Ghana Natural Resources

Ghana, nation in West Africa, a former British colony known as the Gold Coast is one of the most thriving countries in West Africa. The country is noted for a lot of good virtues, among them is the peaceful life you will enjoy in their territory absent violence. In the year 1957, Ghana became the first state in sub-Saharan Africa to gain political independence from European colonial rule.

Following independence, Ghana assumed the leadership role in the African continent’s struggle for national liberation charged by a great leader Dr Kwame Nkrumah. Above others, Ghana is a country endowed with natural resources. In this post, we will explore into Ghana natural resources.

Land And Natural Resources
Ghana is a lowland country, except for a range of hills on the eastern border. The sandy coastline is backed by a coastal plain that is crossed by several rivers and streams, generally
navigable only by canoe. In the west, the terrain is broken by heavily forested hills and many streams and rivers.

To the north lies an undulating savanna country that is drained by the Black and White Volta rivers, which join to form the Volta, which then flows south to the sea through a narrow gap in the hills.

Plants and Animal
Much of the natural vegetation of Ghana has been destroyed by land clearing for agriculture, but such trees as the giant silk cotton, African mahogany, and cedar are still prevalent in the tropical forest zone of the south. In the north, two-thirds of the country is covered by savanna grassland with scattered trees.

Animal life has also been depleted, especially in the south, but it remains relatively diverse and includes leopard, hyena, buffalo, elephant, wild dog, antelope, and monkey. Many species of reptiles are found there, including the cobra, python, puff adder, and horned adder.

The Southern and Northern Ghana
Southern Ghana contains evergreen and semi deciduous forests, consisting of tall silk cottons, kolas, and valuable West African hardwoods such as Mahogany, Odom, and Ebony.

The oil palm is also found throughout the south and the Ashanti uplands, and the lagoons of the coast contain mangroves. Northern Ghana is covered by savanna (a tropical grassland with a scattering of shrubs and trees), featuring Shea trees, acacias, and baobabs.  

Extinct Wild Life
Once plentiful throughout the savanna, Large mammals such Elephants and Lions are now rare and are largely confined to nature reserves. The forest regions are habitats for monkeys, snakes, and antelopes, and some of the major rivers contain crocodiles. There are more than 725 bird species in Ghana. All these animals are going extinct due to deforestation and human activities.

Environmental Issues
In the late 19th century, hardwood forests covered the southern half of Ghana. Considerable portions of these once-extensive forests have been destroyed, and today about 39.7 percent (1995) of the country is forested. Not all of these forests are commercially viable, however. About 1.3 percent (1990-1996) of the remaining forest is lost every year.

Cocoa Production
Ghana is the third largest producer of C0coa in the world. Large tracts of forest have been cleared forC0coa crops, which thrive in the rich soil of the rain forest. In times of depressed C0coa prices, Ghana has significantly increased exports of timber to generate needed revenue.

Forest Resource Management
In 1988 Ghana initiated a conservation plan called the Forest Resource Management Project. In 1989 Ghana restricted the export of 18 tree species, and in 1994 the country banned the export of raw logs.

About 4.8 percent (1997) of the country's land is officially protected, but illegal logging threatens Ghana's remaining forests.

Drought and Desertification of Ghana Land
Deforestation, overgrazing, and periodic drought have led to desertification and soil erosion. Ghana's wildlife populations, depleted by habitat loss, are further threatened by poaching. Hence, Ghana has ratified international agreements protecting biodiversity, endangered species, tropical forests, wetlands, and the ozone layer.

Ghana Rivers and Lakes
The country's main river is the Volta, which is formed in the center of the country by the confluence of the Black Volta and the White Volta. The Volta enters the Gulf of Guinea at Ada in southeastern Ghana. Beginning in 1961 the construction of the Akosombo Dam on the Volta formed Lake Volta.

The lake covers an area of 8,482 sq km (3,275 sq mi), making it one of the world's largest artificial lakes. The two major tributaries of the Volta are the Oti and Afram rivers. Together, the rivers drain the Volta Basin.

The only natural lake in Ghana is Lake Bosumtwi. Ghana's other significant river systems are the Densu, Birim, Pra, and Ankobra, and they all empty into the Gulf of Guinea. Ghana's rivers are navigable only by small crafts, with the exception of the Volta.  

A country of great natural resources and natural wealth. Ghana is endowed with abundant natural resources, including their vast landscape, plants and animals and beautiful rivers and lakes. If you would like to explore Africa, why not start from Ghana?