Bolgatanga
Town in Upper East Region, Ghana From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bolgatanga (Frafra: Bɔlegataŋa), colloquially known as Bolga, is a town and the capital of the Bolgatanga Municipal and the Upper East Region of Ghana,[4][5] adjacent to the border with Burkina Faso. Bolgatanga is 161 km (100 mi) to the north of Tamale. The town lies in the Red Volta Valley (which serves as a major migration route of elephants), with the White Volta and the cliffs of the Gambaga escarpment to the south of the town forming the southern boundary of the Upper East Region.[6] As of 2012, the town has a population of about 66,685 people.[2] Some ethnic groups who lived in large qualities in Bolgatanga are Northerners, Akan, Ewe, and Ga-Adangbe.[3] The current mayor of the town is Rex Asanga.[7]
Bolgatanga | |
|---|---|
 First-top picture: Avenue Landscape and Hotel; bottom-left picture:
One of many highways that goes through the town; bottom-right picture: Restaurant in Bolgatanga | |
  Bolgatanga Location of Bolgatanga in Upper East region | |
| Coordinates: 10°47′00″N 00°51′00″W | |
| Country |  Ghana |
| Region | Upper East Region |
| District | Bolgatanga Municipal District |
| Elevation | 177 m (581 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 66,685 |
| • Ethnicities | |
| Time zone | GMT |
| • Summer (DST) | GMT |
| Postal code | UB |
| Area code | 039 |
| Climate | BSh |
| Website | bolma.gov.gh  |
Etymology
The name Bolgatanga (Bolbatanga) was derived from the Gerunsi words "'Boole" Clay and "tanga" rocks.
Formation
Historically, the town was located close to the Trans-Saharan trade route. Due to many trade routes crossed the Gurensi region, by the end of the 19th century the area it grew into an important trading center with marketplaces (Ayia Daa) popping up around the town. In 1910, Bolgatanga was finally connected with the rest of Ghana with the addition of a road.[8]
The town has a mayor–council form of government. The mayor (executive chief) is appointed by the president of Ghana and approved by the town council, the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly. The current mayor of Bolgatanga is Rex Asanga.[7]
The majority of the town is religious, making up 97.3% of the town's population, while the biggest religions in the town are Christianity (57.6%), traditional religions (22.3%), and Islam (17.1%).[3]: 32 Majors ethnic groups who lived in Bolgatanga are Northerners, Akan, Ewe, and Ga-Adangbe.[3]: 3
There is public transportation from Bolgatanga to major cities such as Accra, Kumasi, Mim, Ahafo, Cape Coast, Sunyani, Tamale, Tema, Ho, Wa, Elubo, Aflao, and Techiman. The most popular form of intracity transport is a covered rickshaw popularly referred to as 'candoos'.[9][10] For the transportation of goods, an uncovered tricycle popularly known as 'motor king' is used. Though the use of Donkey Carts for carrying goods has been part of the life of the people of Bolgatanga it is scarce due to rapid development.[11]
In 2016, an $141 million project was underway to help increase the quality of transportation of the Bolgatanga-Bawku-Pulmakom Road. Originally suppose to be completed sometime in 2018, due to some unresolved issues it was push back to late-2024.[12]
Bolgatanga is known as the crafts centre of the Upper East Region, with a large central market. Apart from items found elsewhere in the Upper East Region, the so-called "Bolga hats" are made and sold in Bolgatanga. Bolgatanga and its surrounding suburbs also contain the largest producers of leather goods, straw baskets, and smocks. The artists sell their works at the Bolgatanga Market, which is open every third day. There is also a museum in the town, which houses objects of historical importance of the Upper East Region.[13]
Bolgatanga is located in the Bolgatanga Municipal which has an area of 729 km2 (281 sq mi). The district bordered the Bongo District to the north, the Talensi and the Nabdam district towards the south and east and the Kassena-Nankana Municipal District to the west. The town's landscape is described by gentle slopes mixed with rock outcrops and uplands.[3]: 1, 3
Climate
The town has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh), experiencing a rainy season and a dry season per year. In Gurene, these seasons are regraded as "Oone" and "Sioo". The rainy season usually spanning from May to September, while the dry season is long and ranges from November to March. Rainfall amounts are often lackluster and ranges from 800 to 1,200 mm (2.6 to 3.9 ft).[14]
| Climate data for Bolgatanga (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 34.7 (94.5) |
37.4 (99.3) |
39.2 (102.6) |
38.6 (101.5) |
36.1 (97.0) |
32.9 (91.2) |
31.1 (88.0) |
30.4 (86.7) |
31.2 (88.2) |
34.3 (93.7) |
36.7 (98.1) |
35.5 (95.9) |
34.8 (94.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19.9 (67.8) |
22.6 (72.7) |
25.8 (78.4) |
26.9 (80.4) |
25.5 (77.9) |
23.8 (74.8) |
22.9 (73.2) |
22.7 (72.9) |
22.4 (72.3) |
22.8 (73.0) |
21.4 (70.5) |
19.9 (67.8) |
23.0 (73.5) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0.2 (0.01) |
2.5 (0.10) |
12.5 (0.49) |
43.0 (1.69) |
103.9 (4.09) |
141.0 (5.55) |
168.1 (6.62) |
256.7 (10.11) |
179.4 (7.06) |
54.9 (2.16) |
5.6 (0.22) |
3.5 (0.14) |
971.3 (38.24) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 66 |
| Source: World Meteorological Organization[15] | |||||||||||||
The major economic sectors of Bolgatanga are agriculture, hunting, forestry, and industry. Regrading agriculture, about 80% of the population is engaged in the sector in which some of the crops cultivated are millet, maize, guinea-corn, rice, beans, groundnuts, and sweet potatoes during the rainy season and irrigation farming of onions, tomatoes, and peppers during the dry season.[3]: 4
Healthcare
The primary hospital is the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital. In 2020, a rehabilitation project began consisting of a four-story building consisting of 39 apartment rooms for the hospital's staff along with other facilities. Since then, the hospital have undergone multiple renovation.[16]
Education
Bolgatanga Library
The Bolgatanga Library is a notable design of award-winning American architect J. Max Bond Jr., who was influenced by Le Corbusier. Bond lived in Ghana for four years in the 1960s. The Bolgatanga library was his first major project while working for the national construction company. The design features perforated walls and an "umbrella"-shaped roof, so the structure remains cool and well ventilated.[17]
The following is a list of schools in Bolgatanga:
- Bolgatanga Senior High School (mixed)
- Bolgatanga Girls' Senior High School (Girls)
- Zamse Senior High/Technical School (mixed)
- Zuarungu Senior High School (mixed)
- Bolgatanga Nursing Training College (mixed)
- Bolgatanga Midwifery College
- Bolgatanga Technical Institute
- Zuarungu Nursing Training College
- Bolgatanga Technical University
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