »
Independence Day: March 06, 1957 President: Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Vice President: Mahamudu Bawumia Political system: Presidential Democracy Political Transformation (BTI): Rank 20 (out of 137), 2020 Corruption Index (CPI): Rank 80 (out of 180), 2019 Ibrahim Index of African Governance: Rank 8 of 54 (2020) Independence Arch on Black Star Square The government system… Read More »
Re-democratization Since the beginning of the re-democratization of Ghana in 1992, the two parties NDC (National Democratic Congress) and the NPP (New Patriotic Party) have dominated the power structure of Ghana. While the NDC stands in the tradition of Nkrumah and his socialist, petty bourgeois and peasant ideas, the ideological roots of the NPP go… Read More »
Kwame Nkrumah meets John F. Kennedy John Dramani Mahama and then US Secretary of State John Kerry Congresswoman and Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visits Ghana in July 2019 Determining factors of foreign policy and foreign policy decision-making processes Four phases essentially constitute Ghanaian foreign policy. Phase one includes the emancipation movement… Read More »
Europe’s departure to the Gold Coast and the Ashanti Empire Christiansborg Castle in Accra in the 1870s The peoples of what was then the Gold Coast came into contact with Europeans for the first time in 1471, when Portuguese seafarers developed trading activities on the Prah River. Shortly afterwards, the Portuguese built the fortresses of… Read More »
Elmina Castle Cape Coast Castle The Rawlings Era: coup, repression, economic restart and democratization The end came on New Year’s Eve 1981, and the forced-retired Aviation Captain Jerry John Rawlings put himself back to power. In his first radio address, he announced that it would take nothing less than a revolution to restore social and… Read More »
Military coup and end of the First Republic in 1966 The initiators of the coup d’état of February 1966 were primarily concerned with protecting their interests as officers. But soon the eight-member junta of the National Liberation Council (NLC)under General Joseph Ankrah – later replaced by Akwasi Afrifa – realize that they also needed political… Read More »
From ‘Savior’ Nkrumah to ‘Enfant Terrible’ Rawlings 1947 United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) founded 1949 Foundation of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) by Kwame Nkrumah 1950 General strike – Nkrumah sentenced to three years in prison 1951 Early dismissal of Nkrumah after his party’s election victory – executive head of government 1954 Another clear election… Read More »
Today’s Ghana owes its name to the kingdom of Ghana, which was located in the north-western Sahel in the Middle Ages. Arab sources say that the fame of the legendary empire, about which otherwise little is concrete, was known even in Baghdad. The state founder of modern Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah, seized the opportunity and created… Read More »
Ghana Overview Country overview & natural area Five natural geographical zones structure the diverse landscape: In the dry north and in the Volta Basin, the sand of the Sahara can already be felt, while the Volta Delta, the Volta Reservoir and the rainy Akan Plain form the humid southern coastal regions on the Gulf of… Read More »
In the past two decades, the northern regions have remained the political and socio-economic problem childof every government. Poverty, emigration to the south, the growing disinterest of the political leadership in Accra in developments in the north and crises in neighboring countries intensified local tensions, which have erupted several times since 1994 and caused considerable,… Read More »
In addition to the considerable oil reserves, there are also considerable reserves of natural gas under the ocean floor, which, based on current knowledge, should amount to more than 20 billion cubic meters of natural gas, but which are not yet being extracted. Rather, the ‘Associated Gas’ released during oil production is flared and partly… Read More »
The Central Bank Bank of Ghana In early April 2016, then President Mahama appointed Deputy Central Bank Governor Abdul-Nashiru Issahaku as the new Governor of the Central Bankafter his predecessor Henry Kofi Wampah retired early a few months before the end of his tenure. But after just one year, Issahaku resigned from this high office… Read More »
Since the beginning of the massive involvement of the IMF and the World Bank in the early phase of the Rawlings era in the early 1980’s, Ghana has developed into a model case for the international donor community. The agenda at that time stated in a nutshell that the donor community had the necessary socio-economic… Read More »
The health of the Ghanaian population has improved noticeably since the 1980’s. During this period, the health index in the Human Development Report rose from 0.522 to 0.703. Life expectancy at birth rose to almost 64 years by 2016. According to the WHO, the death rate of 250 per 1,000 for men and 217 for… Read More »
Ghana Everyday life Currency: New Ghana Cedi (GHS) Exchange rate: € 1 = 7.0065 GHS (mid-December 2020) central bank Time zone: UTC Country code (phone): +233 Climate (for capital): Tropical Housing, supply, monetary transactions, communication The huge Akosombo dam The general price level in Ghana has risen steadily for years. This is especially true… Read More »
Religious diversity in a multi-religious society Like most African countries, Ghana is a multi-religious country. At least 70% of Ghanaians profess Christianity and belong to a church, almost 20% to Islam, and traditional religions, embodied by kings and chiefs, still play an important social role in the lives of Ghanaians. Today’s Ghana owes much of… Read More »
Entry and residence regulations Kotoka International Airport To enter Ghana, German citizens need a visa, which the Ghanaian embassy in Berlin usually issues quickly and easily. When entering the country, it is important to present the international vaccination pass and proof of a valid yellow fever vaccination. Before you plan to visit and apply for… Read More »
IELTS Testing Centres in Ghana In total, there are 8 test locations in Ghana that offer IELTS exams. You can select the one which is closer to you. There are two types of test format available for IELTS exams: paper-based or computer-delivered. For both formats, the Speaking Section is done with a real IELTS examiner… Read More »
GRE Testing Locations Decided to take GRE exam? Now it is time to determine where to take the test. This site provides a full list of GRE testing centers in Ghana, among which, you can choose one that is nearest to you. Good news is that the following GRE test locations in Ghana offer both GRE… Read More »
There are 25 high school codes in Ghana today, according to the ACT. The full list is shown below by city, with name of each high school and the city where the school is located (based on the ACT official site). You can search a school code by pressing “Ctrl” + “F” and then type school… Read More »
According to the College Board, there are 8 test centers for SAT and SAT Subject Tests in Ghana. Please note that before you register either of the SAT exams, you should choose your test date and test location. Each testing location is affiliated with an educational institution, such as high school, community college, or university.… Read More »
To register for the ACT at a test center in Ghana you must contact one of the institutions listed below. Your registration fee will be paid directly to the institution for your preferred test option–the ACT or ACT with writing–and they will issue you a voucher number. You will also be provided with a test… Read More »
GMAT Testing Location We have found 1 GMAT test centre in Ghana, located in Accra. For specific test dates of 2019, please refer to the end of this page. Linear Assessment Services Ltd PO BOX AN 12196 4th Floor Total House Liberia Road, Near the National Theatre Accra Ghana Phone: +233 30 2662342 Test Center Information… Read More »
The TOEFL iBT test is offered in this location. The list below shows testing regions, fees and dates as of February 15, 2019, but availability may change when you register. Fees are shown in US$ and are subject to change without notice. To find the most up-to-date list of available test centers (including addresses), dates and times, click the button… Read More »