Western Region (Ghana)

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Location
Western Region

Statistics
Regional Minister	Joseph Aidoo (NPP)
Capital	Sekondi-Takoradi
Area	23,921 km² Ranked 4th
Population 2000 Census 1984 Census	Ranked 4th 1,924,577 1,157,807
Districts	13
ISO 3166-2	GH-WP

The Western Region of Ghana includes the large cities of Sekondi and Takoradi on the coast, coastal Axim and a hilly inland area including Elubo, that reaches from the Côte d'Ivoire border in the west, to the Central Region in the east. It includes Ghana's southernmost location, Cape Three Points.

The region has the highest rainfall in Ghana, lush green hills and fertile soils. There are numerous small and large-scale gold mines. The culture is dominated by the Nzema, Wassa, Sefwi, Ahanta branches of the Akan culture, and the main languages are Fante, Wassa, Sefwi, Ahanta, Nzema and English. The religions are predominantly Christian and African Traditional Religions.

The founder of modern independent Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah was born (and later temporarily buried) in the village of Nkroful, west of Axim where he once taught school in the 1930's.

The largest rivers are the Ankobra River, The Bia River, the Pra River in the east and the Tano River partly forming the western national border. The area is known for the village of Nzulezo built entirely on stilts and platforms over water, and the Ankasa Protected Area. There is a series of imposing Portuguese, Dutch, British, and Brandenburgian forts along the coast, built from 1512 on.

The Region has a lot of post-secondary schools, they include Teacher and Nursing colleges, Polytechnics and a university at Tarkwa, the University of Mines and Technology.