Geography of Ghana

Ghana is a West African country in Africa, along the Gulf of Guinea.

Ghana encompasses plains, low hills, rivers, Lake Volta, the world's largest artificial lake, Dodi Island and Bobowasi Island on the south Atlantic Ocean coast of Ghana. Ghana can be divided into four different geographical ecoregions. The coastline is mostly a low, sandy shore backed by plains and scrub and intersected by several rivers and streams. The northern part of Ghana features high plains. South-west and south-central Ghana is made up of a forested plateau region consisting of the Ashanti uplands and the Kwahu Plateau. The hilly Akwapim-Togo ranges are found along Ghana's eastern international border.

The Volta Basin takes up most of south-central Ghana and Ghana's highest point is Mount Afadja which is and is found in the Akwapim-Togo ranges. The climate is tropical and the eastern coastal belt is warm and comparatively dry, the south-west corner of Ghana is hot and humid, and the north of Ghana is warm and wet. Lake Volta, the world's largest artificial lake, extends through small portions of south-eastern Ghana and many tributary rivers such as the Oti and Afram rivers flow into it.

The northernmost part of Ghana is Pulmakom and the southernmost part of Ghana is Cape Three Points near Axim. Ghana lies between latitudes 4° and 12°N. South Ghana contains evergreen and semi-deciduous forests consisting of trees such as mahogany, odum, ebony and it also contains much of Ghana's oil palms and mangroves with shea trees, baobabs and acacias found in the northern part of Ghana. Its southernmost coast at Cape Three Points is 4° 30' north of the equator. From here, the country extends inland for some to about 11° north.

country rank in the world: 80th

:* Land: 227,533 km²

:* Water: 11,000 km²

; Area comparative

:* Australia comparative: slightly larger than Victoria

:* Canada comparative: slightly less than half the size of the Yukon

:* United Kingdom comparative: slightly smaller than the United Kingdom

:* United States comparative: approximately twice the size of Pennsylvania

:* EU comparative: approximately equal in size to Romania

;Land boundaries

:*total: 2,420 km

:*border countries: Burkina Faso (602 km) to the north, Ivory Coast (720 km) to the west, and Togo (1,098 km) to the east.

Terrain of Ghana

The terrain consists of desert mountains with the Kwahu Plateau in the south-central area. Half of Ghana lies less than above sea level, and the highest point is . The coastline is mostly a low, sandy shore backed by plains and scrub and intersected by several rivers and streams, most of which are navigable only by canoe.

A tropical rain forest belt, broken by heavily forested hills and many streams and rivers, extends northward from the shore, near the Ivory Coast frontier. This area, known as the "Ashanti," produces most of Ghana's cocoa, minerals, and timber. North of this belt, the elevation varies from above sea level and is covered by low bushes, park-like savanna, and grassy plains.

Irrigated land: <br>

(2003)

Total renewable water resources: <br>

(2011)

Geographical regions

thumb|A [[Köppen climate classification map of Ghana.]]

thumb|Ghana's topography.

Ghana is characterized in general by low physical relief. The Precambrian rock system that underlies most of the nation has been worn down by erosion almost to a plain. Variations in the principal elements of temperature, rainfall, and humidity that govern the climate are influenced by the movement and interaction of the dry tropical continental air mass, or the harmattan, which blows from the northeast across the Sahara, and the opposing tropical maritime or moist equatorial system.

Environmental issues

thumb|Erosion taken over Kasoa highway after downpour in Ghana

Environmental issues include recurrent drought in the north, severely affecting agricultural activities, deforestation, overgrazing, soil erosion, poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations, water pollution, and inadequate supplies of potable water

International agreements (ratified):

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands.

International agreements (signed, but not ratified)

Marine Life Conservation.

Other

Volta Lake, the largest artificial lake in the world, extends from the Akosombo Dam in southeastern Ghana to the town of Yapei, to the north. The lake generates electricity, provides inland transportation, and is a potentially valuable resource for irrigation and fish farming.

Ghana has a large and well-preserved national park system that includes Kakum National Park in the Central Region, Mole National Park in the Northern Region, Digya National Park along the western bank of the Volta Lake.

Extreme points

This is a list of the extreme points of Ghana, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location.

Northernmost point – the point at which the border with Burkina Faso enters the Morbira river immediately south of the Burkinabè village of Kanhiré, Upper East Region
Easternmost point – the southernmost section of the border with Togo, Volta Region*
Southernmost point – Cape Three Points, Western Region
Westernmost point - the point where the border with Ivory Coast enters the Manzan river, Western Region
Note: Ghana does not have an easternmost point, the border at this section being defined along the line of longitude at 1°12'05.73"E

Gallery

File:Tropical Luxury Resort, Coast of Ghana.jpg|Tropical climate in the Greater Accra region

File:Savanna, North Ghana.jpg|Semi-arid climate of the Upper West region and Upper East region

File:Busua - Seashore, Western region, Ghana.jpg|Seashores and lagoons of the Western region

File:Savanna landscape, Northern region, Ghana.jpg|Tropical savanna climate and safaris of the Northern Region

File:Resort, Ghana Coastline.jpg|Reefs and resorts in the Greater Accra region Capital of Ghana

File:Kintampo waterfalls.jpg|Kintampo Waterfalls of the Brong-Ahafo region

File:Mountains of Volta region.jpg|Humid subtropical climate and mountains of the Volta region

File:Wli Lower Fall-4.jpg|Springs and waterfalls in the Volta region

File:Forests and Woodlands, Ashanti region, South Ghana.jpg|Tropical rainforest climate; forests and woodlands in the Ashanti region

File:Wetland and Western Reef Heron, Greater Accra region, Ghana.jpg|Wetlands and western reef herons in the Greater Accra region

File:Sea Coastline and Beach, Central region, South Ghana.jpg|Tropical monsoon climate; coastlines and beaches of the Central region

File:Untouched pool in Ankasa - Ghana 14 IMG 0830 (16010557179).jpg|Tropical evergreen rainforest at Ankasa, Western Region, Ghana

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References