Location and Size

The District is located on the North-Western part of the Ashanti Region and covers a total surface area of approximately 1,190.7 km² representing 4.9 percent of the entire region (24,370.5km²). It lies between longitude 1^o45’W and 2^o20’W and latitude 6^o42’N and 7^o10’N. The District shares boundary with five districts, principally in the North with Tano North District of Brong Ahafo Region, Atwima Nwabiagya District to the South, Ahafo Ano North District to the West with the Offinso South Municipal in the East and Ahafo Ano South District to the South-West all in the Ashanti Region. The location of the District falls within the forest zone of Ghana. However, the location of the District in Ashanti Region offers it the opportunity to interact or co-operate with the three regions of Ghana namely Brong Ahafo, Central and Eastern Regions of the country. Mankranso, the capital is more in the North-West of the District, about 34km from Kumasi. Figure 1.1 shows the Ahafo Ano South District map.

 Vegetation and Forest Resources

The District lies within the green belt. The over-bearing vegetation is moisture laden semi-deciduous. The typical vegetation is basically determined by rainfall and ground water supplies. The forest reserves are rich in tropical hardwoods like Wawa, Esa, Kyenkyen, Odum, Ofram, Fununtum and Kokrodua among others. The total land area of the six forest reserves is 300 kilometers square representing 25.2 percent of the total land area of the District. The reserves include Tinte Forest Reserve, Tano Forest Reserve, Opuro River Forest Reserve, Kwamisa Forest Reserve, Part of Asufufu Basin and Offin-North Forest Reserves.

Geology and Mineral Resources

The District is underlain by the Kumasi-Offin Dwinyama-Bechemso natural resources that are rich in rocks and minerals such as granites, clay, sand, gold, and bauxite and manganese deposits. The granite rocks contain minerals such as gold and bauxite and serve as a source of building materials due to its hard nature. The gold bearing rocks are found at Kunsu, Sabronum, Barniekrom and other parts of the District. Gold prospecting is going on in a number of communities in the District. Bauxite deposits are found at Aya Hills and Mpasaaso and manganese deposit is also found at Asirebuo Camp, 5.0km south of Mpasaaso.There are also clay deposits at Hwibaa, Wioso, Asuadei, Biemso II and Mankranso which have been tested by the Building and Road Research Institute (BRRI) as one of the richest clay in the country. However, the exploration of these potentials remains un-exploited as they lack the requisite investment to earnest their benefits to the District.