Ghana
Ghana is a tropical West African nation that is home to 22 million people and has an incredibly rich and diverse native heritage. Africa is a continent of tribes, with customs passed down from generation to generation, but Ghana has also established mandatory public education and developed its economy to keep up with the rest of the world. As the first African country to declare independence from its colonial ruler, Ghana is a constitutional republic, like the United States, and has worked hard to eliminate corruption and violence that has long been associated with many African nations.
Ghana has five universities, offering great opportunities for students from other nations to learn more about Ghana and Africa. With environments from sandy beaches to rain forests to grassy plains, there are many things to see and adventures to be found in Ghana. UCF’s study abroad programs in Ghana have included Women’s Studies, with specific focus on changing cultural norms in Africa. Below you’ll find fun facts, useful phrases, and links to more information about Ghana.
Fun Facts
- Lake Volta, the world’s largest artificial lake, is located in Ghana.
- Ghana’s currency is the Cedi, with $1 U.S. Dollar converting to almost 10,000 Cedis.
- Kente cloth, a famous African ceremonial fabric, comes from Ghana.
- Ghana has some of the richest gold deposits in the world.
- Ghana is about the same size as the state of Oregon.
Phrases
The official language of Ghana is English. There are 79 languages in Ghana including nine that are government-sponsored languages, but most visitors will only need to know English.
Links
Embassy of Ghana in the United States