East Gonja is a municipal district in the Savannah Region of Ghana. Its capital is Salaga. The municipality had a population of 117,755 at the 2021 census, up from 105,702 in 2010.
| Region | Savannah Region |
|---|---|
| District capital | Salaga |
| Status | Municipal District |
| Population (2021 census) | 117,755 |
| Population (2010 census) | 105,702 |
| Communities listed | 50 |
Towns and Communities in East Gonja
The directory lists 50 towns and communities in East Gonja, sorted A-Z.
- Bachin Gulubi
- Bamvim
- Bandown
- Bau
- Bentripe
- Binjai
- Botugu
- Brumasi
- Bung
- Chanbulugu
- Chandayili
- Changbuni
- Chungasi
- Deba
- Deboko
- Dingoni
- Dogonkede
- Fishila
- Fuo
- Garin Dogo
- Gbateto
- Gida Wichie
- Grunshi Zongo
- Gyafo
- Gyida Dogo
- Jantong
- Jantoo Kuko
- Jidanyile
- Jimbupe
- Jinlo
- Jongase
- Kabache
- Kabako
- Kabeso
- Kabulembu
- Kachanki
- Kadengel
- Kafaba
- Kajau
- Kakoshi
- Kamabuie
- Kanangkule
- Kanyanga
- Kaukurugi
- Kdieresu
- Kino
- Kodregbuni
- Kolayili
- Kpandele
- Salaga
Geography
East Gonja lies in the east of the Savannah Region, on the northern shore of the Volta Lake. The country is flat guinea savanna with grassland, shea and dawadawa trees, and the lake shoreline and its inlets form the southern and eastern limits. Kafaba stands on the water. The municipality borders Central Gonja to the west and North Gonja to the north-west; Kpandai and North East Gonja were separated from it in earlier boundary changes.
Rainfall is single-season, roughly May to October, and the dry months are hot with harmattan haze. The lake margin floods and recedes each year, leaving flats used for dry-season farming and grazing. Salaga is the largest town by a wide margin; the rest of the municipality is farming villages and lakeside fishing settlements.
Economy and Local Life
Yam is the leading crop, with maize, cassava, sorghum, millet, rice, groundnut and cowpea alongside it. Cattle, sheep and goats are kept widely, and shea nuts are gathered for processing. Lakeside communities fish and smoke the catch. Salaga’s market is the largest in the municipality and one of the oldest trading sites in northern Ghana, a caravan and slave-trade centre in the nineteenth century; its historic wells still stand. Gonja is the dominant language.
Salaga’s market still sets the trading week for a wide area, handling yam, grain, livestock and smoked fish. The municipal assembly, a hospital and senior high schools are based there. Cattle move to the lake flats as the water drops, and dry-season vegetable plots follow the same ground. Shea nut gathering and charcoal burning give households income between harvests.
Getting There
Salaga is reached from Tamale by road through Yapei and the Volta crossing, and from the Tamale-Kumasi highway by turning east near Buipe. Traffic from the Oti Region arrives by way of Bimbilla or the lake. Roads to outlying villages are unpaved.
FAQ
What is the capital of East Gonja?
Salaga is the district capital of East Gonja.
Which region is East Gonja in?
East Gonja is in the Savannah Region of Ghana. It is classed as a municipal district.
What is the population of East Gonja?
East Gonja had a population of 117,755 at the 2021 census, compared with 105,702 at the 2010 census.
How many towns and communities are listed for East Gonja?
This page lists 50 towns and communities in East Gonja, in alphabetical order.