Wa, Ghana
| Wa | ||
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| Town | ||
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View of a high street in Wa
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 Wa
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| Coordinates: 10°4′N 2°30′W / 10.067°N 2.500°W | ||
| Country | Ghana | |
| Region | Upper West Region | |
| District | Wa Municipal District | |
| Elevation | 305 m (1,001 ft) | |
| Population (2012) | ||
| • Total | 102,446 | |
| Time zone | GMT | |
| • Summer (DST) | GMT (UTC) | |
| Area code(s) | 039 | |
Wa is a town and is the capital of Wa Municipal District and the Upper West Region of north Ghana. Wa has a 2012 settlement population of 102,446. Features of the town include several mosques, the Wa-Na Palace, a museum and a nearby hippopotamus sanctuary. The geography of Wa is notable for the dramatic monadnock Ombo Mountain which is located around Kaleo and visible from much of the Wa town. Other notable towns around Wa wa region include Naaha and Ga
The town serves as a transportation hub for the Upper West region, with major roads leading north to Hamile, and northeast to Tumu and the Upper East Region. There is also a small airport, the Wa Airport.
Wa has been inhabited for several hundred years, by traders who settled in Wa to participate in the trans-Saharan trade. Wa also holds the mortal remains of Babatu, a notorious raider well known for his raids in Upper West region during the late and early 19th century.
Wa is in the southern part of the Sahel, the semi-arid area south of the Sahara. Average annual rainfall is around 879 millimetres (34.6 in), almost all of which occurs between May and October. Following the May–October rainly season is a cool dry period called the Harmattan when a steady, often dusty, north wind blows from the Sahara. The hottest period of the year is in February and March when daytime temperatures often reach 40 °C (103 °F).
Despite its urban status, Wa is in many ways still an agricultural community, and the majority of the Wa population make a good portion of their living in small scale farming. The main crops are corn, millet, yams, okra and groundnuts. Upland rice is also farmed in a few areas of Wa. The major fruit crop is the mango. Shea nuts are collected from wild trees, for food or refinement into oils and cosmetics.
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Wikipedia