Western Africa · GHA

Ghana

The story · 9 chapters

How it was drawn

Kintampo farmers, Akan gold kingdoms and the Asante Empire, which fought Britain for most of a century; joined into the Gold Coast with British Togoland and independent as Ghana in 1957.

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Through the ages

Rivals in history

The kingdoms, empires and states Ghana fought or stood against, from the first to today.

Dutch Republic1637 to 1872
The Dutch West India Company captures Elmina Castle from Portugal in 1637 and becomes the leading European power on the coast, trading gold and enslaved people. It sells its forts to Britain in 1872.
Kingdom of Denkyira1699 to 1701
Asante's founder Osei Tutu leads a revolt against Denkyira, the Akan kingdom that dominated the region. His armies defeat Denkyira at Feyiase in 1701, and Asante takes its place as the leading power.
Fante states1806 to 1824
Asante armies invade the Fante states of the coast in 1806 and again in the following years, seeking direct access to European trade. The Fante turn increasingly to Britain for protection.
United Kingdom1824 to 1901
Britain and Asante fight a series of wars. Asante kills Governor MacCarthy in 1824, Britain burns Kumasi in 1874, exiles Prempeh I in 1896, and crushes Yaa Asantewaa's uprising before annexing Asante in 1901.
German Empire1884 to 1914
Germany claims Togoland, east of the Volta, in 1884. In August 1914 British troops from the Gold Coast and French troops from Dahomey conquer it within weeks; Britain later takes its western strip.
Togo1960 to 1986
Nkrumah wants Togo to join Ghana, while Togo's leaders want the Ewe lands of eastern Ghana; relations sour in the early 1960s. Tensions return in later decades, with each side accusing the other of sheltering plotters.
Côte d'Ivoire2014 to 2017
Both countries claim offshore waters rich in oil. Ghana takes the case to a special chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in 2014, and its 2017 ruling largely follows Ghana's proposed line.

Today

Ghana now

Ghana is a multiethnic country rich in natural resources and is one of the most stable and democratic countries in West Africa. Ghana has been inhabited for at least several thousand years, but little is known about its early inhabitants. By the 12th century, the gold trade started to boom in Bono (Bonoman) state in what is today southern Ghana, and it became the genesis of the Akan people's power and wealth in the region.

Capital: Accra
Government: presidential republic
Head of government: Nana Akufo-Addo
Head of state: John Mahama
Languages: English
Area: 238,539 km²

Through time

Then and now

Population33.8 million2023 · 5.1 million in 1950
Life expectancy65.5 years2023 · 43.1 years in 1950
GDP per person$4,2422022 · $1,788 in 1950
Living in cities59%2025 · 15% in 1950
Literacy77%2021 · 23% in 1950
Political regimeElectoral democracy2025 · Closed autocracy in 1950
Military alliancesNone of these2024 · None of these in 1950
Military spending0.5% of GDP2025
War deaths0.3 per 100,0002025

Population: HYDE 3.3, Gapminder and UN WPP. GDP per capita: Maddison Project Database 2023. Urban share: UN WPP. Life expectancy: Riley, HMD, UN WPP. Literacy: OWID historical estimates, World Bank, UNESCO. Military spending: SIPRI. War deaths: UCDP. Political regime: V-Dem, Regimes of the World. All via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0). Alliances and organization memberships: compiled by Atlas. Satellites in orbit: CelesTrak SATCAT. Modern borders, backcast.

Relations

Close partners and tensions

Close partners

United Kingdom
United States
France
China
Brazil

Summarised from World Bank and Wikipedia data, updated 23 October 2026.

Rivals in history

The kingdoms, empires and states Ghana fought or stood against, from the first to today.

Dutch Republic1637 to 1872

The Dutch West India Company captures Elmina Castle from Portugal in 1637 and becomes the leading European power on the coast, trading gold and enslaved people. It sells its forts to Britain in 1872.

Kingdom of Denkyira1699 to 1701

Asante's founder Osei Tutu leads a revolt against Denkyira, the Akan kingdom that dominated the region. His armies defeat Denkyira at Feyiase in 1701, and Asante takes its place as the leading power.

Fante states1806 to 1824

Asante armies invade the Fante states of the coast in 1806 and again in the following years, seeking direct access to European trade. The Fante turn increasingly to Britain for protection.

United Kingdom1824 to 1901

Britain and Asante fight a series of wars. Asante kills Governor MacCarthy in 1824, Britain burns Kumasi in 1874, exiles Prempeh I in 1896, and crushes Yaa Asantewaa's uprising before annexing Asante in 1901.

German Empire1884 to 1914

Germany claims Togoland, east of the Volta, in 1884. In August 1914 British troops from the Gold Coast and French troops from Dahomey conquer it within weeks; Britain later takes its western strip.

Togo1960 to 1986

Nkrumah wants Togo to join Ghana, while Togo's leaders want the Ewe lands of eastern Ghana; relations sour in the early 1960s. Tensions return in later decades, with each side accusing the other of sheltering plotters.

Côte d'Ivoire2014 to 2017

Both countries claim offshore waters rich in oil. Ghana takes the case to a special chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in 2014, and its 2017 ruling largely follows Ghana's proposed line.

Ghana now

Capital

Accra

Government

presidential republic

Head of government

Nana Akufo-Addo

Head of state

John Mahama

Languages

English

Area

238,539 km²

Then and now

Population33.8 million2023 · 5.1 million in 1950

Life expectancy65.5 years2023 · 43.1 years in 1950

GDP per person$4,2422022 · $1,788 in 1950

Living in cities59%2025 · 15% in 1950

Literacy77%2021 · 23% in 1950

Political regimeElectoral democracy2025 · Closed autocracy in 1950

Military alliancesNone of these2024 · None of these in 1950

Military spending0.5% of GDP2025

War deaths0.3 per 100,0002025