Before getting to the fun and cool facts about Ghana, let's first get to know this country through it's history and culture. Here are some interesting cultural and historical Ghana facts for kids as well as adults to learn from.
- Before the establishment of European colonies, Ghana was divided among several Akan tongued kingdoms such as the Asante Empire, the Akwamu state and non-Akan ethnic groups like Ga and Ewe.
- The word Ghana translates as Warrior King. The republic of Ghana is so named owing to the fact that it was ruled by so many valiant rulers and warrior tribes before colonization.
- The first European colonists to touch the shores of Ghana were the Portuguese who cast their anchor upon the sands of Ghana in 1471. They built their first permanent settlement upon Ghana's coast, a fortress named Elmina Castle, in 1482.
- Close on the heels of the Portuguese arrived the Danes, in 1650, lured by legends of ivory and gold that were believed to be in abundance upon this newly explored land. Much to their delight, the legends proved to be true.
- However, the arrival of the Danes brought along approximately two centuries of misfortune in the form of slavery and slave trade. From 1661 till the mid 1800s (ie, till Denmark's official declaration of abolition of slavery in all its colonies), the native people of Ghana suffered a lot of hardships and atrocities in the hands of foreign slave owners and slave traders.
- From 1863 till 1957, Ghana remained a British colony and was known by the name of Gold Coast.
- It gained complete independence on March 6, 1957 and was the first sub-Saharan nation to do so in the African history colonization. The name Ghana was chosen to symbolize the birth of a new, independent republic nation along the Western coast of Africa.
- The first elected president of the independent Republic of Ghana was Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and he was elected and assumed his office in the year 1960.
- Dr. Nkrumah's rule was abruptly ended by a non-violent military coup, orchestrated by British trained soldiers, in 1966 while he was away on an official visit to Beijing.
- The military government, formed as a result of this coup, was headed by the National Liberation Council.
- Civilian governance was restored in Ghana in 1969 when Dr. Kofi Busia was elected as the head of the state.
- A second coup took place in 1972 followed by countrywide strikes by students in 1974 and a near-collapse of the economy in 1975.
- Acheampong rose to power in 1975 and formed the Supreme Military Council as a means of imposing near-dictatorship over the Republic of Ghana.
- General William Akuffo took over the Supreme Military Council in 1978 and made efforts towards establishing, yet again, a civilian government.
- A third coup attempt by Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings took place in 1979 and the third republic prevailed till 1992.
- In 1992, Rawlings was officially elected as the president of Ghana and continued his office till December 2000. In 2001, John A. Kufuor took over as president and continued his office till 2009. Thereupon, John Atta Mills took over. He continues as the president of Ghana till date.
