About Ghana:

The Republic of Ghana is located on the West African coast, about five degrees north of the equator. Although it is only about the size of the state of Oregon in land area, the country contains a diverse range of ecosystems. Its rain forests and savannas are home to elephants, crocodiles, monkeys, and many other exotic species.

Ghana's 23 million people belong to dozens of different ethnic groups, each with its own language and unique history. The largest ethnic group are the Ashanti, whose precolonial empire encompassed much of the territory that Ghana now occupies. However, the Ashanti work alongside the Ewe, the Ga, and the many other ethnicities of Ghana to create a government that is considered among the most democratic in sub-Saharan Africa.

Before it gained its independence in 1957, Ghana -- then called the Gold Coast for its major export -- was ruled as a colony of the British Empire. It was the first colony in sub-Saharan Africa to win independence from a European power. Ghana has managed to escape many of the nightmarish problems that have plagued other African nations, remaining peaceful and politically stable while some of its neighbors have descended into civil war and violence. As President Barack Obama noted on his trip to Ghana in July 2009, the country has been a regional leader in promoting economic and political reforms. Nevertheless, despite its admirable progress towards achieving a free and prosperous society for its people, Ghana faces many sobering problems.

Foremost among Ghana's problems is the simple fact of poverty. Today, raw agricultural commodities such as coffee and cocoa have replaced gold as the country's primary exports. Because of global rules of trade that favor wealthier nations, Ghana produces very few finished goods that give it economic clout; this means that most Ghanaians eke out a living as poor farmers. Thousands of Ghanaian children die each year from easily treatable diseases such as malaria. By working to supplement the tremendous will and creativity of the Ghanaian people with improved access to education and credit, the Yonso Project is assisting communities in this remarkable nation to achieve their full potential.

To learn more about Ghana, don't take it from us -- hear what Ghanaians themselves are saying. The Ghana HomePage, the most visited website in the country, contains everything from popular music videos to the latest political news.