Western Region (Ghana)
| Western region | |
|---|---|
  |
|
| country |
 Ghana
|
| Capital | Sekondi-Takoradi |
| District number | 14th |
| surface | 13,847 km² |
| population | 2,165,200 (2019) |
| Population density | 156 Ew. / km² |
| ISO 3166-2 | GH-WP |
The Western Region ( German "West Region" ) is a region of Ghana with the capital Sekondi-Takoradi . When the Western North Region split off on February 15, 2019, it lost 42.11% of its area and 30% of its population.
geography
The region is located in the southwest of the country and is bordered by the Western North Region in the northwest , the Central Region in the east and the Ivory Coast in the west . In the south lies the Atlantic Ocean .
Nature and climate
The Western Region is the rainiest region in Ghana, with an average of 2,000 mm of precipitation per year in the western part of the coast. It is also the only part of the country in Ghana where there is (still) large areas of evergreen rainforest, which covers almost the entire southern part of the region. Several large rivers flow through the region ( Ankobra , Pra and the Tano ), in which there are several national parks and protected areas.
population
Most of the population speaks one of the Akan languages , mostly Nzema , otherwise Wassa and Ahanta . Fanti is also spoken in the east, and its influence is increasing, especially on the speakers of the smaller languages. The first-mentioned languages, however, belong to the western group of Akan languages, which means that linguistic communication with the better-known eastern Akan languages Twi and Fanti is not easily possible.
history
Until the founding of Ghana
In contrast to their neighbors in the north (the Ashanti ) and in the east (the Fanti ), neither Nzema nor Ahanta have ever formed a state unit.
In contrast, the large number of European bases on the coast of the region is extraordinarily rich in history . From the originally Dutch Fort Appolonia to the Brandenburg Fortress Groß Friedrichsburg or the British Fort in Dixcove to the Portuguese Fort San Sebastian in Schama , a dozen remains of partly restored European fortresses are lined up on the coast of the western region and bear witness to the early and intensive contact of the Region with the Europeans. In the region is also the place Nkroful , where Kwame Nkrumah , the first President of Ghana, was born.
The Western Region by 2019
Until the Western North Region was split off, Western Region was Ghana's fourth largest region in terms of area and population with 23,921 km².
Population development
| Census year | population |
|---|---|
| 1960 | 626.155 |
| 1970 | 770.087 |
| 1984 | 1,157,807 |
| 2000 | 1,924,577 |
| 2010 | 2,376,021 |
economy
The region has a multitude of mineral resources : gold , diamonds , bauxite , manganese , iron ore , limestone and even oil and gas can be found on the coast at Half Assini .
The regional capital Sekondi-Takoradi is one of the three industrial centers of Ghana. One of the country's two deep-water ports is also located here . The tourism industry is becoming increasingly important due to the beaches, historical sights and national parks.
Administrative structure
The region is divided into 14 districts :
Web links
- Western Region on ghanadistricts.gov.gh
Individual evidence
- ↑ 2010 Population & Housing Census ( Memento from July 12, 2018 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF document, 5.5 MB, English)
- ↑ District list on ghanadistricts.gov.gh, accessed December 18, 2019
