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: 239,460 sq km
land: 230,940 sq km
water: 8,520 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
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM
exclusive economic zone: 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

Land use
arable land: 16%
permanent crops: 7%
other: 77% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 110 sq km (1998 est.)

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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, 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

NOTE: The information regarding Ghana on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Ghana Geography 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Ghana Geography 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.