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Location And Size

Bosomtwe District is located at the central portion of the Ashanti Region. It lies within latitudes 6º 43’ North and longitudes 1º 46’ West. showing Bosomtwe District in the National and Regional context. The District is bounded on the North by Atwima Nwabiagya and Kumasi Metropolis and on the East by Ejisu- Juaben Municipal. The southern section is bounded by Amansie West and East Districts. Kuntanase is the District Capital.

The District population according to the 2000 Population and Housing Census is 146,028 covering an area of approximately 68,179 square kilometers. This forms about 2.81% of the area of Ashanti Region with part of the eastern end being covered by Lake Bosomtwe.

Relief And Drainage

With the exception of the Lake that has an outer ridge that maintains a constant distance of 10 km from the center of the lake and stands at an elevation of 50 to 80m, the rest of the district cannot boast of any unique topographical features. The drainage pattern of Bosomtwe District is dendritic. The rivers flow in a north- south direction. Around Lake Bosomtwe, there is an internal drainage where the streams flow from surrounding highlands into the lake. The rivers are perennial. They also form a dense network due to the double maxima rainfall regime. Notable rivers in the district are rivers Oda, Butu, Siso, Supan and Adanbanwe.

Climate

Rainfall: The district falls within the equatorial zone with a rainfall regime typical of the moist semi- deciduous forest zone of the country. There are two well- defined rainfall seasons. The main season occurs from March to July with a peak in June. The minor season starts from September to November with a peak in October. August is cool and dry. The main dry season occurs in December to March during which the desiccating harmattan winds blow over the area.

Temperature: Temperature of the area seems to be uniformly- high and throughout the year with a mean of around 24ºC. The highest mean occurs just before the major wet season in February as observed in Kumasi 27.8ºC. The mean minimum occurs during the minor wet season.

Relative Humidity: Relative humidity (RH) is generally high throughout the year. The morning relative humidity (RH) is highest during the minor dry season and start of the minor wet season (95%) whilst the lowest is towards the end of the main dry season. The afternoon at 1500 hrs has the highest in August (71.6%) and the lowest in January where it is around 42.5%.

Vegetation

The natural vegetation of the area falls within the semi- deciduous forest zone of Ghana, which is characterized, by plant species of the Celtis- Triplochetol Association. However, due to extensive and repeated farming activities in the past, the original vegetation has been degraded to mosaic of secondary forest, thicket and forb regrowth and various abandoned farms with relics of food crops and vegetables.

Secondary forest: These are forest, which are generally over 10 years. It is characterized by close upper canopy at height of about 9m with a number of growing soft wooded trees and few hard woods. It has less open undergrowth of spiny shrubs and climbers. The major tree species are Terminalia spp Funtumia spp, Ceiba pentandra, Bambax spp, Archonia spp, Archonia corfolia, Celtis mildrbraedii, Triplochiton scleroxylan, Elaeis guineesis, Trema senegalensis and Ficus spp.

Thicket: They are forest areas of about five years with relatively impenetrable mass of shrubs, climbers, coppice shoots and young trees. They are difficult to clear. The mass is dominated by chromolaena odorata (Siamese weed) with few trees above the mass. Other plant species are Trema senegadensis, Alchornea cordifolia, Accasia pennata, Mallotus opposotifoluis, Ficus spp, Elaesis guinnensis with remnants food crops of cassava, plantain, cocoyam etc.

Forb regrowth: These consist of soft- stemmed leafy herbs mostly Chromolaena odorata and weeds which appear on farm and have to be cut down regularly and remnants of food crops and coppice shoots regrowth from stumps of felled trees.

Soils And Agricultural Land Use

The district has six main soil types that are described as follows;

Soil developed over granite and associated rocks. i.e.
Kumasi- Offin Compound Association
Bomso- Offin Compound Association
Soil developed over the upper and lower Birimian Rocks
Bekwai- Oda Compound Association
Bekwai- Akomadan- Oda Compound Association
Kobeda- Bechem- Sebenso- Oda Compound Association
Atukrom- Asikuma Association.

The Kumasi- Offin and Bomso- Offin Compound Associations have similar characteristics. They are well drained and made of quartz gravels and iron- stone nodules in the sub- soil. They are mostly found in the western end and middle- belt of the district respectively. They support both cash and food crops such as coffee, cocoa, oil palm, citrus, vegetables, maize just to mention a few.

The Bekwai- Oda, Bekwai- Akomadan- Oda and Kobeda- Bechiem- Sebenso-Oda Compound Associations also have similar characteristics. The associations are found mostly in the western, north- eastern and eastern parts of the district respectively. These soils are moderately well- drained and support cash crops, legumes and food crops.

The Atukrom- Asikuma Association is well drained in some parts. The soil is mostly found in the eastern part of Lake Bosomtwe and supports food and tree crops as well vegetable and sugar- cane production. The soil types in the district have been found to be ideal for the cultivation of cash crops and indigenous food developed over a wide range of highly weathered parent materials including granite, Tarkwaian and Birimian rocks. They are more richly supplied with nutrients.

Geology And Minerals

The district is endowed with a number of resources, which are potentials for development. Some of these resource potentials are tapped whilst others are untapped. The resources include gold deposits, rocks, sand and stone deposits, clay deposits and forest resources.

Gold deposits are located in Adjuampong, Ampabame No. 1, Ahenema Kokoben, Nkoranza, Trede, Beposo, Nyameani, within the lake, Trabuom, Kyekyebon and Adu- Wamase. Diamond deposits are also located in River Afoa, Atasuo, Atetesua, Obo and Kwabena. The district however, cannot be said to be a mining district since information gathered was only on specific mining pits that have been abandoned. Sand deposits are located at Konkori, Trabuom, Twedie, Adwamase, Dida, Gyekye, Afrancho, Tetrefu, Sawua, Asaago and Homabenase. Stone deposits are located at Mpatasie, Ampabame No. 1 and No. 2, Kwanwoma, Aboabo and Ahenema Kokoben. Rock deposits on the other hand are located at Ampeyoo, Jachie, Kokoben and Nwineso.

The sand and stone deposits are extensively exploited by the building industry. The rock deposits can be developed into small- scale quarrying. The clay deposits are mainly found in Kokobiriko, Oyoko, Nuaso and New Kokobiriko. The deposits are of diverse coloring and can be tapped for use in brick and tile industries as well as pottery and ceramics. The district is endowed with small and scattered timber species like odum, mahogany and wawa. They are being exploited by timber firms with concessions in the district.

The district is underlain by Precambrian rocks of the Birimian and Tarkwaian formations. Associated with this formation are extensive masses of granites and metamorphosed sediments as phyllites and schilts. These and the Birimian rocks occur in parallel belts.