🇬🇭 Facts about Ghana

• Ghana is located in West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. The capital and largest city of Ghana is Accra with over two million inhabitants.
• The official language is English, but about 75 other languages and dialects are spoken in Ghana. In our project regions, Twi (t'shui) is spoken predominantly.
• The education system in Ghana is divided into four levels: Kindergarten (0.3 - 6 years), Primary School (6-12 years), Lower Secondary (Junior High School, 12-15 years), Upper Secondary (Senior High School, 15-19 years).
• Most people in Ghana are named after the day they were born, in addition to a European/religious first name.
• The Graduation from senior high school qualifies students to attend university and is associated with high costs (school and examination fees, uniforms, teaching materials, transportation and often boarding costs).
• Due to poverty in the country, 26% of all 5-17 year olds in Ghana are working.
• The Volta Reservoir at Akosombo Dam is the largest man-made reservoir in the world and provides most of Ghana's electricity. However, as the country's demand for electricity has grown rapidly in recent years, shorter power outages occur regularly.
• Ghana became the first West African colony to gain independence from Great Britain on March 6, 1957.
• Health care varies widely across the country and is much better in urban areas than in rural areas. Since the return of democracy in 1992, the health care system has improved. Today, there are health cards that function much like a health insurance and allow people to receive medical treatment more cheaply.
• Ghana's national dish is fufu, a solid cassava or yam porridge that is pounded for a long time in a mortar and served with various fish or meat soups.