British Queen Elizabeth began a three- nation African tour Sunday with a state visit to Ghana, her first tour to the former British colony since 1961, according to information from Accra.

Ghanaian President Jerry Rawlings greeted the royal couple at the Kotoka International Airport in capital Accra, with thousands of cheering Ghanaians waving flags of the Commonwealth.

During her visit, the Queen, accompanied by her husband Prince Philip, will hold talks with Rawlings, address Ghana's parliament and attend a traditional Durbar meeting of the country's tribal chiefs.

Ghana gained independence in 1957 from British colonial rule and became a republic in 1960. The country had suffered decades of political instability and economic downgrade until entering the 1990s.

Ghana hopes the visit will mean more aid from Britain, its biggest trading partner with substantial mining, manufacturing interests in the west African country.

The Queen is to leave Ghana for South Africa Tuesday, where she will open the biannual Commonwealth heads of government summit, and concludes his three-country African tour in Mozambique.