Ghana

==Geography==
{{Main|Geography of Ghana|Geology of Ghana}}
{{See also|Biodiversity of Ghana}}
{{ multiple images
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Ghana is located on the [[Gulf of Guinea]], a few degrees north of the [[Equator]].<ref name="Geography Physical"/> It spans an area of {{convert|239535|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}<ref name="Ghana">{{cite web | url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/ghana/ | title=Ghana | date=August 2023 }}</ref> and has an Atlantic coastline that stretches {{convert|560|km|mi|abbr=off}} on the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to its south.<ref name="Geography Physical">{{cite web |url=http://www.photius.com/countries/ghana/geography/ghana_geography_physical_setting.html |title=Ghana: Geography Physical |publisher=photius.com |access-date=24 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921060123/http://www.photius.com/countries/ghana/geography/ghana_geography_physical_setting.html |archive-date=21 September 2013 |url-status=live}}, {{cite web |url=http://www.photius.com/countries/ghana/geography/ghana_geography_location_and_size.html |title=Ghana: Location and Size |publisher=photius.com |access-date=24 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921060248/http://www.photius.com/countries/ghana/geography/ghana_geography_location_and_size.html |archive-date=21 September 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Dodi Island]] and [[Bobowasi Island]] are near the south coast.<ref name="Ghana low plains">{{cite web |title=Ghana low plains |url=http://www.photius.com/countries/ghana/geography/ghana_geography_the_low_plains.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921060245/http://www.photius.com/countries/ghana/geography/ghana_geography_the_low_plains.html |archive-date=21 September 2013 |access-date=24 June 2013 |publisher=photius.com}}</ref> It lies between latitudes 4°45'N and 11°N, and longitudes 1°15'E and 3°15'W. The [[prime meridian]] passes through Ghana, specifically through [[Tema]].<ref name="Geography Physical"/> Ghana is geographically closer to the intersection of the Prime Meridian and the Equator than any other country, since this point, (0°, 0°), is located in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 614&nbsp;km (382&nbsp;mi) off the south-east coast of Ghana.

Grasslands mixed with south coastal shrublands and forests dominate Ghana, with forest extending northward from the coast {{convert|320|km|mi|abbr=off}} and eastward for a maximum of about {{convert|270|km|mi|abbr=off}} with locations for mining of industrial minerals and timber.<ref name="Geography Physical"/> Ghana is home to 5 terrestrial ecoregions: [[Eastern Guinean forests]], [[Guinean forest–savanna mosaic]], [[West Sudanian savanna]], [[Central African mangroves]], and [[Guinean mangroves]].<ref name="DinersteinOlson2017">{{cite journal |last1=Dinerstein |first1=Eric |last2=Olson |first2=David |last3=Joshi |first3=Anup |last4=Vynne |first4=Carly |last5=Burgess |first5=Neil D. |last6=Wikramanayake |first6=Eric |last7=Hahn |first7=Nathan |last8=Palminteri |first8=Suzanne |last9=Hedao |first9=Prashant|last10=Noss|first10=Reed |last11=Hansen |first11=Matt |last12=Locke |first12=Harvey |last13=Ellis |first13=Erle C |last14=Jones |first14=Benjamin |last15=Barber |first15=Charles Victor |last16=Hayes |first16=Randy |last17=Kormos |first17=Cyril |last18=Martin |first18=Vance |last19=Crist |first19=Eileen|last20=Sechrest|first20=Wes |last21=Price |first21=Lori |last22=Baillie |first22=Jonathan E. M. |last23=Weeden |first23=Don |last24=Suckling |first24=Kierán |last25=Davis |first25=Crystal |last26=Sizer |first26=Nigel |last27=Moore |first27=Rebecca |last28=Thau |first28=David |last29=Birch |first29=Tanya|last30=Potapov|first30=Peter |last31=Turubanova |first31=Svetlana |last32=Tyukavina |first32=Alexandra |last33=de Souza |first33=Nadia |last34=Pintea |first34=Lilian |last35=Brito |first35=José C. |last36=Llewellyn |first36=Othman A. |last37=Miller |first37=Anthony G. |last38=Patzelt |first38=Annette |last39=Ghazanfar |first39=Shahina A.|last40=Timberlake|first40=Jonathan |last41=Klöser |first41=Heinz |last42=Shennan-Farpón |first42=Yara |last43=Kindt |first43=Roeland |last44=Lillesø |first44=Jens-Peter Barnekow |last45=van Breugel |first45=Paulo |last46=Graudal |first46=Lars |last47=Voge |first47=Maianna |last48=Al-Shammari |first48=Khalaf F. |last49=Saleem |first49=Muhammad |title=An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm |journal=BioScience |volume=67 |issue=6 |year=2017 |pages=534–545 |issn=0006-3568 |doi=10.1093/biosci/bix014 |pmid=28608869 |pmc=5451287 |doi-access=free}}</ref> It had a 2018 [[Forest Landscape Integrity Index]] mean score of 4.53/10, ranking it 112th globally out of 172 countries.<ref name="FLII-Supplementary">{{cite journal |last1=Grantham |first1=H. S. |last2=Duncan |first2=A. |last3=Evans |first3=T. D. |last4=Jones |first4=K. R. |last5=Beyer |first5=H. L. |last6=Schuster |first6=R. |last7=Walston |first7=J. |last8=Ray |first8=J. C. |last9=Robinson |first9=J. G.|last10=Callow|first10=M. |last11=Clements |first11=T. |last12=Costa |first12=H. M. |last13=DeGemmis |first13=A. |last14=Elsen |first14=P. R. |last15=Ervin |first15=J. |last16=Franco |first16=P. |last17=Goldman |first17=E. |last18=Goetz |first18=S. |last19=Hansen |first19=A.|last20=Hofsvang|first20=E. |last21=Jantz |first21=P. |last22=Jupiter |first22=S. |last23=Kang |first23=A. |last24=Langhammer |first24=P. |last25=Laurance |first25=W. F. |last26=Lieberman |first26=S. |last27=Linkie |first27=M. |last28=Malhi |first28=Y. |last29=Maxwell |first29=S.|last30=Mendez|first30=M. |last31=Mittermeier |first31=R. |last32=Murray |first32=N. J. |last33=Possingham |first33=H. |last34=Radachowsky |first34=J. |last35=Saatchi |first35=S. |last36=Samper |first36=C. |last37=Silverman |first37=J. |last38=Shapiro |first38=A. |last39=Strassburg |first39=B.|last40=Stevens|first40=T. |last41=Stokes |first41=E. |last42=Taylor |first42=R. |last43=Tear |first43=T. |last44=Tizard |first44=R. |last45=Venter |first45=O. |last46=Visconti |first46=P. |last47=Wang |first47=S. |last48=Watson |first48=J. E. M. |title=Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity – Supplementary Material |journal=Nature Communications |volume=11 |issue=1 |year=2020 |page=5978 |issn=2041-1723 |doi=10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3 |pmid=33293507 |pmc=7723057 |bibcode=2020NatCo..11.5978G |doi-access=free}}</ref>

The [[White Volta]] River and its tributary [[Black Volta]], flow south through Ghana to [[Lake Volta]], the world's [[List of reservoirs by volume|third-largest reservoir by volume]] and largest by surface area, formed by the hydroelectric [[Akosombo Dam]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.water-technology.net/features/feature-ten-largest-dams-in-the-world-reservoirs/ |title=Top 10 biggest dams |work=Water Technology |date=29 September 2013 |access-date=5 December 2021 |archive-date=30 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130182444/https://www.water-technology.net/features/feature-ten-largest-dams-in-the-world-reservoirs/ |url-status=live}}</ref> completed in 1965.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of Akosombo dam |url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/history/akosombo_dam.php |access-date=2024-02-27 |website=www.ghanaweb.com}}</ref> The Volta flows out of Lake Volta into the [[Gulf of Guinea]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ghanamaritime.org/uploads/39536-profile-of-major-rivers-in-ghana.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215083109/http://www.ghanamaritime.org/uploads/39536-profile-of-major-rivers-in-ghana.pdf |archive-date=2017-12-15 |url-status=live |title=Profile of Major Rivers in Ghana |work=Ghana Maritime Authority |access-date=5 December 2021}}</ref> The northernmost part of Ghana is Pulmakong and the southernmost part of Ghana is [[Cape Three Points]].<ref name="Geography Physical" />{{clear}}

{| class="wikitable"
|- 
!colspan="3"| Landmarks, borders, and regions
|- 
|colspan="2"|
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| style="background:#71b37b;width:5px" |
|[[Geography of Ghana#Plains|Coastal Plain]]
| [[Accra]], [[Apam]], [[Cape Coast]], [[Elmina]], [[Kakum National Park]], [[Kokrobite]], [[Nzulezo]], [[Sekondi-Takoradi]], [[Ada Foah]]
| The [[Gulf of Guinea]] [[coastal plain]] with the [[seat of government]] and capital city, castles and forts and [[rainforest]]

|-
| style="background:#64a0c7;width:5px" |
|[[Geography of Ghana#Ashanti Uplands|Ashanti-Kwahu]]
| [[Koforidua]], [[Kumasi]], [[Obuasi]], [[Sunyani]]
| Forested hills and the [[Kingdom of Ashanti]]

|-
| style="background:#bf88bf;width:5px" |
|[[Volta Basin]]
| [[Tamale, Ghana|Tamale]]
| [[Lake Volta]], the river system that feeds it and Ghana eastern [[border crossing]]

|-
| style="background:#b2be9b;width:5px" |
|[[Geography of Ghana#High plains|Northern Plains]]
| [[Wa, Ghana|Wa]], [[Bolgatanga]], [[Mole National Park]]
| [[Savanna]] plains and north Ghana [[trade route]] and [[border crossing]]
|}
|rowspan="12"|[[File:Ghana Regions map.png|upright=1.35|thumb|center|{{center|Map with [[national border]], [[geographical region]]s and [[Plain|terrestrial plains]] colour-coded}}]]
|- style="background:#eee;"
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|'''Settlements'''
|-
|border = "1"|[[Accra]]
|style="text-align:center;"| [[Seat of Government]] and Capital city.
|-
|border = "1"|[[Bolgatanga]]
|style="text-align:center;"| [[Paga Crocodile Pond]] location.
|- 
|border = "1"|[[Cape Coast]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Cape Coast Castle]] is a [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]].
|- 
|border = "1"|[[Elmina]]
|style="text-align:center;"| Coastal town with [[Elmina Castle]].
|-
|border = "1"|[[Koforidua]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Aburi Botanical Gardens]] location.
|-
|border = "1"|[[Kumasi]]
|style="text-align:center;"|Traditional centre of the [[Kingdom of Ashanti]].
|-
|border = "1"|[[Obuasi]]
|style="text-align:center;"|World's 9th largest [[gold mine]] location; and [[Mining town]].
|-
|border = "1"|[[Sekondi-Takoradi]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Surfing]] beaches such as [[Busua Beach]],<ref name="11 of the world's most unusual surf spots">{{cite web |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2014/07/13/travel/unusual-surf-spots/ |title=11 of the world's most unusual surf spots |work=edition.cnn.com |publisher=CNN |first=Tamara |last=Hinson |date=28 August 2014 |access-date=28 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411081223/http://edition.cnn.com/2014/07/13/travel/unusual-surf-spots/ |archive-date=11 April 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> and [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]]s.
|- 
|border = "1"|[[Tamale, Ghana|Tamale]]
|style="text-align:center;"|Largest settlement in the [[Kingdom of Dagbon]] and gateway to [[Mole National Park]].
|- 
|border = "1"|[[Yendi, Ghana|Yendi]]
|style="text-align:center;"|Traditional Capital of the [[Kingdom of Dagbon]] and seat of [[Yaa Naa]].
|}

The [[climate of Ghana]] is [[tropical climate|tropical]], and there is [[wet season]] and [[dry season]].<ref name="UNDP Climate">{{cite web |url=http://ncsp.undp.org/document/undp-climate-change-country-profile-11 |title=UNDP Climate Change Country Profile: Ghana |work=ncsp.undp.org |access-date=24 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055503/http://ncsp.undp.org/document/undp-climate-change-country-profile-11 |archive-date=21 September 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Ghana sits at the intersection of 3 hydro-climatic zones.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Ghana |url=https://www.climatelinks.org/countries/ghana |access-date=2020-04-22 |website=Climatelinks |language=en |archive-date=7 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407044029/https://www.climatelinks.org/countries/ghana |url-status=live}}</ref> Changes in rainfall, weather conditions and sea-level rise affect the salinity of coastal waters. This is expected to negatively affect both farming and fisheries.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.climatelinks.org/resources/climate-change-risk-profile-ghana |title=Climate Risk Profile: Ghana |date=January 2017 |website=Climatelinks |publisher=USAID |language=en |access-date=2020-04-22 |archive-date=25 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125200234/https://www.climatelinks.org/resources/climate-change-risk-profile-ghana |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2015, the government produced a document titled "Ghana's Intended Nationally Determined Contribution."<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=NDC Registry(interim) |url=https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/NDCStaging/Pages/All.aspx |access-date=24 November 2020 |archive-date=28 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220328173610/https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/NDCStaging/Pages/All.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> Following that, Ghana signed the Paris Climate Agreement in 2016.