Ghana Empire: Map & History
The Ghana Empire, also known as simply Ghana, Ghanata, or Wagadu, was an ancient western-Sahelian empire based in the modern-day southeast of Mauritania and western Mali.
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The Ghana Empire, also known as simply Ghana, Ghanata, or Wagadu, was an ancient western-Sahelian empire based in the modern-day southeast of Mauritania and western Mali.
Modern Countries Once Part of Ghana Empire
At its mapped extent, Ghana Empire covered territory in 2 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Ghana Empire's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Ghana Empire in Depth
History
Towards the end of the 3rd century CE, a wet period in the Sahel created areas for human habitation and exploitation which had not been habitable for the best part of a millennium, resulting in Wagadu rising out of the Tichitt culture. The introduction of the camel to the western Sahara in the 3rd century CE and pressure from the nomadic Saharan Sanhaja served as major catalysts for the transformative social changes that resulted in the empire's formation. By the time of the Muslim conquest of North Africa in the 7th century, the camel had changed the ancient, irregular trade routes into a network running between North Africa and the Niger River.
Government
He sits in audience or to hear grievances against officials in a domed pavilion around which stand ten horses covered with gold-embroidered materials. Behind the king stand ten pages holding shields and swords decorated with gold, and on his right are the sons of the kings of his country wearing splendid garments and their hair plaited with gold. The governor of the city sits on the ground before the king and around him are ministers seated likewise. At the door of the pavilion are dogs of excellent pedigree that hardly ever leave the place where the king is, guarding him. Around their necks they wear collars of gold and silver studded with a number of balls of the same metals.
Ghana appears to have had a central core region and was surrounded by vassal states.
Military
Little is known about the military structure of the Ghana Empire, but contemporary sources indicate that it was very infantry reliant due to the various references to swords, spears, archers, and shields. Cavalry before the 13th century would've been used mostly for raids and skirmishes. Al-Dimashqi, recorded a shipyard in Ghana's capital that built warships.
Economy and Trade
Since the 6th–7th centuries CE, the Ghana Empire was in charge of trade in central West Africa. They had their own precious resources such as gold, copper, ivory, and salt. Their control of regional trade led to West African trading with North African merchants that brought camel caravans across the Sahara. This established Trans-Saharan trade. Important gold trade routes passed through the capital of Ancient Ghana, Koumbi Saleh. Trade extended throughout the Sahara to kingdoms in southern Europe, which had a very high demand for the precious metal. Demand was also high because Muslim states used gold coins (dinar) as currency. This is what linked Ghana to the Middle East and Europe.
Most of the information about the economy of Ghana comes from al-Bakri.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Ghana Empire (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Ghana Empire: Key Facts
| Capital | Koumbi Saleh |
|---|---|
| Official language | Soninke |
| Form of government | monarchy |
| Founded | 100 CE |
| Dissolved | 12th century |
Facts from Wikidata Q206789 (CC0).
Ghana Empire Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Ghana Empire appears, with the other states of the time.
Ghana Empire Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 204,203 km² in 1196 CE.
Ghana Empire: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Ghana Empire exist?
The Ghana Empire is dated to 793 CE – 1201 CE, in the Early Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of the Ghana Empire?
The capital of the Ghana Empire was Koumbi Saleh (likely a later capital).
How large was the Ghana Empire at its peak?
At its peak in 1196 AD the Ghana Empire covered about 204,203 km².
How did the map of the Ghana Empire change over time?
The Ghana Empire appears on 4 dated world maps in the atlas, from 900 CE to 1200 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
Other Sovereign Realms
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Early Middle Ages • Capital: Constantinople
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Cusco