History & Culture
Tamale, a bustling regional capital located about 400 miles north of the Atlantic coast in West Africa, is the fastest-growing city in West Africa and the fourth largest in Ghana. The economy is predominantly agricultural, but Tamale is also a center for manufactured goods and a regional marketing, administrative, educational and medical center.
The history of Tamale can be broken into three periods: African rule, British colonialism, and finally independence. Tamale was founded in the early 1907 by the British as an administrative center for the Northern Territories of the Gold Coast. The city remained in this position until Ghana achieved independence, the first country in Africa to do so, from Britain on March 6, 1957.
The architecture of the city is a mixture of traditional and modern styles. Ornate mosques, modern and historic, contrast with the region’s conical mud houses. One of the city’s recent architectural accomplishments was the construction of the new sports stadium, primarily used for the soccer team, Real Tamale United.
Throughout Tamale, and its administrative region, English is considered the official language, but in daily life most people use Dagbani, the language of the Dagomba people. The Dagomba people make up the largest ethnic group, but other large groups in the North include Nanumba, Mampursi, Goja, and Komkombas.
Fast Facts
- City Founded in: Ancient times
- Population: 360,579
- Language: English & Dagbani
- Mayor: Iddrisu Musah
National Holidays
- New Year’s Day (January 1st)
- Independence Day (March 6th)
- Good Friday
- Easter Sunday
- May Day (May 1st)
- Africa Unity Day (May 25th)
- Ramadan
- Republic Day (July 1st)
- Damba Festival
- Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day/Founder’s Day (September 21st)
- Farmer’s Day (December 7th)
- Christmas Day (December 25th)
- Boxing Day (December 26th)
