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GHANA
Region: Africa Capital: Accra Population: 30 million Tribes include: The Ashantis, The Fantes, The Ewes, The Mole-Dagbonians, The Guang, The Akan Native Language: Twi and English

Ghana has a central area of forest and sandy beaches along the coast. Ghana was the first country in Sub-Saharan Africa where Europeans came to trade, first in gold, then in slaves. It was also the region's first black African country to gain independence from Britain on March 6, 1957. Despite having a wealth of natural resources and a well-educated and efficient civil service, Ghana was plagued by corruption and mismanagement shortly after independence in 1957.

While Ghana's growth has been fairly robust, the sources of growth have often been skewed in favor of extractive and capital-intensive services sectors, which have no direct poverty-relieving impact. Simple infrastructure, such as feeder roads that connect their economic operation, which is mostly farming, to urban market centers, is often a constraint in poverty endemic areas.

Ghana is Africa's second-largest gold miner after South Africa and the world's second-largest cocoa producer after Ivory Coast. It is one of the fastest growing economies on the continent, and it has made considerable progress in achieving and consolidating prosperity. Poverty reduction has made significant strides.

Ghana is the first country in Sub-Saharan Africa to reach Millennium Development Goal 1, which is to reduce extreme poverty by half.

Politics:

Ghana is a thriving democracy with hotly contested elections. They are usually free and equal, with high voter participation. Since 1992, two political parties have dominated the political scene: the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC). After the mandatory two-term limit of four years each, no political party has been able to succeed.

It has had several forms of government since gaining independence, but the current system was set up under the 1992 Constitution. Similar to the United States, Ghana is a democracy, and the Ghanaian Constitution divides the state into three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary. The Constitution also indicates the designated powers of each branch and the limitations on the exercise of those powers.

Multiparty republic with a president as head of state and a vice president. The president is elected for a term of four years. There is a deliberative and advisory Council of State, as well as a unicameral Parliament of members who are directly elected for four-year terms. The president appoints the cabinet, which consists of 20 to 25 members on average.

Ghana is divided into 16 regions—Ahafo, Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, North East, Northern, Oti, Savannah, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western, and Western North—which are further subdivided into districts.

The Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, and the High Court are among the superior courts; the circuit courts, district courts, and other courts established by statute, such as the juvenile courts, are among the inferior courts.

Ghana’s military comprises an army, a navy, and an air force. The army is by far the most powerful branch of the military. Ghanaian troops have served in the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces on many occasions.

Arts:

The Ashanti Empire had a major impact on modern Ghanaian culture, including fashion. Kente cloth, the royal fabric of Ghana, is still a source of national pride.

Hiplife has developed from highlife to include electronic beats and Twi language rap. Since Ghana is a predominantly Christian country, the majority prefers upbeat gospel songs.

The National Commission on Culture maintains and promotes Ghanaian cultural heritage through a network of regional culture centers across the country. The Asante cultural heritage is the subject of Kumasi's well-known Centre for National Culture. The National Symphony Orchestra, the National Dance Company, and the National Drama Company all perform at Accra's National Theatre.

Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo declared 2019 the Year of Return in September 2018 to mark the 400th anniversary of African slaves' arrival in America. In a "big milestone spiritual and birth-right trip," he urged people of African descent to return to their home continent. Ghana is positioned as a "primary travel destination" in the campaign.

Dance and music, plastic art (especially pottery and wood carving), gold- and silverwork, and textiles, most notably the Akan and Ewe's richly colored, handwoven kente cloth, are all examples of Ghana's arts. Throughout Ghana, local and regional festivals provide opportunities for the display of ornamental art, clothes, and chiefly and ceremonial regalia.

Contemporary music, traditional music, gospel music, and imported music are the four major forms of music heard in Ghana today. Ghanaian contemporary music is dominated by the musical styles of 'Highlife' and 'Hiplife,' as well as Afropop and Afrojazz. Ghana is a deeply religious nation, and this is reflected in its music. Traditional music, which consists of singing, clapping, drumming, and dancing, is a ritualized practice that takes place at various events. In the south, drums and gong-gong are more common, while in the north, string instruments and the calabash are more common.

The Adowa dance is a Ghanaian Akan dance that is thought to have originated by imitating the strange steps of a sacrificial antelope. It is performed at weddings, naming ceremonies, funerals, festivals among other occasions.