As you hover over the map, different destinations, tourist attractions, towns and cities will pop up, such as Mole National Park, Ghana’s largest wildlife park and Wli waterfalls, the largest waterfall in West Africa.  You can find out much more about both of these destinations and many more by clicking through on the areas highlighted on Ghana’s map.

Development

‘People are the real wealth of a nation.’ This is the belief of the United Nations, whose Millenium Development Goals provide a framework for improving the lives of millions.

It helps when nations are peaceful, stable and growing economically. But even where the poorest countries focus on health, education and creating fairer societies, more Africans have the chance of a better life.

Ivory Coast Map

Explore Ivory Coast

Explore some of Ivory Coast's most interesting places and find out more about the country's main cities, national parks and nature reserves.

Burkina Faso map

Explore Burkina Faso

Find out about some of the best places to visit in Burkina Faso.

Accra

Once just a scattering of villages controlled by Ga chiefs, today Accra is a sprawling city that extends eastwards some 25km to the neighbouring city of Tema.  Standing alongside modern skyscrapers are 17th century castles, shanty towns and lively markets.  Nearby is the popular Kokrobite Beach.

Wli Water Falls

This, the highest waterfall in West Africa, lies near to Ho Hoe town in the Volta region.  It is reached through a rain forest alive with large colonies of fruit bats, butterflies, birds, monkeys and baboons.

Health

Africa has a high number of communicable diseases, which place a huge burden on healthcare systems. The vast majority of malaria cases and HIV/AIDS-related deaths occur in Africa; these two diseases currently represent the greatest threats.

With low investment in healthcare and a severe shortage of medical staff, many countries struggle to meet the health needs of their people.

Kakum National Park

This dense tropical rain forest is home to over 40 species of larger mammals, including forest elephants, forest buffalo, Mona-meerkats and civets, as well as over 250 species of birds.  A 350-metre canopy walkway offers a unique view of everything the park has to offer.

Kumasi

The former capital of Ghana's Ashanti Kingdom, Kumasi is Ghana's second largest city.  Examples of the Ashanti’s famous gold jewellery, trinkets, Kente cloth and wood-carved stools can be seen at the National Cultural Centre, as well as in various craft villages on the outskirts of the city.

Lake Volta

As the largest reservoir in the world by surface area, Lake Volta is a man-made lake found in the east of Ghana. It was created after the River Volta was dammed, to store water to generate hydro-electricity. The lake’s basin also covers about 45% of Ghana’s total land surface.

Foods

Africa has some of the most distinctive cuisines and flavours in the world. Food varies widely, but there are commonalities across regions. Depending on what's grown locally, dishes are also influenced by the traders, immigrants and rulers who settled across the continent. Arab, Asian and European elements blend in with traditional African cooking.

Cape Coast

This history-rich area boasts one of the many old forts built in Ghana by various European powers during the 17th Century.  Cape Coast Castle is now a museum.  The castle’s dungeons once famously housed slaves awaiting transport to the new world. The nearby Elmina Castle was also a major slave trade.

Aburi Botanic Gardens

Situated on the Akwapim ridge, the gardens were established in1890 and overlook the Accra coastal plain.  Among the diverse array of plants and trees grows the silk cotton tree or 'ceiba pentrandra', one of the largest and most sacred trees in West Africa.

Mole National Park

Mole National Park is Ghana's largest wildlife park, situated in the heart of the Guinea savannah woodland ecosystem.  The park is home to buffalo, roam antelope, elephants, warthogs, hyenas, leopards, lions and various primates.  Nearby is the Larabanga Mosque, the oldest mosque in Ghana.

Games & Sports

Africa is home to arguably the oldest-recorded games and sports. While some are only known through archeology, modern-day games and sports such as Mancala/Mankala and Nubian wrestling are very much alive today.

Of course, new sports have come along to claim the attention of Africans. You may have heard of one - it's called football.

Paga Crocodile Ponds

Paga is a small town in the north of Ghana, on the border with Burkina Faso. It is famous for its sacred pond, which is home to many crocodiles. There is a village story that each crocodile corresponds to a native resident’s soul. Because the crocodiles are sacred, it is not allowed to harm them or kill them for their meat.

War and Empire

The first humans are thought to have lived in Africa and powerful African empires formed from the medieval age onwards.

However, today's African nations were shaped by the European powers who colonised this vast continent. Having gained their independence, many African countries are still coming to terms with the legacy left by their colonisers.

Poverty

Across the rest of the world, absolute poverty has halved over recent decades, but in Africa it has barely fallen.

About two-fifths of the population of sub-Saharan Africa survive week by week on what someone in the UK earns from just one hour's work on the minimum wage.

State of Children

Around one in six children born in sub-Saharan Africa don't live to see their fifth birthday and life can be tough for those who do.

What are the common challenges facing African children and how do their lives compare with those of children in the UK?

Famine & Agriculture

A quarter of the population of sub-Saharan Africa is undernourished and famines can impact whole regions.

Land is available to grow more food locally. But investment is needed in  technologies such as irrigation, for land to be used effectively. Farmers must also adapt to climate change if they are to feed the continent's rising population.

Climate

Africa is a massive continent, with a range of climates. Some regions are hot and dry, like the Sahara, Kalahari and Namib deserts. Other parts are wet or covered in tropical rainforest. Conditions also vary by altitude, from the dry salt pans of the Danakil Depression (one of the lowest points on earth) to the snowcaps (at certain times) of the highest mountains. Weather-wise, Africa has it all!

AfricaCape CoastKumasiAburi Botanic GardensAccraWli Water FallsKakum National ParkMole National ParkIvory Coast MapBurkina Faso mapLake VoltaPaga Crocodile Ponds