Toponyms
Ghana Place Names is a working database showing information currently held on an offline GPN database, and as such may not always show accurate or complete data. Statements from quoted sources are given to make this information available and do not imply the agreement of GPN concerning their reliability. In particular, users are requested to note the points listed below.
All toponym records have the same format. For a full explanation see the Toponym Template.
The name of a place may have changed since the available reference maps were compiled. Where a significant change is known, e.g. from Obutu to Awutu Bereku, both toponyms are listed on the region sub-page, linked to the same record. Where possible, toponyms are updated to modern spellings when records are put online.
The district in which a place lies may be uncertain, as up-to-date information about some of the towns in the new districts is not easily available.
Original locations obtained from IndexMundi (IM) are not all accurate. In many cases these have been replaced by data from the GEOnet Names Server (GNS) which is generally more reliable. Custom IM URLs have then been constructed to display the modified data. In such cases this is indicated by the text '(GNS data)' following the place name on the customised IM webpage. However, locations for new and updated records are now always checked against a variety of other map sources. Wherever the location has been changed from either the orighinal IM or GNS data this is indicated by the symbol * following the 'Location' heading on the toponym record and/or following the place name on the IM webpage. Wikimapia and Google map URLs are also constructed to dispay the same locations as those shown on IM. When citing GPN as the authority for cartographic data, use the Library of Congress Code ghpn (see MARC 21).
There are many discrepancies in Google Maps between the position of the GPN place marker and the Google label for the place name. For example Juapong (Volta Region), is labelled as 'Adome', while Podoe further northeast is labelled as Juapong. An estimated 50 such errors have been reported to Google, but so far only one has received a response. The GPN marker is in agreement with the known position coordinates, and is usually close to the position shown on the 1962 map.
In the GPN database if the place is not shown on the 1962 map, the location is described with reference to other places shown on the relevant map square.
The indigenous language may be uncertain especially where the area is polyglot. In the absence of documentary evidence, the language indicated by the Ethnologue map will be given.
The true source language of a place name may not be known, so the meaning may be based on a related language.
Except where a meaning is an obvious translation or stated to be 'suggested', all statements are from quoted sources and GPN does not make claims about their accuracy.
The meaning & origin given for a name may come from a source whose reliability cannot be checked.
Some meanings & origins which are traditionally believed may be based on legend or folk-etymology.
Except where stated otherwise, attempted identifications of tree species are from F.R.Irvine, "Woody Plants of Ghana", OUP, 1961.
Editorial interpolations, corrections, or queries within quotations are enclosed within curly brackets: { ... }.
Any corrections to incorrect data will be gratefully received.
All quotations should acknowledge Ghana Place Names or other quoted sources.