Ghanaians

The ethnogenesis of Ghanaians is traced back to nomadic migration from Nubia along the Sahara desert then south to the Gold Coast, and the Ghanaian ethnogenesis taking place on the Ghanaian Gold Coast region from the 10th to 16th century AD. Early Ghanaians were involved in a lucrative trade with gold bars and other natural minerals to the Portuguese in 1471; these Ghanaian states were among the wealthiest on the African continent from the 17th century onwards, following successful further expansion of lucrative Ghanaian gold bars trading to the Dutch, Prussian and Scandinavians from the 16th century through to the 20th century. Early Ghanaians established a number of powerful kingdoms and empires from the 10th to 17th century, some of which became great powers in the west African region. The Republic of Ghana was the first African country to gain independence from European colonial rule. ==Demographics and genetics==

More than 90% of the Ghanaian citizens in Ghana live in urban areas—a figure higher than the world average. The rate of Ghana's population growth is at the world average. Indigenous Ghanaians also belong to paternal lineages at 2.2% E1a. Indigenous Ghanaians in Ghana are 1.1% E1b1b clade bearers, a haplogroup that is most common in North Africa and the Horn of Africa. West Eurasian haplogroup R1b is present in 1.1% of the population. ==National identity and citizenship in Ghana==

The inhabitants of Ghana possessing Ghanaian passports are 20 million persons, including an additional 3‒4 million persons abroad. Ghana has a diverse population that reflects its colorful history and the peoples who have populated the region from ancient times to the present, with the historic amalgam of the main groups forming the basis of Ghana's current demographics. Native West Africans make up 98% of the population. There is also a new population of Asians, Middle Easterners, Europeans and other recent immigrants. To obtain Ghanaian nationality, one must be naturalized after seven years of Ghana Card permanent residency. The Asians, Middle Easterners and Europeans who have lived in Ghana for most of their lives have acquired Ghanaian citizenship, which is granted without any discrimination. Two thirds, or 67%, of Ghanaians speak English. There are more than 100 ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language. However, languages that belong to the same ethnic group are usually mutually intelligible. There are nine language family groups and 11 languages from these groups are officially sponsored by the government: Akuapem Twi, Asante Twi, Ewe, Fante, Ga, Dangme, Dagbani, Nzema, Ahanta language (Ahantas) Dagaare, Gonja and Kasena. During the colonial era, a number of Europeans intermarried with Africans and had offspring, who include such notable Gold Coasters as Carel Hendrik Bartels and James Bannerman. Most European settlers left the Gold Coast after it won independence. Currently, the most significant immigrant populations in Ghana are Africans from other countries on the continent, Asians (Indians and Chinese), some of them Europeans (Britons, Portuguese, Dutch, French, Italians, Latin Americans, Poles, Scandinavians, and Germans), and Middle Easterners, particularly Lebanese and Syrians. ==Nationalism, independence and transformation to republic==

about the independence of Ghana in 1957. The Ghanaian nationalism was suspended by the Ghanaian government during the time of World War II, but was resumed in 1945. The Ghanaians allied with the Allies in World War II. On 12 June 1949, Kwame Nkrumah, formed the first governing party in the history of the Gold Coast, which refused to cooperate with the colonial authorities and which led to the achievement of Ghanaian independence and the opposition to the 1951 Constitution, in which Nkrumah was incarcerated together with his collaborators. Nkrumah became the first prime minister. On 1 July 1960, Nkrumah drew up the first Constitution of Ghana; the British monarch ceased to be head of state, and Ghana became a republic. == Population ==

Approximately 5% of Ghanaian citizens live in rural areas and 95% in urban areas. The rate of urbanization estimated for the period 2010–2015 is 4% per annum, one of the highest among developing countries. ==Subgroups==

Ghanaian Arabs Ghanaian Arabs are Ghanaians and citizens of Arab origin or descent. Ghanaian Arabs are mainly from Lebanon, Syria and Arab Maghreb. Ghana has the largest Arab population in western Africa. Ghanaian Indians Ghanaian Indians are Ghanaians and citizens of Indian origin or descent. Many Ghanaian Indians are descendants of those who migrated from India following India's partition in 1947. Ghanaian Chinese Ghanaian Jews ==Diaspora==

There are 3–4 million Ghanaians in the diaspora. Ghanaian Australians Ghanaian Australians are dual citizens with Australia and residents of Ghanaian origin and descent. More than 50% of all Ghanaian-born Australians live in Sydney, New South Wales. Ghanaian Americans Ghanaian Americans are dual citizens with America and residents of Ghanaian origin and descent. Ghanaian Canadians Ghanaian Canadians are dual citizens with Canada and residents of Ghanaian origin and descent. Ghanaian British Ghanaian British are dual citizens with Britain and residents of Ghanaian origin and descent. Ghanaian Germans Ghanaian New Zealanders Ghanaian New Zealanders are dual citizens with New Zealand and residents of Ghanaian origin and descent. Ghanaian Nigerians An estimated 45,000 people of Ghanaian descent reside in Nigeria. Ghanaian South Africans Ghanaian South Africans are dual citizens with South Africa and residents of Ghanaian origin and descent. Ghanaian Surinamese and Guyanese Ndyuka (also spelled "Djuka") or Aukan or Okanisi sama, are a Ghanaian Akan subgroup who live in Eastern Suriname and west of French Guiana and speak the Ndyuka language, a sub-language of the Akan language. They were shipped as imported labourers slaves from the Gold Coast (modern-day Ghana) to Suriname about 300 years ago to work on Dutch-owned plantations. Ndyukas or Aukans are subdivided into the Opu, who live upstream of the Tapanahony River of southeastern Suriname, and the Bilo, who live downstream of that river. They further subdivide themselves into 14 matrilinear kinship groups called lo. Ghanaian Japanese ==Culture==

Ghana's cultural diversity is most evident in cuisine, arts, literature, heritage, music, dance, clothing, and sports. Kente is a Ghanaian ceremonial cloth traditionally used as the national costume. Kente is hand-woven on a horizontal treadle loom in strips measuring about 4 inches wide, which are sewn together into larger pieces of cloth. Cloths come in various colours, sizes and designs, which have different meanings, and are worn on important social occasions.-->Notable Ghanaian authors include novelists Ayi Kwei Armah (The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born), Ama Ata Aidoo (Our Sister Killjoy: or Reflections from a Black-eyed Squint) and J. E. Casely Hayford, author of Osiris Rising. In addition to novels, other literary genres such as theatre and poetry have been well developed at a national level. Ghanaian music incorporates several distinct types of instruments, including talking drums, the atenteben and koloko lute, the atumpan, and log xylophones used in asonko music. The most well-known genre to come from Ghana is highlife. Highlife originated in the late 19th century and early 20th century. In the 1990s, a new genre of music, hiplife, was created through the combination of highlife, Afro-reggae, dancehall and hip hop. Hiplife is the most popular Ghanaian music, followed by the other genre of Ghanaian music, highlife. Ghanaian dance is globally well known and performed worldwide. Sports in Ghana is dominated by association football represented by the Ghana Premier League and the Ghana national football team. The rich culture in Ghana led to the annual festival held at the capital region, Greater Accra at the James Town township which is celebrated along with the Homowo festival. This new festival called Chale Wote has caught the eyes of many who seek to experience the true Ghanaian culture and festival for themselves. ==Women==

ing and national costume. In Ghanaian society polygyny – marriages in which men are permitted to have more than one wife at the same time Women living at the highest socioeconomic status exhibit the highest literacy rates at 85%, while only 31% of women living at the lowest socioeconomic status are literate. Net enrolment and attendance ratios for primary school were both about the same for males and females, net enrollment standing at about 84% and net attendance at about 73%. Within the informal sector, women usually work in personal services. Feminist organizing has increased in Ghana as women seek to obtain a stronger role in the nation's democratic government. The National Council for Women and Development (NCWD) is fervent in its stance that the social and economic well-being of women, who compose slightly more than half of the nation's population, cannot be taken for granted. In 2007, the government of Ghana took legal proceedings to prosecute men who abuse their women. ==Republic of Ghana (1957–present)==

, Rawlings, Kufuor, Mills and Mahama. In 1966, Nkrumah was deposed, after which Ghana entered a period of military rule. On 31 December 1981, the regime led by Flight lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings installed the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), of which he became chairman.