The city grew from a small village to an important economic center in the Northern Territories after the British had established administrative headquarters in the area. It became the capital of the Northern Region in 1960.[6]: 1, 2, 15 The biggest economic sector of Tamale is agriculture, followed by trading, teaching, and manufacturing.[3]: 42
Tamale boasts a thriving artistic and literary scene, evident in its numerous art studios, poets, and musicians. Numerous art studios are scattered throughout the urban landscape.[7] Annual festivals are celebrated all around the city, such as fire festival, Eid ul-Fitr,
Eid Adha and the Damba festival.[3]: 4, 5
The area of Tamale used to consist of small villages, which were under the kingdom of Dagbon. it was a popular destination of cattle trails in the region.[6]: 1 In 1907, the British decided to establish administrative headquarters in the area with help from the Dakpema after German officials have taken over Yendi. With the addition of a road in 1920, nicknamed the 'Great North Road', Tamale turned into an important center of business in the Northern Territories.[8][6]: 2
Throughout the 20th century, the population of Tamale was growing rapidly of people looking for abundant water supply and electricity. This have resulted in massive amounts of land used for infrastructure, threatening residents ability to farm. During this time, a series of disputes between the Gulkpe Na[a] and the Dakpema for power in Tamale occurred. This is in part due to the British incorporated indirect rule in the town, resulting in the imbalance of power between the chiefs. Although local councils were introduced and indirect rule was discontinued, tension between the chiefs continues even to this day.[6]
In 1960, Tamale became the capital of the Northern Region after the region had separated from the rest of the north.[6]: 15
On 13 February 2022 at approximately 1:00 p.m., Ghana Police officers clashed with youth in Lamashegu, a community in Tamale, due to them driving off after allegedly riding in an unregistered vehicle. This resulted in one person, Abdul Hakim Yakubu, being killed and 8 others getting injured.[9][10]
Economy
An agriculture factory in Tamale
Historically ruled by a rural agriculture system, Tamale's economy in recent times have diversified into many different sectors. Most of Tamale's population is employed in agriculture, although the common droughts in the region have threatened this sector. Other popular sectors including trading, teaching, and manufacturing. Even though the economy is considered diverse, Tamale suffers from a high unemployment rate and high rates of poverty. There is also a small amount of NGOs operating in the city.[11][12][3]
As of the 2010 census, Tamale has a population of 371,351 people, a 60.6% increase from the last census.[2]: 67 The city is made up of many different ethnic groups with the majority being the Dagombas. Other groups who lived in the area include the Gonjas, Mamprusis, Akan, Dagaabas and other groups from the Upper East Region. 90.5% of the population are Muslims, followed by Christians, spiritualists and traditionalists.[3]: 35, 4
Although Tamale doesn't have a mayor on its own, the municipal has a mayor–council form of government. The mayor is appointed by the president of Ghana and approved by the town council, the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly. Although, suggestions have been made by residents to increase accountability of the office by having the mayor elected. The current mayor of the municipality is Hon. Sule Salifu.[13]
Culture
Tamale is home to a culture center which showcases arts and tribes from all over the region. The Dagomba people performed dances such as the Baamaya and Tora, with each having its own meaning behind it.[14] Some annual festivals celebrated in the city are the fire festival, Eid ul-Fitr,
Eid Adha and the Damba festival.[3]: 4, 5
The first education institution in the city was a teacher training college in 1944 followed by a secondary school in 1951. Due to the British wanting to keep the Northern Territories strictly agricultural and pastoral, education growth in the city was hindered. Besides that, Tamale eventually became the educational hub of Northern Ghana.[2]: 67 Education Ridge, a suburb in Tamale, is known for being the location of multiple schools crammed into a small area of 3 km2 (1.2 sq mi).[15]
Tamale is served by Tamale International Airport. Located about 11 km (6 nmi; 7 mi) from downtown Tamale, the airport is mainly used by commercial airlines such as Africa World Airlines and Passion Air which are the only operational companies as of 2024. They run regular flights between Tamale and Accra's Kotoka International Airport, along with other regional capitals.[17]
Taxis in the past used to be one of the most popular means of getting around Tamale for visitors to the town until the arrival of the tricycles, popularly called 'Mahama-Cambuu' or 'yellow-yellow'. It rise to popularity due to being cheaper than the taxi despite being more dangerous.[18] The popular means of travel for locals however is by motorbike.[3]: 6
Tamale has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classificationAw). The metropolis usually only experiences one rainy season a year, effecting staple crop farming. During the rainy season, it comes with tiny sunshine with heavy thunderstorms.[3]: 3 The mean monthly rainfall is about 89 mm (3.5 in) within 95 days of rainfall in the form of tropical showers. The mean monthly temperatures is on average around 34 °C (93 °F) while the minimum monthly temperatures are around 23 °C (73 °F).[20]: table 2 The relative humidity in the city is usually the lowest between December to March at 30% while around August it is the highest at 70%.[20]: sec. 3.2.2
Climate change is threatening the livelihoods of Tamale residents due to droughts, floods, and heatwaves becoming more common. This hinders farmers ability to farm because they need consistent rainfall for their crops to survived. There are national policies and intervention from NGOs to make sure that the impact from climate change in the area is minimal.[21]
The city is home to the Tamale Teaching Hospital, which helps to handle health related issues for the whole region. It is the 3rd largest hospital in the country. It also offers undergraduate and graduate programs in medicine, nursing, and nutrition.[24]
Sports
Football players training on a field in Tamale
Tamale is home to Real Tamale United along with other smaller clubs. They played at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium (formerly Tamale Sports Stadium), which was the location of some of the matches played during the 2008 African Cup of Nations.[3][25] Due to the state of the stadium, FIFA and CAF have prevented international matches to be play at the facility.[26]
Media
Since the 1970s, modern communication in Tamale is rapid with it being operated by 6 mobile telecommunication companies. There are 11 FM radio stations located in the city.[2]: 68
Sister cities
The following shows the cities that Tamale is twined with:
Haruna Iddrisu, Member of Parliament for Tamale South and the former Minister for Employment and Labour Relations in Ghana, Minority leader of Parliament[31]
^The Gulkpe naa is one of the seven district chiefs in Dagbon; in rank directly under the Paramount Chief, he overlooks the local chiefs in and around Tamale
^"Climate Normals 1991–2020". World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
^"Klimatafel von Tamales / Ghana"(PDF). Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
^Gow, James; Funmi, Dijxhoorn; Ernst (2013). Militancy and Violence in West Africa: Religion, Politics and Radicalisation. Routledge. pp. 106–107. ISBN9781135968502.
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