Ghana Geography Profile 2009

Location

Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 238,533 sq km
land: 227,533 sq km
water: 11,000 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries

total: 2,094 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km

Coastline

539 km

Maritime claims

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

Climate

tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid 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, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone

Land use

arable land: 17.54%
permanent crops: 9.22%
other: 73.24% (2005)

Irrigated land

310 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources

53.2 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.98 cu km/yr (24%/10%/66%)
per capita: 44 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards

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

Environment - current issues

recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note

Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake