Ghana Geography 1997

Location Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoireand Togo

Geographic coordinates 8 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references Africa

Area
total: 238,540 sq km
land : 230,020 sq km
water: 8,520 sq km

Area - comparative slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries
total: 2,093 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 548 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km

Coastline 539 km

Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf : 200 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot andhumid in southwest; hot and dry in north

Terrain mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m

Natural resources gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber

Land use
arable land: 12%
permanent crops : 7%
permanent pastures: 22%
forests and woodland: 35%
other: 24% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land 60 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards dry, dusty, harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts

Environment - current issues recent drought in north severely affecting agricultural activities;deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destructionthreatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potablewater

Environment - international agreements
party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake; northeasterly harmattanwind (January to March)

NOTE: The information regarding Ghana on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Ghana Geography 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Ghana Geography 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.