Tamale, Ghana

Tamale is a city in the West African country of Ghana. It is located in the northern part of the country, where the land is savannah, consisting of grasslands with drought-resistant trees. The city is like a conglomeration of villages, with many people living in traditional mud brick houses with thatched roofs. It is quite interesting to see mud block compounds with TV antennae and electricity wires.

• Population: 350,000
• Climate: Seasonally Tropical and Dry
• Environment: Savannah (grasslands with sparse trees)
• Inhabitants: mostly Dagomba people who speak Dagbani and are followers of Islam

Tamale has electricity which is transported from the Akosombo Dam in the central part of Ghana. The electricity service has been relatively reliable. During periods of drought, Tamale experiences rolling blackouts because of the rationing of electricity (and water through the dam).

Telephone service is available in Tamale. Land lines may be provisioned from the telephone company. Cell phones are also available in Tamale.

There are several Internet Cafes located on the major roads in Tamale. The Internet cafes are connected through Africa Online, which also offers dialup service to home users. Africa Online's Tamale office has a 256kbps satellite link which is connected to a proxy server for web surfing. All direct TCP/IP traffic is channeled through a 64 kbps line to Accra, the capital city. Thus, the world wide web is perfectly usable in Tamale, but all other Internet applications experience packet loss and intermittent problems.

There are numerous NGOs with offices in Tamale:

• USAID
• Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
• Ghana Institute of Linguistics, Literacy, and Bible Translation (GILLBT)
• Northern Empowerment Association (NEA)

Lodging and Recreation:

• Gariba Lodge
• Catering Rest House
• VRA Clubhouse (swimming pool, tennis, bar)

The bank in downtown Tamale (November 1999)

Bolga Road in downtown Tamale (November 1999)