Ghana is noteworthy for being the first African country to gain independence from the British. Ghanaian officials commemorated this significant transformation by renaming the land after a famous indigenous culture from the past. While mythical in nature, these evocations of noble origins, combined with a rich cultural heritage and a militant nationalist movement, have provided unifying symbols and a sense of common identity and destiny to this ethnically diverse country. The Ghanaian people have kept their civilization free of major internal strife and continue to develop their vast natural, human, and cultural resources.