Ghana

Understand

Ghana means "Warrior King" and the name of the country is derived from the ancient Ghana Empire.

History

Early times There is archaeological evidence which shows that humans have lived in what is present day Ghana from about 1500 BC. Nonetheless, there is no proof that those early dwellers are related to the current inhabitants of the area. Oral tradition has it that many of Ghana's current ethnic groups such as the multi-ethnic Akan, the Ga and the Ewe arrived around the 13th century AD. However, the Dagombas are believed to be the first settlers, having been fully established by 1210 AD, before the arrival of other ethnic groups. Modern Ghanaian territory includes what was the Empire of Ashanti, one of the most influential states in sub-Saharan Africa before colonial rule. Its capital, Kumasi, was said to be one of the most vibrant and impressive cities in pre-colonial Africa, but was largely destroyed and looted by the British during the Third Anglo-Ashanti War in 1874.

Colonial era Early European contact by the Portuguese, who came to Ghana in the 15th century, focused on the extensive availability of gold. By 1548, the Dutch had joined them, and built forts at Komenda and Kormantsi. Other European traders joined in by the mid 17th century, largely English, Danes and Swedes. British merchants, impressed with the gold resources in the area, named it the Gold Coast, while French merchants, impressed with the trinkets worn by the coastal people, named the area to the west "Côte d'Ivoire", or Ivory Coast. The Gold Coast was known for centuries as 'The White Man's Grave' because many of the Europeans who went there died of malaria and other tropical diseases. After the Dutch withdrew in 1874, Britain made the Gold Coast a protectorate. Following conquest by the

See

Historic sites

For many visitors the history of Ghana starts with the slave trade, and interaction with Europeans, but there was a long and rich history before that. Remnants of thriving civilisations can be seen in the Northern region, at both the Larabanga mosque which dates from the 15th century and the 16th-century Nalerigu Defence Wall. With the growth in power and prestige of the Ashanti Kingdom in the 17th and 19th centuries, the capital Kumasi also grew and now

Getting there

Visa requirements

Foreign nationals of the following countries can enter Ghana for a maximum of 30 days, or for a maximum of 90 days: ECOWAS countries, plus Botswana, Colombia, Dominica, Egypt, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Singapore, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, São Tomé and Príncipe, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Otherwise, unless in direct airside transit through a Ghanaian airport, all other foreign nationals require a visa to enter Ghana. For information about obtaining visas for Ghana, visit the official website of the Ghana Immigration Service. Visa on arrival for Western countries is restricted to December only and it's reported that this visa on arrival costs US$200. It's thus best to play it safe and get a visa in advance. The Ghanaian government's online Ghana list of embassies is out of date. A three-month single-entry visa costs US$60; a one-year, multiple-entry visa costs US$100. You must have a yellow fever vaccination certificate which will be presented to customs when entering. For Canadians it is about US$120 for a single entry for 3 months and US$190 for multi-entry.

In London a 3-month visa cost £60 and takes 10 working days to get. In September 2024, for a US citizen, a multiple-entry visa with a validity of 3 years cost US$107 and was issued in 15 working days. If you require a visa to enter Ghana, you might be able to apply for one at a British embassy, high commission or consulate in the country where you legally reside if there is no Ghanaian embassy or consulate. For example, the British embassies/consulates in Bogotá, Amman, Helsinki [1], Hong Kong [2] and Tripoli [3] accept Ghanaian visa applications (this list is not exhaustive). British diplomatic posts charge UK£50 to process a Ghanaian visa application and an extra £70 if th

Getting around

By plane The domestic air transportation scene in Ghana is very dynamic and appears to go through regular changes. As of 2019 there are only two registered carriers: Passion Air serving Accra, Kumasi & Tamale, and Africa World Airlines who serve the same centres in addition to Takoradi. All aircraft are of a high standard, as is the service level of airline staff, flights run on time and are reasonably priced. There are no scheduled services to Sunyani or Obuasi.

By train The rail network in Ghana has long been dormant, however as of 2020 there are signs of rehabilitation on some stretches and intercity passenger services might materialize within a few years. The only services that operate as of early 2021 are commuter lines in Sekondi-Takoradi and between Accra and Tema. In Accra, you can join the train from the Central Station in Accra or at other stations and halts along the Accra-Nsawam railway line. Until 2017, the trains did go from Accra to Nsawam. However, it goes to Achimota, before joining the branch line to Tema. In Takoradi, the passenger train runs from Takoradi to Kojokrom, and then joins the branch line from Kojokrom and ends at Sekondi. It is very common to see the train carry freight from Nsuta or Tarkwa to Takoradi.

By car

Roads are variable. In Accra most are fairly good. Significant improvements are being made on the main road between Accra and Kumasi. Most of the roads outside Accra apart from the major ones are dirt tracks. The road between Techiman and Bole is particularly bad and should be avoided if possible. For travel on most roads in the North of the country a 4x4 is required, a saloon car will cope with some of them in the dry season but is not recommended. Cars with foreign registration are not allowed to circulate at night 18:00-