The two year war between the British and the Ashanti was brought to an end in 1874 when the defeated King, Asantehene, signed a treaty with the British. The Gold Coast colony was created. Independence was achieved in 1957, and the country named after an Islamic empire that existed a thousand years ago in the Sahel region south-west of the Sahara.
A brief introduction to the history of Ghana from the time of early humans to the present day. Part 1 - Early Kingdoms to Independence
A brief introduction to the history of Ghana from the time of early humans to the present day. Part 2 - Nkrumah to Rawlings
A brief introduction to the history of Ghana from the time of early humans to the present day. Part 3 - Rawlings to Present Day
A useful potted history is included with these US Department of State Background Notes on Ghana. Also included is a range of political, economic, and geographical data, as well as information on its people, defense, and relations with the US.
The Library of Congress Country Study for Ghana provides an excellent and fairly detailed history of the country. This information was originally compiled for the US Department of Army in case of potential deployment -- examining the historical, social, economic, and political background the country. (The only problem with this site is the awkwardness of navigating so many pages.)
A quirky, colloquial presentation of Ghana’s history presented by LonelyPlanet.com. Makes awfully good reading and may galvanize your interest in Africa’s regional history. Not only suitable for travelers.
An extremely brief historical overview accompanies this BBC Country Profile of Ghana. Of particular interest are the simplified regional map (see where the country is in Africa), a photograph of Ghana’s current Chief of State, and details about the countries media.
A chronology of important events in the history of Ghana given by year (and for more recent events by month also).
A useful map and a range of geographical, political, and economic facts which are mostly up-to-date. Unfortunately this country profile lacks historical information (except for independence date), but the population statistics are probably the best available.
Updated weekly, this list of Ghana's Chief of State and Cabinet Ministers is provided by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States of America.
As well as the usual Country Profile information available on the web, AlertNet offers up to date news headlines about humanitarian efforts and crises in Ghana.
