Tarkwa is a town and is the capital of Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal district, a district in the Western Region southwest of South Ghana.[6][7] Tarkwa has a population of 218,664 people according to 2021 settlement.[1][8]
Tarkwa | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Tarkwa Location of Tarkwa in Western region, South Ghana | |
| Coordinates: 05°18′00″N 01°59′00″W / 5.30000°N 1.98333°W | |
| Country |  Ghana |
| Region |  Western Region |
| District | Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal |
| Population (2013) | |
| • Total | 34,941[1] |
| Time zone | GMT |
| • Summer (DST) | GMT |
Economy
Mining
Tarkwa is noted as a centre of gold mining and manganese mining. Tarkwa Mine, which is a large open-cast gold mine, is situated to the northwest of the town, and Nsuta manganese mine is situated to the east of the town. Tarkwa Mine mines several low-grade conglomeratic "reefs" of Tarkwaian type.[6] These reefs are of mid-Proterozoic age.
A number of mining companies cluster between the villages of Aboso and Tamso in the late 19th century.[9]
Tarkwa Mine has the distinction of being one of the largest gold mines in South Ghana. Approximately 24 tons of gold is produced annually, and 100 million tons of earth is moved to achieve this production rate. The Iduapriem Gold Mine is also located near Tarkwa, 10 km south of the town.[10] The Tarkwa Goldfield was discovered a few years before the Witwatersrand Goldfield in South Africa.
There are a number of accidents that have occurred in mining sites in Tarkwa with the latest being recorded on Saturday, September 23, 2023, when a pit caved in, killing 7 people.[11]
Though mining is common in Tarkwa, some areas such as Ndumfri forest reserve are restricted from any mining activity and 3 people were jailed over 60 years for mining in a restricted area in September 2023.[12]
Climate
| Climate data for Tarkwa | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 32 (89) | 32 (90) | 32 (90) | 31 (87) | 32 (89) | 30 (86) | 27 (80) | 27 (80) | 29 (84) | 30 (86) | 31 (87) | 30 (86) | 32 (90) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 24 (75) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 24 (75) | 23 (73) | 22 (71) | 22 (72) | 24 (75) | 24 (76) | 23 (74) | 22 (72) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 25 (1.0) | 25 (1.0) | 100 (4.0) | 130 (5.0) | 200 (8.0) | 330 (13.0) | 100 (4.0) | 25 (1.0) | 51 (2.0) | 150 (6.0) | 130 (5.0) | 51 (2.0) | 1,320 (52.0) |
| Source: Myweather2.com[13] | |||||||||||||
Education
High schools
Tarkwa Senior High School (TARSCO) and Fiaseman Senior High School (FIASEC) are located in Tarkwa
University
University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), is located in Tarkwa.
Transport
Train
Tarkwa is a junction railway station and is served by Tarkwa Train Station on the Ghana Railway Corporation.