Ghana means "strong warrior king" and was the title accorded to the kings of the medieval Ghana Empire in West Africa but not to be confused with today's Ghana, for the empire was further north, in modern-day Mali, Senegal and southern Mauritania, as well as in the region of Guinea. Ghana was known for its large gold usage and hence was named the Land of Gold by the Arabs during the Trans-Saharan trades. Ghana officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north and Togo in the east. Ghana covers an area of 238,535 km2 (92,099 sq mi), spanning diverse biomes that range from coastal savannas to tropical rainforests. With over 33 million people (according to Ghana 2021 population and housing census), Ghana is the second most populous country in West Africa, after Nigeria. The capital and the largest city in Ghana is called Accra; other major cities are Kumasi, Tamale and Sekondi-Takoradi.