In the whole of West Africa, Ghana is one of the most prominent destinations for tourists all over the world. It is a generally friendly and safe country that is full of life, culture, good beaches, colorful festivals and many historical sites. The country’s several major cities include Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, Takoradi, Achiaman, Tema, Teshie, Cape Coast, Sekondi-Takoradi an Obuasi, in the order of their size. These cities are situated all over Ghana. However, in this article, we will concentrate on Tamale that is to the North of the country, the only large city in the north of Ghana. Read on to find out more on Tamale Ghana – 10 interesting facts.

Tamale Ghana

1. It is a common knowledge that Accra is the capital city of Ghana. However, the country also has other cities and only Tamale is in the northern region. Given this, Tamale acts as the capital city of the northern region in Ghana, which is occupied by the Mole-Dagomba people. The city has a capacity of just over 350,000 people.

2. Tamale is the city in which there is a perfect architectural blend of modern buildings and traditional slum, and is inhabited by people that are very hospitable and warm and that have a great respect for the traditional political system that they have in place, a system that was introduced more than four hundred years ago by the settlers.

3. Tamale is the most fertile place in the whole of Ghana. As such, it acts as the food basket providing yams, meat, and cereals in plenty to the whole of the nation. In their local markets, these items retail at a very cheap price in comparison to other places in Ghana.

4. Despite the fact that its economy is mostly dependent on agriculture, it is reputed as being one of the cities in the whole of West Africa that is fast growing. And this is despite the fact that it is not rich in natural resources and its natives are mostly farmers.

5. Another fun and very interesting thing about Tamale is the fact that it has been voted as the cleanest and tidiest city in the whole of Ghana by the tourist board of Ghana. And this is not the first time it was happening. The city has received the recognition three consecutive times. The city also has a well-developed road network that connects it to other regions, cities and towns in the country.

More Interesting Facts about Tamale Ghana

6. The most popular means of transportation in the city, which are used by locals mostly, are bikes and motorbikes. It is considered the most bike-friendly city since it has the infrastructure set aside for the use of these vehicles. Tourists however mostly use taxis to get around the city.

7. Tamale is run by a Mayor-Council system, where the mayor carries all the executive powers. He is appointed by the president of Ghana but has to be passed by the town council. However, residents of the city are fighting to get the office to be more accountable by having a mayor whom they elect.

8. Unlike other cities in the country, Tamale is fairly close to the Sahara desert which gives its inhabitants a chance to bask and enjoy the perfect tropical sunbath. In the harmattan season, there are usually two extreme weather conditions daily, extreme colds in the early morning and afternoons that are very warm.

9. Unlike other cities in the world, Tamale has a suburb known as the Education Ridge (in the northwest part). The suburb is about 3km sq in size and has over 20 schools ranging from kindergartens to junior secondary to senior secondary schools, polytechnics, colleges, and universities. As a whole, however, the city has over 742 schools, which makes it the center of education in the northern part of Ghana.

10. Despite the many tourists that travel, the city is like any other West African city when it comes to religion. It is dominated by Islam as the presence of several mosques in the city spells out. Also, the natives of the town come from an Islamic background.

After reading this article, you should be having a better understanding of Tamale Ghana. It serves as a very good tourist destination for those looking to get away as it also has several tourist attraction sites, hotels restaurants, and museums that you are bound to be interested in.