1) The earliest evidence of human civilization in Ghana is 50,000 B.C.

2) Ghana is at or near the geographic center of the world (0 degrees latitude, 0 degrees longitude is off the coast of Ghana).

3) Ghana is an English speaking country, but is surrounded on three sides by French speaking countries (Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Togo).  Its fourth border is the Atlantic Ocean.

4) Ghana was the first African country to break free from colonial rule in 1957.

5) Ghana is roughly the same size as Oregon and the U.K.

6) There are about as many people in Ghana as there are in the state of New York.  Ghana has the second largest population in West Africa, after Nigeria.

7) Ghana’s motto is, “One people, one nation, one destiny.”

8) Ghana’s wildlife includes leopards, hyenas, buffaloes, elephants, wild hogs, antelopes, monkeys, pythons and cobras.

9) Ghana’s agriculture includes yams, rice, corn, cassava, millet, peanuts, cotton, pepper, tomatoes, beans, okra, pineapple, coconuts, coconut oil, bananas, plantains, mangoes, coffee, citrus and oil palm

10) Ghana is 69% Christian, 16% Muslim, 15% Indigenous.  I am fascinated by indigenous cultures, so I hope I get stationed in an indigenous region.

11) Ghana’s ancient political systems were dominated by queen mothers who were the embodiment of wisdom.