About Ghana

Ghana, situated on the west coast of Africa, was formerly known as "Gold Coast". The country has three climate zones. The coastal area has a rainy season between April and June, and again from September till October. Generally temperatures are between 70° and 90°C. In the rainforests (central and eastern regions), the rains are heavier and last longer. In the north the climate is drier and warmer (up to 105°C), and has only one rainy season. The PFC team will be in all of these regions.

Ghanaians are known for their friendliness and hospitality. About 60 different languages are spoken, the most important are Akan, Ga, Ewe, Dagbani, Fante and Hansa. English is widely spoken throughout Ghana, and is the official language. There are three religious groups, with about two times as many Christians than Muslims (mostly in the north). The rest of the people (30 to 40%) practice traditional ancestral religions, and have their own fetish (or juju) priests.

Ghana is a young but fairly stable democracy, with four major political parties. In addition to this political system there still exists a kind of traditional system, where every village has its chief and a council of elders. Most big cities and every district has his own chief. The political scene is relatively calm, except for the far north-east where there are ethnic clashes from time to time.

Travelling through Ghana is fairly easy, due to the numerous taxis and "trotros" (mini buses or small trucks). The government buses are comfortable and connect the big cities. Everywhere you can find hotels and guesthouses in different price-categories.

The foods in Ghana are mostly "soups", which are really sauces or stews, made of groundnuts, tomatoes, onions, egg-plants, and fish or meat. They are eaten with fufu (mashed cassava, plantain or yam), kenkey or banku (sour fermented corn wrapped in plantain leaves). The main fruits are: pineapple, papaya, banana and orange.

The north of Ghana is quite different from the south, because of the differences in landscapes and climate. The Northern region has a savanna-type terrain and has more pronounced dry and rainy seasons. In the dry season large parts of the region (especially near the Burkina Faso border) are covered by the "Harmattan", a wind blowing from the Sahara and covering everything with fine dust (it looks like mist). There are less roads, cars and houses than in the south of the country, and a lot of villages still consist of huts painted in a traditional way. Very often you'll find villages build with circular houses, grouped together and forming a kind of maze. On most marketplaces of the towns and villages you can find the typically northern cloth, that is already turned into men's smocks and women's dresses.