Located on Africa’s Western Coast, Ghana is often cited as one of the continent’s success stories. The country has a stable government, ranked second after Mauritius on the 2009 Failed States Index for African nations. A former British colony, it was the first sub-Saharan nation to achieve colonial independence, taking charge of its own destiny in 1957. Known for its vast natural resources and well-educated population, Ghana has cultivated a number of global trading relationships since achieving independence.