Ghana: Introduction

This introductory research paper provides a geographic and political overview of Ghana, detailing its natural resources, administrative structure, and its transition from a history of military coups to a stable multiparty democracy under the Fourth Republic.

• Ghana is a lower-middle-income country in West Africa with a total area of 238,535 km². It is characterized by a tropical climate with rainy and dry seasons and is divided into six ecological zones: Sudan savannah, Guinea savannah, Coastal savannah, forest/savannah transitional zone, deciduous forest zone, and the rain forest zone. The country possesses significant natural resources, including oil, manganese, timber, diamonds, bauxite, and gold, and ranks as the world's second-largest producer of cocoa.
• Since gaining independence from the British in 1957, Ghana's governance has fluctuated between democratic rule and military juntas, including four successful military coups. The First Republic ended with a coup on 24 February 1966, and subsequent military regimes included the National Liberation Council (NLC), the National Redemption Council (NRC), the Supreme Military Council (SMC), the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), and the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC).
• The Fourth Republic, established in 1993 following a 1992 constitution, is the most stable and longest-lasting period of governance in Ghana's history. It is defined by liberal multiparty democracy and the alternation of power between the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC). While the winning presidential party typically holds a parliamentary majority, the 2020 general elections resulted in a hung parliament where both the NPP and NDC secured 137 members each.

APA

Aikins, E. R. (2026). Ghana: Introduction. Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=GH&topic=01-introduction

Chicago

Aikins, Enoch Randy. Ghana: Introduction. Institute for Security Studies, 2026. https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=GH&topic=01-introduction.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Aikins |first1=Enoch Randy |title=Ghana: Introduction |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=31 May 2026 |url=https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=GH&topic=01-introduction |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{aikins2026ghana, author = {Aikins, Enoch Randy}, title = {{Ghana: Introduction}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=GH&topic=01-introduction}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }