Here you see the flag of Ghana, which has been in use since 1957. The flag was designed by Mrs. Salome Theodosia Okoh. The red in the flag stands for the blood of the people who died in the struggle for the independence of Ghana (1957). The gold stands for the wealth of minerals in Ghana, what was formerly called the Gold Coast. And, finally, the green stands  for the rich forest. The star in the middle of the flag is a symbol for African Freedom.

Ghana has a very interesting history. Below is a summary of that turbulent history, to you a little bit of an idea to give what is has played in recent centuries.
There is evidence that there are 10,000 years before Christ people were already present in the area of Ghana in the area close to the Oti River. There are remnants of a small society. However, there are already indications that people in Ghana have been.
In about 1300 years after Christ were first formed kingdoms, including the Akan kingdom in the Brong-Ahafo region. In the 15th century were the first Europeans in Ghana - to be precise the Portuguese. Ghana was called then-Gold Coast and still existed from different kingdoms. The Portuguese built including the famous fort Elmina, on the coast. From 1500 to 1807 was the era of the slave trade, wars and different state. The Portuguese, Danish, Swedish, Dutch and British have been present in the Gold Coast. The forts were built, abandoned, attacked, swapped, sold and taken over. Fort Elmina in 1642 fell into the hands of the Dutch, who then began with the slave trade. This they did with the help of a number of African chiefs and other leaders, so they benefit too. Slave trade between different tribes existed in Ghana before the Europeans came, and the Dutch were here easily using it.
In the last quarter of the nineteenth century the British ousted the Dutch from all over the Gold Coast. Ultimately, there are an estimated 6 to 20 million slaves from West Africa, shipped to other parts. Gold Coast since the arrival of the Europeans the centre of West Africa in the slave trade.

In 1874 drew Great Britain officially the Gold Coast Colony. In 1878 cocoa was introduced in Gold Coast, which now has become the main export product of Ghana.
 

In 1954, a new Constitution was introduced, which many major powers granted to Nkrumah, the first Ghanaian president. On March 6, 1957 was the last of the British domination in Ghana and became the country - as one of the first African countries - finally independently. After this autonomy, there are still a number of coups committed, until finally the country was stable.

In 1964, the famous Akosombo dam completed. This dam will ensure that the Lake Volta - the largest lake in the world that was created by humans – can deliver much energy through hydropower. Unfortunately, almost six hundred villages and towns had to be moved to make room for it. Eighty thousand people had tot look for another place of residence.

The oldest of Ghana game is Oware. It is played in several African countries. The game is for two players and it looks like Backgammon, but it looks different and has 24 stones. The board is usually made of wood, with 12 holes / trays in, 6 on each side. It is played by young and old and it is very fanatic. It is also alleged by some earlier wars that were fought with this game.

 
Another very important game is football. Ghanaian boys do everything to be a football hero. They all want in the Ghanaian Black Stars team. Many Ghanaian footballers are playing in Europe. In 1882 came the first black footballer to England. This was Arthur Wharton, a Ghanaian

Typically Ghanaian

The most typical Ghanaian objects which markets are made by hand. The Ashanti's, for example, made famous by weaving the Kent ceremonial clothing.

 

In addition, there are a lot of Ghanaian market wooden images, as well as gold jewellery, baskets and homemade drums. Knowledge of creating this stuff is passed on generation to generation. The food in Ghana is very different than in Europe. They mainly eat spicy soup with a kind of potatoes (yam) or rice. They also eat a lot of beans. Fufu is a real luxury feast, or for Sundays. Fufu is made of cassava and yam or plantain. This is boiled and then crushed, by stamping a long time with a special stick / pole. This becomes a sticky ball, which is served with a spicy soup (light soup).
 

It is in Ghana very normal that you eat on the street. You get your food than with a chop bar, where you sit on a bench to eat - just on the streets. By chop-bars you can usually eat fufu, banku, fried plantain (banana species) and fried yam (type of potato). You can also add a boiled or fried egg on bread. There is a lot of cocoa in Ghana, so you will probably think that you are also the best chocolate in the world can get. This is unfortunately not the case, since almost all cocoa to the western countries is exported and there is the processed into chocolate. In Ghana will be produced chocolate, but this is not the same quality as the chocolate in the West.

Ghana has freedom of religion. There are many religions. The religion with the largest following in Ghana is Christianity (63%), followed by Islam (16%) and the Traditional African religions (21%). All these religions live in peace with each other. Religion belongs to the life of a Ghanaian. They do not understand that there are people who 'do' believe. The north of Ghana is predominantly Islamic. This is because in the past was far acted with the empire of the Sahel, which flows through the northern Ghana arrived in about the 13th century. The South has more influence of the Europeans, which has ensured that Christianity has done since his entry. There are an awful lot of different churches - almost all of various departments' of Christianity - allowing you sometimes the wood for the trees no longer sees. Some churches have gone a bit along with the traditional African religions. In Ghana you have many traditional celebrations from the past, when the traditional religions still dominated. These celebrations vary from one village or area. In the traditional religions ancestors are very important, just like the people who can speak with the gods, such as the Fetish Priest. Through these people-the people can communicate with the gods.

Ghanaians have the English language over from the colonial era. In Ghana, they have an English school system and if they still have more things. But Ghanaians continue Ghanaians. Their character they have kept their special properties they have retained. Ghanaians are in the first respect tremendously friendly and very hospitable, even if you're a stranger to them. Are you even if you encounter against strangers on the street? If anyone would come to me and would ask whether I know a place where that person can stay overnight, I would suggest to him than my house or a hotel? And if somebody wants to eat something, I would go to my kitchen him or designate him a restaurant? In addition to this incredible hospitality, Ghanaians are also very quiet, or in other words: relaxed. They live each day and each moment. With each moment, I mean the following: If a Ghanaian trip to school and he is someone who at one time he has not seen, then he remains there and join us, just so long as that he needs. He is currently engaged. If they are ready to talk, then he focuses on his route, he goes to school, where he then too late. It will come too late to some extent accepted, someone you can not just walk past. An appointment is made for a day, so "in the morning, in the afternoon or at night I come along." There is very little stress on 'come too late. “Relationships with friends and family and other acquaintances are more important than the agenda and its timetable. Ghanaians are very friendly, which sometimes can lead to frustration. If there is a lot of people are very friendly, and if everyone you always somehow and you always want to make the road - while you're looking for is not the right way - that can be extended to up to frustration. But it went and at a given moment you have people who maybe even necessary,