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Ghana Volta Basin
Occupying the central part of Ghana, the Volta Basin covers
about 45 percent of the nation's total land surface. Its northern
section, which lies above the upper part of Lake Volta, rises to a
height of 150 to 215 meters above sea level. Elevations of the
Konkori Scarp to the west and the Gambaga Scarp to the north reach
from 300 to 460 meters. To the south and the southwest, the basin
is less than 300 meters. The Kwahu Plateau marks the southern end
of the basin, although it forms a natural part of the Ashanti
Uplands.
The basin is characterized by poor soil, generally of Voltaian
sandstone. Annual rainfall averages between 1,000 and 1,140
millimeters. The most widespread vegetation type is savanna, the
woodlands of which, depending on local soil and climatic
conditions, may contain such trees as Red Ironwood and Shea.
The basin's population, principally farmers, is low in density,
especially in the central and northwestern areas of the basin,
where tsetse flies are common. Archeological finds indicate,
however, that the region was once more heavily populated. Periodic
burning evidently occurred over extensive areas for perhaps more
than a millennium, exposing the soil to excessive drying and
erosion, rendering the area less attractive to cultivators.
In contrast with the rest of the region are the Afram Plains,
located in the southeastern corner of the basin. Here the terrain
is low, averaging 60 to 150 meters in elevation, and annual
rainfall is between 1,140 and about 1,400 millimeters. Near the
Afram River, much of the surrounding countryside is flooded or
swampy during the rainy seasons. With the construction of Lake
Volta (8,515 hectares in surface area) in the mid-1960s, much of
the Afram Plains was submerged. Despite the construction of roads
to connect communities displaced by the lake, road transportation
in the region remains poor. Renewed efforts to improve
communications, to enhance agricultural production, and to improve
standards of living began in earnest only in the mid-1980s.
Data as of November 1994
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