Country book · Middle East & Africa

Ghana

West Africa's warmest welcome

Ghana was the first sub-Saharan African country to win independence from colonial rule, and it has spent the decades since building a reputation as one of the continent's most stable, hospitable destinations. This book is the Ghana of today — the people, the truths, the myths, the food and the cities worth knowing.

Myths

What's true, what isn't

Actually true

It was the first African nation to gain independence from colonial rule
Ghana broke from British rule in 1957 under Kwame Nkrumah, becoming a beacon for African independence movements.
It genuinely is one of Africa's safest, friendliest countries to visit
Ghana consistently ranks among the most politically stable and welcoming nations on the continent for travellers.
Kente cloth really is a Ghanaian invention
The vivid, hand-woven kente textile originated with the Akan people and remains a source of national pride worn at major occasions.
It hosted the 'Year of Return'
In 2019, Ghana invited the African diaspora home 400 years after the first enslaved Africans arrived in Virginia, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors.

Commonly believed, wrong

"It's landlocked and arid"
Ghana has 550km of Atlantic coastline, tropical rainforest in the south and savannah in the north.
"It's poor and undeveloped"
Accra has a fast-growing middle class, modern malls, a thriving film and music export industry, and one of West Africa's stronger economies.
"Everyone speaks the same language"
Ghana has over 80 languages; English is the official language and Twi is the most widely spoken local one.
"It's all rainforest"
The north is dry Sahelian savannah with a completely different climate, food and culture from the coastal south.

Highlights

The best of Ghana

Cape Coast and Elmina Castles

Sobering, essential UNESCO-listed sites that tell the history of the transatlantic slave trade.

Kakum National Park's canopy walk

A rope bridge strung 30 metres above the rainforest canopy through primary forest.

Lake Volta

One of the largest man-made lakes on Earth, ringed by fishing villages and stilt houses.

Accra's arts and music scene

Afrobeats, highlife and a booming contemporary art scene make the capital one of West Africa's creative capitals.

Culture

Cultural riches

Kente weaving

Strip-woven cloth with patterns that carry proverbs and meaning, traditionally worn by royalty.

Adinkra symbols

Stamped symbols representing philosophical concepts, printed onto funeral and festival cloth.

Highlife and Afrobeats music

Ghana's highlife genre, born in the 1920s, is a direct ancestor of today's Afrobeats sound.

Durbar festivals

Chiefs in full regalia paraded under umbrellas at annual festivals like Homowo and Akwasidae.

Food

What to eat

Jollof rice

Tomato-based spiced rice at the centre of Ghana's friendly rivalry with Nigeria over who cooks it best.

Waakye

Rice and beans cooked with dried millet leaves, served with a spread of stews and sides for breakfast or lunch.

Fufu with light soup

Pounded cassava and plantain dough eaten with a spicy tomato and meat broth.

Banku with tilapia

Fermented corn and cassava dough served with grilled fish and pepper sauce.

Kelewele

Spiced fried plantain chunks sold as street food, seasoned with ginger and chilli.

History

Important people in history

Kwame Nkrumah

1957–1966

Ghana's founding president and a leading figure of Pan-Africanism who led it to independence.

Jerry Rawlings

1981–2001

Military leader turned elected president who oversaw Ghana's transition to stable multiparty democracy.

John Kufuor

2001–2009

President credited with strong economic reform and Ghana's international reputation for stability.

Cities