The empire was able to export and exchange the gold with other countries for such other goods as horses. At the height of the gold trade, the kingdom was aptly referred to as the ‘Land of Gold’.

The Kingdom also derived its wealth from trade. The Kingdom was strategically placed between trading routes that linked the North to the South. As such it was able to control the routes and develop into a strong trading empire. Ghana controlled and even monopolized the exchange of such goods as slaves, gold and ivory that came from the southern areas and copper and salt that came from the countries in the Sahara. It used the taxes that it collected from the numerous merchant caravans to enrich itself even further.
From the wealth obtained from gold mining and trade, the Kingdom was able to purchase weapons from other countries thereby increasing its military might. It attacked and conquered neighboring chieftaincies. All subordinate regions were required to pay tribute to the Ghanaian king.

However, the kingdom began to experience a decline in the 11th century. The decline was attributed to such factors as the coming up of new gold mines in neighboring countries. Trading routes developing in these areas and the monopoly over trading routes was taken away from Ghana.

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