Гана

of the United Kingdom upon attainment of independence in 1957.

It was flown until 1959, and then reinstated in 1966. It consists of the Pan-African colours of red, yellow, and green, in horizontal stripes, with a black five-pointed star in the centre of the gold stripe. The Ghanaian flag was the first African flag after the flag of Ethiopia to feature these colours.

The coat of arms of Ghana, designed by Amon Kotei was introduced on 4 March 1957 by Queen Elizabeth II. It shows a blue shield, which is divided into four parts by a St George's Cross with a golden edge. In the middle of the cross there is the golden lion of the United Kingdom. This symbolizes the close relationship of Ghana to the Commonwealth and the UK. The first part, on the upper left shows a sword, known as a okyeame, which is used at ceremonies. It is a symbol for the regional governments of Ghana, while the area to the right, which shows a representation of a castle on the sea, the presidential palace in Accra on the Gulf of Guinea, symbolizes the national government.

West Africa. It is bordered by Ivory Coast to the

west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south. The word Ghana means "Warrior King" and is derived from the ancient Ghana Empire.

a few degrees north of the Equator, therefore giving it a

warm climate. The country spans an area of 238,500 km2 (92,085 sq mi). It is surrounded byTogo to the east, Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north and the Gulf of Guinea (Atlantic Ocean) to the south.
The Volta Basin also takes up most of central Ghana. Ghana's highest point is Mount Afadjato which is 885 m (2,904 ft) and is found in the Akwapim-Togo Ranges. The climate is tropical. The eastern coastal belt is warm and comparatively dry, the southwest corner is hot and humid, and the north is hot and dry. Lake Volta, the world's largest artificial lake, extends through large portions of eastern Ghana and many tributary rivers such as the Oti and Afram rivers flow into it.

the dry seasons. Northern Ghana experiences its rainy season from

March to November while the south, including the capital Accra, experiences the season from April to mid-November. Southern Ghana contains evergreen and semi-deciduous forests consisting of trees such as mahogany, odum and ebony. It also contains much of Ghana's oil palms and mangroves. Shea trees, baobabs and acacias are usually found in the Volta region and the northern part of the country.

official language is English; however, most Ghanaians also speak at

least one local language.

predominantly influenced by the ancient Kingdoms of the Akan. Ghanaian culture

is a mixture of the cultures of its peoples, predominantly Akan, Ewe, Ga-Adangbe, and Dagomba, with the Akan being dominant. Ghana's cultural diversity is most evident in cuisine, arts, and clothing.

sport. The national men's football team is known as the

Black Stars, with the under-20 team known as the Black Satellites.
Textiles are very important in Ghanaian culture. These cloths are used to make traditional and modern attire. Different symbols and different colours mean different things. Kente is probably the most famous of all the Ghanaian cloths.
The music of Ghana is diverse and varies between different ethnic groups and regions. Ghanaian music incorporates several distinct types of musical instruments such as the talking drum ensembles, goje fiddle and koloko lute, court music, including the Akan atumpan, the Ga kpanlogo styles, and log xylophones used in asonko music.
Ghanaian dance is as diverse as its music. Each ethnic group has their own traditional dances and there are different dances for different occasions.

Accra
Side view of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology(KNUST)

College of Architecture and Planning in Kumasi

surrounding the central business district of Accra, the capital of

Ghana, June 2008.