Considered West Africa’s most welcoming country, Ghana offers sun and sand, vital modern and traditional expressions of culture and a lesson in the fault lines created when far-flung villages come up against the forces of modernization.

Ghana is generally flat: in fact, the whole country lies below 1000 meters. The northern two thirds are a low plateau. The country’s major asset is 500 kilometers of coastline, stretching form Cote d’Ivoire to Togo. Dominating its eastern flank is Lake Volta, the world’s largest artificial lake.

Ghana is one of the most densely populated countries in West Africa. Compared to other countries in the region, Ghana has a diverse and vibrant economy. The bulk of the country’s labour force is employed in agriculture, which accounts for 37 percent of its GDP and 35 percent of its export earnings. Attempts to diversify the economy and reduce Ghana’s dependence on gold and cocoa have let to increased exports of timber, shea-nut butter, tobacco, cotton and pineapples.