town, north-central Ghana. Surrounded by villages with high population densities, it lies 600 feet (183 m) above sea level on a plain 22 miles (35 km) east of the White Volta River. With its modern buildings and wide streets, Tamale serves as the administrative, financial, commercial, and transportation centre for northern Ghana. It is also an educational centre, having several teacher-training colleges, several secondary schools, and facilities for artisan training. The Vernacular Literature Bureau there also provides newspapers and literature for mass literacy campaigns. The town is a focus for agricultural trade and has cotton-milling and shea-nut enterprises. The main road northward from Kumasi passes through Tamale, and other roads reach it from east and west; there is also an airport. Since the mid-1970s, government aid has emphasized road reconstruction, market expansion, industrial development, and sanitation improvements. Pop. (2002 est.) 269,200.