Ghanaian Arabs

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ghanaian Arabs
غانيون عرب
Total population
c. 79,797
Regions with significant populations
 Ghana 69,500
 Lebanon 10,297
Languages
Arabic • English (Ghanaian English) • Akan
Religion
Christianity • Islam
Related ethnic groups
Ghanaians • Lebanese • Arabs • Afro-Arabs • Semites

Ghanaian Arabs (Akan: Nkɔmbɔtwetwe Arabia Gaana; Arabic: غانيون عرب‎) 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.

Distribution

The vast majority of Ghanaian Arabs live in major cities and towns in south central, south eastern, south western or southern Ghana. Coastal cities such as Accra, Cape Coast, Sekondi-Takoradi, and Tema also have Ghanaian Arab populations. In general most of Ghana south of Kumasi has a high proportion of Ghanaian Arabs, while south central and southern coast of Ghana has a high concentration of Ghanaian Arabs. Apart from Accra and Kumasi, Coastal Areas and Southern Ghana, there are Ghanaian Arab communities in Koforidua, Sunyani and there are Ghanaian-Lebanese citizens in Lebanon.

History

The First Lady of Ghana, Fathia Nkrumah with son Gamal Nkrumah the international affairs editor of Al Ahram Weekly newspaper of Egypt.

Arabs have been present in Ghana for millennia, mostly as merchants in the 15th century, then into the 21st century as business people, and due to this intermarriage has occurred with also the production offsprings of Afro-Arabs; Fathia Nkrumah is a notable Arab with ties to Ghana. She was the late wife of Ghana's first president and revolutionist Kwame Nkrumah, whose marriage was seen as helping plant the seeds of cooperation between Egypt and other African countries as they struggled for independence from European colonization. This helped advance the formation of the African Union.[1] Arabs who have lived in Ghana for most of their lives have acquired Ghanaian citizenship.

Economics

The Ghanaian Arabs play a significant role in Ghana's film industry, football and economy, mostly Lebanese business people or Syrians own many businesses in Ghana, such as restaurants, hotel chains, import and export companies. Historically Arab merchants have been operating in Ghana and across Sub-Saharan Africa for millennia.[2][3]

Notable Ghanaian Arabs

Jordan Ayew winning 2011 Trophée des Champions with Marseille and Ghana international.

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ In order to gain Ghanaian citizenship one is required to be able to speak and understand the Akan language.

References

  1. ↑ African Union Summit
  2. ↑ Migration in Ghana. encyclopedia.com. 2007. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  3. ↑ Country Paper: Ghana. 2008. Retrieved 25 June 2012.

External links

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