Facts About Ghana
The Republic of Ghana is an English-speaking West African country with its capital and largest city in Accra. Ghana is the second most populous country in west Africa, after Nigeria. It shares borders with the Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and Togo in the east, as well as the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. The country covers an area of 238,535 km2 (92,099 sq mi).
The country gained independence from Britain on March 6, 1957. Following the Ghanaian constitutional referendum and a presidential election, Nkrumah declared Ghana a republic and assumed the presidency on July 1, 1960. Ghana independence day is celebrated every 6th of March while 1st July is celebrated as Republic Day.
1. CLIMATE
Ghana has a tropical climate with two distinct seasons: the wet and the dry. The rainy season in North Ghana lasts from April to mid-October, while the rainy season in South Ghana lasts from March to mid-November. Ghana’s tropical climate is quite mild for its latitude. From December to March, the harmattan, a dry desert wind, blows in northeast Ghana, lowering humidity and causing hotter days and cooler nights.
2. POPULATION
According to worldometers, the current population of the country is pegged at 32,525,671 as of Friday, September 30, 2023, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data, with a forecast population of 52,016,125 by 2050.
3. NATURAL RESOURCES
Ghana is blessed with natural resources such as Timber, gold, diamonds, bauxite, manganese, and oil.
4. ETHNIC GROUPS
The most populous ethnic group in Ghana is the Akans other being Mole-Dagbon, Ewe, Ga-Adangbe, Gurma, Guan, Gurunsi, and Mande among others.
5. LANGUAGES
Apart from English which is the official language of the country, other languages spoken in Ghana include Dagaare, Dagbani, Dangme, Ewe, Frafra, Ga, Gonja, Nzema, Twi, Fante and Ghanaian Sign Language.
6. RELIGION
Christianity is the most practised religion in Ghana, the other being Islam, traditional faith with a few irreligious people.
7. LITERACY LEVEL
As of 2018, Ghana’s adult literacy rate is 79.04%, according to UNESCO. While the literacy rate for men is 83.52%, for females it is 74.47%, showing a slight gap between the sexes.
8. FOODS
One of the most fascinating aspects of the country is their mouthwatering foods. Some of the popular food in the country you should try to include Jollof rice, Waakye, Banku and Tilapia, Red-red, Fufu and goat light soup, Tuo Zaafi, Kenkey and fried fish, Kelewele, Omo tuo, and Boiled Yam or Plantain with Kontomire stew.
9. VISA POLICY
According to Visaindex.com, the Ghana passport is currently ranked at 82 with visa-free access to 63 destinations.
According to the Ghana visa policy, Nigeria is one of the 20 countries whose citizens can enter the country without the need for a visa for a short period. Depending on the countries, citizens of these countries can stay in Ghana for up to 60-90days.
Others are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritius, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Swaziland, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, and Zimbabwe. All that is needed to present at the entry port of Ghana is a valid passport.
Also, per Ghana’s Visa Policy, visitors from about 30 different nations can apply for a Visa on Arrival to enter Ghana. These thirty nations are situated in the African continent.
Travellers from these Nations may enter the nation for up to 30 days for either business or tourism purposes with this travel authorization. When visitors arrive in Ghana, they must visit the border checkpoint to apply for a visa on arrival. They will then wait in line and pay the processing fee after applying.
These citizens must request an embassy visa if they intend to stay in Ghana for an extended period. The countries eligible for Ghana visa on arrival are Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia.
Requirements for Visa or arrival
Duly completed and signed application form
Valid passport for at least three months from the date of entry with at least two blank pages.
Return Ticket or Proof of Onward Travel
Sufficient Funds
Additional documents may also be required at the embassy.
Ghana Visa on Arrival Fee
Ghana Visa on Arrival fee is 150 USD. Although, the fee may vary depending on your nationality.
Apart from the Visa fee and Visa on arrival countries, any citizen of other National seeking entry into Ghana will be needing an embassy Visa in order to visit and stay in the country for different purposes. This type of Visa can be obtained by visiting the Ghana embassy and submitting an application form with supporting documents stating the purpose of the visit.
Requirements for an embassy tourist visa
Duly completed and signed application form
Four Photos of passport format, a recent whole-face capture with a light background.
Passport and Copy of the Main Page with a validity of at least six months beyond the return date and must have at least two blank pages.
of ID Card
Residence Permit/Visa Copy (If your country of residence and citizenship are different)
Reference
Flight Ticket Reservation
Invitation Letter (if any) from a resident in Ghana
Letter from Local Employer/Sponsor (if any).
Letter from University (if student)
Proof of Financial Means
For Minors: Copy of either birth certificate/proof of adoption/custody decree if parents are divorced/death certificate of the parent. Letter of consent from parent/s or legal guardian/s, if travelling unaccompanied.
It should be noted that Additional documents may also be required by the embassy.
Processing Time for Ghana Tourist Visa
The average processing time for a Ghana Tourist visa is 3-15 working days. It depends on your visa application country.
Ghana Tourist Visa Fee
Single entry visa, valid for up to 30 days – 55-110 USD
Multiple entry visa, valid for up to 90 days – 80-155 USD
Multiple entry visa, valid for up to 6 months – 120-275 USD
Multiple entry visa, valid for up to 1 year – 180-330 USD
The fee may vary depending on your nationality and country of submission.
Where to apply for Ghana Tourist Visa
You will apply for a Ghana Tourist visa at one of the Ghana visa application centres, embassies, or consulates in your country of residency, whichever accepts visa applications. If none are available in your country, you must apply to the nearest embassy or consulate to your location.