GHANA

GHANA

Ghana (+/- 30 million inhabitants) is located in West Africa, bordering Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso Togo and the Atlantic Ocean. The lowlands, hills and savannah have a tropical rain climate. Ghana was a British colony until 1957. They speak African languages and English. Products include gold, petroleum, cocoa, timber, diamonds, fish and palm oil.

‏Ghana is an important destination for people interested in the history of slavery (heritage tourism). 2019 was declared by Ghana as the Year of Return, an invitation to the African Diaspora to return and invest.

In 1976, Alex Haley published the novel ‘Roots: The saga of an American Family’ about 18th century African Kunta Kinte; it covered his capture in The Gambia, confinement in a fortress, the traumatic sea voyage and his life as an enslaved man in North America. After a few generations, the story ends with the author himself. It was a worldwide bestseller and has been filmed several times.

‏The first contacts of Africans with the Portuguese (1471) and Dutch (1600) were via the timber and gold trade, and later the slave trade. Along the ‘Gold Coast’, Europeans built 60 forts (castles), 28 of which have been restored and are part of UNESCO World Heritage. From Fort Elmina (1555) of the West India Company (WIC), countless slaves were shipped from the gold coast.

‏Cape Coast (170,000 inhabitants) is a historic city. Cape Coast Castle was founded in 1700 and became the capital after 1807. After the slave trade was abolished in the early 19th century, European settlers were attracted to gold mining and cocoa plantations. Most of them died of tropical diseases within a few years. The ecomuseum of cocoa at the Tikal cocoa plantation provides information about cocoa; a product of the Mayan Indians in Mexico and Central America.

‏Kakum National Park lies 30 km inland and consists of savannah and tropical jungle. The reserve is home to monkeys, antelopes, African forest elephants, civet cats and many species of birds and butterflies.

‏In 1877, Accra (now 4 million inhabitants) became the capital because the climate there is healthier than Cape Coast. There are 3 colonial forts in Accra. The first president of independent Ghana (1957) was Kwame Nkrumah, a supporter of pan-Africanism, a federation of independent African states. The Danish fortress Christiansborg has been the official residence of the president of Ghana since 1960, in the lively Osu Castle district.

‏Worthwhile attractions include the National Museum (archaeology) and the National Theatre, a modern building designed by the Chinese architect Cheng Taining.
The National Orchestra of Ghana is an orchestra with traditional African instruments.
The General Post Office is a colonial building and the Independence Arch was built to commemorate independence.

‏Beaches near the city are crowded, further away it is quieter. Labadi beach near the town of Teshie is very well-known. There are botanical gardens at Aburi Hill (34 km from Accra).

‏Kumasi, ‘the Garden City’ (+/- 3 million inhabitants) has been the capital of the highly developed Ashanti people since 1700. They were involved in logging, cocoa production and gold mining and traded with Europeans. In 1923, the British completed the railway from Kumasi to Accra for cocoa export. The Manhiyia History Museum provides information about the Ashanti people and their kings.

‏Lions, leopards and elephants live in Mole National Park.

‏Lake Volta is an elongated reservoir created after the construction of the Akosombo Dam (1965) for which 78,000 people had to leave their homes. The dam provides electricity and the lake is used for freight and passenger transport.

‏Visit Ghana and discover its rich African culture!

$1638,-

Capitap Accra
Population 31.07 million
Language English
Currency Ghanese Cedi
Visa required www.visum.nl
Vaccination(s) Yes
Voltage 230 V
Traffic Right-hand traffic

Video

GHANA Hotels & Appartementen

GHANA Hotels & Appartementen

GHANA
ALL HOTELS, APARTMENTS AND HOLIDAY HOMES Does Travel & Cadushi Tours can customise all tours
More info

Unfortunately there are no cruise offers at this location at the moment.