Tropical climate - hot and humid with heavy rainfall

Climate is affected by a hot, dry air mass from the NE and a tropical maritime air mass from the SW

Harmattan - dry desert wind from the NE - results in hot days and cool nights with low humidity in January

Two rainy seasons - April - July, September - November

Humidity levels can reach 100%

Mean yearly temperatures range from 78 to 84 degrees fahrenheit

Warmest month is January and coolest is July

CLIMATE

“Average Weather in Accra, Ghana.” World Weather & Climate Information. Web. 1 Sept. 2015. <https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-Rainfall-Temperature-Sunshine,Accra,Ghana>. This website provided some simple facts on the weather in Accra, the capital state of Ghana and a nearby city.

Davies, Oliver. “Ghana | History - Geography.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 Nov. 2013. Web. 1 Sept. 2015. <http://www.britannica.com/place/Ghana>. This website provided specific information on the climate in all of Ghana, includ-ing the interplay of the two air masses, and details about the two rainy seasons that occur in the South.

“Ghana: Geography, Location, Weather Etc.” GhanaWeb. Web. 1 Sept. 2015. This website provided general information on the cli-mate in Ghana, including an explanation of the tropical climate.

AGRICULTURE/ECOLOGY

Agriculture crops - cocoa, yams, grains, oil palms, kola nuts, and timber. Ghana produces a variety of crops in various climate zones: dry savanna to wet forest.

Livestock - integrating it with tree crop plantations/farming systems. Major rearing of cattle, sheep, and goats.

Southern Ghana - evergreen and semidecidous forests consisting of tall silk cottons, kolas, and valuable West African hardwoods: mahogany, odum, and ebony. The Oil Palm is also found throughout the south.

Animals - The Forest Regions are habitats for monkeys, snakes, and antelopes. The river contains crocodiles and there are over 725 bird species. Elephants and Lions are rare and found mostly in nature reserves in the savannah.

AGRICULTUREAgriculture crops - cocoa, yams, grains, oil palms, kola nuts, and timber. Ghana produces a variety of crops in various climate zones: dry savanna to wet forest.

Coastal region - fishing and small scale farming is prominent

Forest Zone - the main agricultural zone: Cocoa bean is the main crop

Northern Savannah - rearing livestock and growing yams, rice, millet, shea, and kola nuts

There has been a striking agricultural change from 1975-200 in land use.

Agricultureal Lands tend to grament the land and harm natural habitats.

Forest Class declining especially the unique Gallery Forest.

The Gallery Forests are the most biologically rich habitat.

22% Decline in forests in the past 25 years.

ECOLOGYSouthern Ghana - evergreen and semidecidous forests consisting of tall silk cottons, kolas, and valuable West African hardwoods: mahogany, odum, and ebony. The Oil Palm is also found throughout the south.

Animals - The Forest Regions are habitats for monkeys, snakes, and antelopes. The river contains crocodiles and there are over 725 bird species. Elephants and Lions are rare and found mostly in nature reserves in the savannah.

There are six ecological zones in Ghana.