Ashanti Region

Location and size

The Ashanti Region is centrally located in the middle belt of Ghana. It lies between longitudes 0.15W and 2.25W, and latitudes 5.50N and 7.46N. The region shares boundaries with four of the ten political regions, Brong-Ahafo Region in the north, Eastern region in the east, Central region in the south and Western region in the South west. The region is divided into 27 districts, each headed by a District Chief Executive.

Parks

• Bobiri Forest Butterfly Sanctuary
• Bomfobiri Wildlife Sanctuary
• Digya National Park
• Kogyae Strict Nature Reserve
• Owabi Forest Reserve and Bird Sanctuary

Recreation areas

• Centre for National Culture
• Rattray Park

Historic sites

• Komfo Anokye Sword
• Manhyia Palace Museum
• Kumasi Fort and Military Museum
• Armed Forces Museum
• The Prempeh II Jubilee Museum
• The Asante Traditional Buildings

Festivals

Several festivals are celebrated in the region, the major ones being the Akwasidae and Adae Kese. These are religious festivals celebrated by some members of the Akan ethnic group of which the Ashanti belong. The festivals are celebrated to remember past leaders and heroes. Though they are dead, their spirits are believed to be alive and taking interest in the affairs of the living, watching their actions, and consulting with them during the Adae festival.

• Papa Festival
• Kente Festival
• Yaa Asantewaa Festival
• Mmoa Nni Nko Festival
• Nkyidwo Festival

Other tourist attractions

• Kejetia Market
• Patakro shrine
• Adinkra cloth printing in Ntonso

Population

The center of population of the Ashanti Region is located in the Kumasi Metropolitan District. According to the 2000 census, the region had a population of 3,612,950, making it the most populous region; however, its density (148.1 per square km) is lower than that of Central (162.2/km²) Region.^[4] Majority of Ashanti region’s population are Ethnic Akans and citizens by birth (94.2%) with five per cent naturalized Ghanaians. A smaller proportion (5.8%) of the population originate from outside Ashanti and Akanland or Ghana, made up of 3.7 per cent mainly from the five English-speaking countries of ECOWAS and 2.1 per cent from other African countries. The non-African population living in the region is 1.8 per cent of the total population. Akans are the predominant ethnic group in the region, representing 94.2% of citizens by birth. A high proportion (82.9%) of the Akan population is Ashanti.^[5]

Senior high schools

Higher education

The Ashanti region has one public university, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and a Polytechnic in Kumasi. In addition, there are a number of private universities and university colleges spread throughout the region.