Ghana

The Republic of Ghana is a small nation on the coast of West Africa, once home to a number of Akan-speaking tribal kingdoms, the most well-known of which was the Ashanti Empire (1670 to 1902). Europeans first made contact with the indigenous people of Ghana in the 15th century, when the Portuguese came there seeking to trade for gold, ivory and slaves. They would be joined in the mid-16th century by the Dutch, and by English, Danish and Swedish traders by the mid-17th century. The name Gold Coast was imposed on the region by the British, who made it a protectorate in 1874 after the last of the Dutch withdrew from their trading forts. Britain clashed with the Ashanti over the course of three wars, finally ending with the Third Ashanti-British War (1900-1901), which firmly established British colonial rule. Following the First World War, the region formerly known as German Togoland was divided by the League of Nations and placed under protection of England and France. British Togoland would ultimately merge with Gold Coast in 1956, and in March of 1957 gain full independence as the new Republic of Ghana. French Togoland would later become the modern Republic of Togo.

The Ghana Armed Forces consist of the Army, Air Force, Navy, National Police Force, Palace Guard, and the Civil Defence, and is considered one of the most professional military forces in Africa today. Ghana has enjoyed stable relations with its neighbors in West Africa, and is committted to a number of peacekeeping efforts with the United Nations, including missions to the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC), Liberia (UNMIL), Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), and Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Camouflage Patterns of Ghana

• Ghana has traditionally outfitted its troops in khaki or olive green, even on peacekeeping operations. Since the late 1990s, however, some personnel have deployed in m81 woodland pattern BDUs donated by the USA. More recently, Ghana's camouflage uniforms have been produced in Asia.