Ghana is a country in Africa, in West Africa, with about 35.1 million people (2025) and an area of 238,539 square kilometres. Its capital is Accra, and it shares land borders with 3 countries.
By Team Geography·Last reviewed
Flag of GhanaGhana in solid, land neighbours outlined, capital marked.
The app teaches each country through short hand written lenses: PLACE for physical geography, STORY for history and identity, NOW for the news, and THREAD for the ties between countries. Here is one of Ghana's 17, in full.
PLACELens 1 of 17
Ghana sits at the bend of West Africa where the coast turns east
Ghana occupies the Gulf of Guinea coastline at the point where West Africa's coast pivots from north-south to east-west. The country is compact, about the size of the UK, with a southern coast that Europeans once called the Gold Coast for the commodity that drew them there from the 15th century onward. Inland, the Volta River system feeds Lake Volta, one of the world's largest artificial lakes, created to power Ghana's aluminum smelters and electrify the nation.
More on Lake Volta
Created by the Akosombo Dam in 1965, Lake Volta covers roughly 8,500 km², one of the largest artificial lakes by surface area in the world. The dam generates the majority of Ghana's hydroelectric power.
16 more lenses on Ghana in the app
STORY Ghana was the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence
STORY The Ashanti Kingdom built one of pre-colonial Africa's most sophisticated states
NOW Ghana's debt crisis tested West Africa's most celebrated democracy
THREAD Ghana anchors West African democracy and hosts the AfCFTA secretariat
PLACE Accra, Kumasi and the zero meridian
STORY Abedi Pele and the Ayew inheritance
NOW The academy that exports Ghana to Europe
THREAD The night Ghana stood one kick away
PLACE Kumasi and the kingdom in the forest
STORY The president who named the Black Stars
NOW The long climb back from a low ebb
THREAD The talent corridor along the Gulf of Guinea
PLACE A straight coast with nowhere for ships to shelter
NOW Gold is winning the argument against Ghana's cocoa
THREAD Two neighbors set the price of chocolate
PLACE The delta stopped being rebuilt and the sea advanced
Titles only. The app brings each lens back on a spaced repetition schedule set by how well you knew it: New, Hazy or Clear.
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Common questions
What is the capital of Ghana?
The capital of Ghana is Accra. Accra lies at about 5.6 degrees north and 0.2 degrees west. Ghana is in Africa, in the region often called West Africa. It is home to about 35.1 million people. The world capitals quiz on this site tests every capital, and the printable capitals sheets cover each continent.
What is the population of Ghana?
About 35.1 million people live in Ghana, according to the World Bank figures for 2025. That makes it the 47th most populous of the 195 countries. With an area of 238,539 square kilometres, that is about 147 people per square kilometre.
What countries border Ghana?
Ghana shares land borders with 3 countries: Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire and Togo. The map on this page outlines each of them around Ghana. The count includes only borders on land, not neighbours across a sea or a lake. Borders here follow Natural Earth at the 1:50 million scale, with Crimea shown as part of Ukraine and Western Sahara as a separate territory.
How big is Ghana?
Ghana covers 238,539 square kilometres, or about 92,100 square miles. That makes it the 80th largest of the 195 countries. The figure is total surface area, which includes inland water such as lakes and rivers. Its population of about 35.1 million gives a density of 147 people per square kilometre.
Ghana is a country in Africa, in West Africa, with about 35.1 million people (2025) and an area of 238,539 square kilometres. Its capital is Accra, and it shares land borders with 3 countries.
Capital
Accra
Continent
Africa
Region
West Africa
Population
35,064,272 2025, World Bank. 47th of 195.
Area
238,539 km² (92,100 sq mi) World Bank, surface area. 80th largest of 195.
Population density
147 people per km²
Land neighbours
3: Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo
Official name
Republic of Ghana
UN status
Member state
PLACE · from the Geography app
Ghana sits at the bend of West Africa where the coast turns east
Ghana occupies the Gulf of Guinea coastline at the point where West Africa's coast pivots from north-south to east-west. The country is compact, about the size of the UK, with a southern coast that Europeans once called the Gold Coast for the commodity that drew them there from the 15th century onward. Inland, the Volta River system feeds Lake Volta, one of the world's largest artificial lakes, created to power Ghana's aluminum smelters and electrify the nation.
Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/ghana/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
Geography · Country report
Ghana
NameDate
Draw the flag
Colour Ghana on the map, then fill in what you find.
Capital
Continent
Population
Area
Languages
Currency
Neighbours
Landmarks
Rivers or mountains
Three things I learned
1
2
3
One question I still have
?
Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/ghana/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
