Map of Ghana
Ghana is a country in Africa with its capital at Accra, home to about 35.06 million people across 238,535 km². The interactive map below plots 17 cities and towns, 4 rivers, 1 lakes, 1 mountain summits, 1 major dams and 2 ports recorded for Ghana in YearMaps.
- Population
- 35.06 million
- Area
- 238,535 km²
- Capital
- Accra
- Continent
- Africa
Interactive Map of Ghana
Centred on Accra at 5.5520° N, 0.2187° W. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Ghana
Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated with the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Ivory Coast to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to the east. Ghana covers an area of 239,567 km2 (92,497 sq mi), spanning various ecologies, from coastal savannas to tropical rainforests. With over 35 million inhabitants, Ghana is the thirteenth-most populous country in Africa, and the second-most populous country in West Africa. The capital and most populous city is Accra.
The earliest kingdoms to emerge in Ghana were Bonoman in the south and the Kingdom of Dagbon in the north, with Bonoman existing in the area during the 11th century. The Asante Empire and other Akan kingdoms in the south emerged over the centuries. Beginning in the 15th century, the Portuguese Empire, followed by other European powers, contested the area for trading rights, until the British ultimately established control of the coast by the 19th century. Following more than a century of colonial resistance, the later borders of the country took shape, encompassing four separate British colonial territories: Gold Coast, Ashanti, the Northern Territories, and British Togoland. These were unified as an independent dominion within the Commonwealth of Nations. On 6 March 1957, Ghana became the first colony in Sub-Saharan Africa to achieve sovereignty. Under President Kwame Nkrumah, it became influential in decolonisation efforts and the Pan-African movement.
Ghana is a multi-ethnic country with various linguistic and religious groups; while the Akan are the largest ethnic group, they constitute a plurality. Most Ghanaians are Christians (71.3%); almost a fifth are Muslims; a tenth practise traditional faiths or report no religion. Ghana is a unitary constitutional democracy led by a president who is head of state and head of government. For political stability in Africa, it ranked seventh in the 2022 Ibrahim Index of African Governance and fifth in the 2024 Fragile States Index. Ghana is a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement and the African Union, and a member of the United Nations, South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone, Economic Community of West African States, the Group of 24 and the Commonwealth of Nations.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Ghana (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Ghana
Ghana is a multiethnic country rich in natural resources and is one of the most stable and democratic countries in West Africa. Ghana has been inhabited for at least several thousand years, but little is known about its early inhabitants. By the 12th century, the gold trade started to boom in Bono (Bonoman) state in what is today southern Ghana, and it became the genesis of the Akan people's power and wealth in the region. Beginning in the 15th century, the Portuguese, followed by other European powers, arrived and competed for trading rights. Numerous kingdoms and empires emerged in the area, among the most powerful were the Kingdom of Dagbon in the north and the Asante (Ashanti) Empire in the south. By the mid-18th century, Asante was a highly organized state with immense wealth; it provided enslaved people for the Atlantic slave trade, and in return received firearms that facilitated its territorial expansion. The Asante resisted increasing British influence in the coastal areas, engaging in a series of wars during the 19th century before ultimately falling under British control. Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first Sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence, with Kwame NKRUMAH as its first leader. Ghana endured a series of coups before Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS took power in 1981 and banned political parties. After approving a new constitution and restoring multiparty politics in 1992, RAWLINGS won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996 but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. John Atta MILLS of the National Democratic Congress won the 2008 presidential election and took over as head of state. MILLS died in 2012 and was constitutionally succeeded by his vice president, John Dramani MAHAMA, who subsequently won the 2012 presidential election. In 2016, Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO of the NPP defeated MAHAMA, marking the third time that Ghana’s presidency had changed parties since the return to democracy. AKUFO-ADDO was reelected in 2020. In recent years, Ghana has taken an active role in promoting regional stability and is highly integrated in international affairs.
- Location
- Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo.
- Climate
- Tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north.
- Terrain
- Mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area.
- Highest point
- Mount Afadjato 885 m.
- Lowest point
- Atlantic Ocean 0 m.
- Coastline
- 539 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 2,420 km; border countries: Burkina Faso 602 km; Cote d'Ivoire 720 km; Togo 1098 km.
- Major rivers
- Volta river mouth (shared with Burkina Faso [s]) - 1,600 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth.
- Natural resources
- Gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 55.4% (2023 est.); arable land: 20.7% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 11.9% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 22.8% (2023 est.); forest: 30.7% (2023 est.); other: 13.9% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds from January to March; droughts.
- Geographic note
- Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake (manmade reservoir) by surface area (8,482 sq km; 3,275 sq mi); the lake was created after the Akosombo Dam was completed in 1965.
- Languages
- Asante 16%, Ewe 14%, Fante 11.6%, Boron (Brong) 4.9%, Dagomba 4.4%, Dangme 4.2%, Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.9%, Kokomba 3.5%, Akyem 3.2%, Ga 3.1%, other 31.2% (2010 est.)
- Religions
- Christian 71.3% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 31.6%, Protestant 17.4%, Catholic 10%, other 12.3%), Muslim 19.9%, traditionalist 3.2%, other 4.5%, none 1.1% (2021 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Akan 45.7%, Mole-Dagbani 18.5%, Ewe 12.8%, Ga-Dangme 7.1%, Gurma 6.4%, Guan 3.2%, Grusi 2.7%, Mande 2%, other 1.6% (2021 est.)
- Economy
- West African lower-middle income economy; major gold, oil and cocoa exporter; macroeconomic challenges following nearly four decades of sustained growth; recent progress in debt restructuring, fiscal reforms, financial stability, and curbing runaway inflation under 2023-26 IMF credit facility program.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Ghana in Numbers
- Population
- 35.06 million
- GDP
- US$114.2 billion
- GDP per person
- US$3,257
- Life expectancy
- 65.7 years
- Population growth
- 1.83% a year
- Population density
- 151 per km²
- Urban population
- 58.9%
- Surface area
- 238,539 km²
- Forest cover
- 30.9%
- Arable land
- 20.7%
- Access to electricity
- 91.9%
- Internet users
- 72.2%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Ghana in Depth
History
The earliest kingdoms to emerge in Ghana were Bonoman in the south and the Kingdom of Dagbon in the north, with Bonoman existing in the area during the 11th century. From the 17th century, Akan states began to emerge from what is believed to have been the Bonoman area, mainly based on gold trading. These states included Bonoman (Brong-Ahafo region), Adansi and Asante (Ashanti Region), Denkyira (Western North region), Mankessim Kingdom (Central region), Akyem and Akwamu (Eastern region). By the 19th century, the territory of the southern part of Ghana was included in the Asante Kingdom. The government of the Ashanti Empire operated first as a loose network and eventually as a centralised kingdom with a specialised bureaucracy centred in the capital city of Kumasi.
Geography
Ghana lies on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa, a few degrees north of the Equator. It covers 238,540 km2 (92,101 sq mi) and has an Atlantic coastline of about 560 kilometres (350 miles). It is situated between latitudes 4°45′N and 11°N, and longitudes 1°15′E and 3°15′W. The Prime Meridian passes through Tema, near Accra, making Ghana the country closest to the intersection of the Prime Meridian and the Equator (0°, 0°), located offshore in the Atlantic.
Grasslands mixed with south coastal shrublands and forests dominate Ghana, with forest extending northward from the coast 320 kilometres (200 miles) and eastward for a maximum of about 270 kilometres (170 miles) with locations for mining of industrial minerals and timber.
Economy
Ghana possesses industrial minerals, hydrocarbons and precious metals. It is an emerging designated digital economy with mixed economy hybridisation and an emerging market. It has an economic plan target known as the "Ghana Vision 2020". This plan envisions Ghana as the first African country to become a developed country between 2020 and 2029 and a newly industrialised country between 2030 and 2039. This excludes fellow Group of 24 member and Sub-Saharan African country South Africa, which is a newly industrialised country.
Ghana's economy has ties to the Chinese yuan renminbi along with Ghana's gold reserves.
Demographics
As of 2024, the United Nations reports Ghana has a population of 34,581,288. As of 2018, around 29% of the population is under the age of 15, while persons aged 15–64 make up 57.8% of the population. The 2010 census reported that the largest ethnic groups are the Akan (47.3%), the Mole-Dagbani (18.5%), the Ewe (13.9%), the Ga-Dangme (7.4%), the Gurma (5.7%) and the Guan (3.7%). As of 2024, the United Nations reports the median age of Ghanaian citizens is 21 years old. Ghana contributes 0.42% to the total world population.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Ghana (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Ghana: Key Facts
| Currency | Ghana cedi |
|---|---|
| Official language | English |
| Head of state | John Mahama |
| Head of government | Nana Akufo-Addo |
| Form of government | democracy |
| Calling code | +233 |
| Internet domain | .gh |
| Highest point | Mount Afadja |
| Lowest point | Gulf of Guinea |
| Established | 1957 |
Facts from Wikidata Q117 (CC0).
History of Ghana: Empires and States
The atlas records 6 polities whose mapped territory included part of Ghana, from Dutch Republic in 1642 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch Republic | 1642–1795 CE | A small part |
| Dutch Gold Coast | 1653–1872 CE | A small part |
| Ashanti Empire | 1702–1897 CE | A large part |
| The British Empire | 1873–1957 CE | Nearly all |
| British Gold Coast | 1873–1959 CE | Nearly all |
| Ghana | 1958–2024 CE | Nearly all |
Historical Maps of Ghana
Ghana on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Ghana
Ghana is a country in West Africa. It's a gratifying destination for first-time visitors to West Africa (it's sometimes called "Africa for beginners"), owing to its good infrastructure, political stability and widespread use of English. The people are generally very helpful and welcoming. While their laid-back attitude and a lack of organised tourist sights or trips can be a little annoying, you'll quickly realise that it is one of the delights of this country.
Tourism in Ghana is growing quickly, and tour operators are seeing increased requests for Ghana as a travel destination. Ghana has gold mines, and is a stable country with good potential for growth.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Ghana (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Ghana
17 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accra | 2.12 million | Greater Accra | National capital |
| 2 | Kumasi | 1.65 million | Ashanti | Admin-1 capital |
| 3 | Tamale | 360,579 | Northern | Admin-1 capital |
| 4 | Sekondi | 286,248 | Western | Admin-1 capital |
| 5 | Tema | 209,000 | Greater Accra | Populated place |
| 6 | Obuasi | 180,117 | Ashanti | Populated place |
| 7 | Koforidua | 156,653 | Eastern | Admin-1 capital |
| 8 | Cape Coast | 143,015 | Central | Admin-1 capital |
| 9 | Ho | 93,044 | Volta | Admin-1 capital |
| 10 | Bolgatanga | 82,177 | Upper East | Admin-1 capital |
| 11 | Wa | 78,107 | Upper West | Admin-1 capital |
| 12 | Bawku | 73,594 | Upper East | Populated place |
| 13 | Sunyani | 70,299 | Brong Ahafo | Admin-1 capital |
| 14 | Nkawkaw | 62,667 | Eastern | Populated place |
| 15 | Berekum | 46,287 | Brong Ahafo | Populated place |
| 16 | Winneba | 44,254 | Central | Populated place |
| 17 | Yendi | 42,972 | Northern | Populated place |
Highest Mountains in Ghana
1 mountain recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mount Afadjoto | 885 m | 2,904 ft | Africa |
Major Dams in Ghana
1 dam recorded. Ranked by structural height.
| # | Name | Height | River | Capacity | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Akosombo Dam | 114 m | Volta | 1,020 MW | 1965 |
Largest Lakes in Ghana
1 lake recorded. Ranked by mapped surface area. A lake on a border is listed under each country it lies in, with the area of the whole lake.
| # | Name | Surface Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Volta | 8,175 km² | Reservoir |
Rivers in Ghana
4 rivers recorded. Listed alphabetically. A river is listed where its mapped reach lies, so long rivers appear under more than one country.
Ports in Ghana
2 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Ghana
2 World Heritage Sites recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions | 1979 | Cultural | (vi) |
| 2 | Asante Traditional Buildings | 1980 | Cultural | (v) |
Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Ghana
2 mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.
| # | Name | Area | Type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Africa | 29.41M km² | Continent | Africa |
| 2 | Gold Coast | 5,742 km² | Coast | Africa |
Countries Bordering Ghana
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in Africa
Ghana: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Ghana?
- The capital of Ghana is Accra.
- What is the population of Ghana?
- Ghana has a population of about 35.06 million, the #47 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Ghana?
- Ghana covers 238,535 km², ranking #83 by area, with about 147 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Ghana in?
- Ghana is in Africa.
- Which countries border Ghana?
- Ghana shares a land or maritime border with Togo, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire.
- What is the largest city in Ghana?
- Accra is the largest city in Ghana, with a metropolitan population of about 2.12 million.
- What is the highest mountain in Ghana?
- The highest summit recorded for Ghana in YearMaps is Mount Afadjoto at 885 m (2,904 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.
- What is the largest lake in Ghana?
- The largest lake recorded in or bordering Ghana is Lake Volta, at roughly 8,175 km².
- What is the tallest dam in Ghana?
- The tallest dam recorded for Ghana is Akosombo Dam at 114 m, on the Volta.