Ghana,
West Africa

The Home of Coast For Christ Ministries

Safari, kente cloth, shea butter, palm tree oil,

palm wine--Measure your strength before drinking it.

If an award were given for the country with the friendliest people in West Africa, Ghana would be a strong contender.

Spend a few hours in the breezy capital at Accra, and you'll swear the wind and waves off the Gulf of Guinea have infused the land and people alike with equatorial warmth.

Even Ghanaians might admit that Accra's not the most beautiful place, but it's theirs.

For a country that's borne the brutality of colonisation - from the stripping of its mineral wealth to the enslaving of its people - Ghana retains a remarkable sense of self.

Its craftspeople have a long, rich cultural history to draw from, and their work is thick with that tradition - be it the colourful kente cloth of the Ashanti or any of the stools, icons, beads or baskets you'll find in the major markets.

Full country name: Republic of Ghana
Area: 238,540 sq km
Population: 19.7 million
People: Akan (44%), Mole-Dagbane (16%), Ewé (13%), Ga (8%), Guan, Gurma, Gonja, Dagomba Language: Twi, Ga, Ewe, English

Religion: Christian (60%), Muslim (15%), traditional African religions (25%)

Government: parliamentary democracy

Head of State: President John Agyekum Kufuor

GDP: US$22.6 billion
GDP per capita: US$1,310
Major Industries: Mining, lumber, cocoa, light manufacturing

Major Trading Partners: US, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea

Coast For Christ Baptist Ministries