| Upper West Region | ||
| Location | ||
|---|---|---|
| Statistics | ||
| Regional Minister | Hon Mahamud Khalid | |
| Capital | Wa | |
| Area | 18,476 km² Ranked 7th |
|
| Population 2000 Census 1984 Census |
Ranked 10th 576,583 438,008 |
|
| Districts | 8 | |
| ISO 3166-2 | GH-UW | |
The Upper West Region of Ghana is located in the northwestern corner of the country and is bordered by Burkina Faso to the north. The capital and largest city is Wa. Other towns include Nandom, Daffiema, Jirapa, Kaleo, Nadowli, Lawra and Tumu.
The major ethnic groups are the Dagaba, Sisaala and Wala. The Dagaba live in the western part of the region, the Sisaala live in the eastern areas, and the Wala live in Wa and a few of the nearby villages. The Sisaala and Dagaba are mostly Christian and animist, while most Wala are Muslim; Wa is the largest predominantly Islamic city in Ghana. Waali, the language of the Wala, and the Dagaare language are mutually intelligible.
It is in this region to the south of Wa, toursist can find the Wechiau Hippopotamus Sanctuary.
The major economic activity of the region is agriculture. Crops grown include corn, millet, groundnuts, okro, shea butter, and rice. Sheep, goats, chickens, pigs and guinea fowl are raised for meat and eggs. Because the region is poor and the dry season is long, extending roughly from October to May, many people leave the area to work in the southern part of Ghana for at least part of the year.
A distinctive feature of the region's culture is the brewing of pito (pronounced PEE-toe) a sweet, mildly alcoholic beverage derived from millet. The pito is sold by the brewers in open air bars and drunk from calabashes.
The Upper West Region of Ghana contains the following 8 districts:
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