Cape Coast Oguaa Kotokuraba | |
|---|---|
 Counter-clockwise from top-left image: Arch bridge and harbour view fromElmina Castle;City hall of Cape Coast;Cape Coast Castle; Cape Coast shoreline. | |
| Etymology: Portuguese:Cabo Corso ("short cape") | |
  Cape Coast  Cape Coast | |
| Coordinates:05°06′N01°15′W / 5.100°N 1.250°W /5.100; -1.250 | |
| Country |  Ghana |
| Region | Central Region |
| District | Cape Coast Metropolitan |
| Founded | 1482 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| • Metropolitan Mayor | Ernest Arthur |
| Elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population | |
• Total | 108,374 |
| • Ethnicities | |
| • Religion |
|
| Time zone | GMT |
| Postcode district | |
| Area code | 033 |
| Climate | As |
| Website | ccma.gov.gh |
Cape Coast is a city and the capital of theCape Coast Metropolitan District and theCentral Region ofGhana. It is located about 38.4 mi (61.8 km) fromSekondi-Takoradi and approximately 80 mi (130 km) fromAccra. The city is one of the most historically significant settlements in Ghana.[3] As of the 2010 census, Cape Coast has a population of 108,374 people. The majority of people who live in the city areFante.
The city was once the capital of theFetu Kingdom, an aboriginalGuan kingdom located 10 miles (16 km) north of Cape Coast. Once the Europeans arrived, they established theCape Coast Castle, which eventually fell under the hands of theBritish who named the castle and its surrounding settlement the headquarters of theRoyal African Company. Cape Coast became the capital of theGold Coast from 1821 until 1877, when it was transferred to Accra.
Cape Coast is an educational hub in Ghana, home to theUniversity of Cape Coast and theCape Coast Technical University, along with many othersecondary andtechnical institutions. The tourism dominates the city's economy andservice, with sites such as the Cape Coast Castle (World Heritage Site), theKakum National Park, and thePANAFEST festival serving as attractions to tourists, and theKotokuraba Market being the largest market in the city.
The traditional name of the city isOguaa, from theGuan Awutu wordGua, meaning "market".[4] Another traditional name isKoto-Kuraba meaning "crab-hamlet", which is a corrupted version of the wordKoto-wuraba, meaning "crabrivulets". The word survives in the name of amarket in the city.[5]: 164, 165
Cabo Corso ("short cape") was the first European name given to the settlement by the early Portuguese navigators who first discovered it. The name was later corrupted by the British to "Cape Coast".[6]
The origin of the indigenous inhabitants of the settlement is thought to share similarities to those ofEdina, as Cape Coast became the principal town of theFetu Kingdom. "Fetu" was an oldGuan (Etsii) kingdom that had its paramountcy located 10 miles (16 km) north of Cape Coast. That particular site is known nowadays asEffutu.[5]: 164, 165
At a point in time, a market, known at the time asOgua, grew and developed into an active commercial centre. Because of this growth, the King of Fetu appointed a chief to represent the settlement. The market drew the attention ofWilliam Towerson, the first documented English navigator to have reached theGuinea coast, who touched land in 1555.[5]: 165
Trade grew between the people of Fetu and the Europeans. Sometime in 1650, a plot of land was bought from the King of Fetu byHendrik Carloff, acting for Dutch privateers working against theDutch West India Company. In 1655, afort was built on the site of Carolusborg under the hands of theSwedish.[7] It switched hands several times before 1664, when it wascaptured from the Dutch by a joint English and Dutch force.[8][5]: 165, 166
After the attack, the English named Cape Coast the headquarters of theRoyal African Company[a] in 1678. The Danes acquired a plot on top of a hill that was located about 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) north east of the fort. While the Cape Coast Castle was being built, the Danish built a fort on their land, known asFort Frederiksborg. The fort was later bought out by the English.[5]: 166
For half a century, the English maintained Frederiksborg as a fortified outpost of the castle and renamed it Fort Royal, but by the middle of the 18th century, the outpost had been abandoned. Other forts were built during this time, such asPhipps Tower, which was later abandoned and is now managed by theGhana Museums and Monuments Board.[5]: 166
TheNapoleonic Wars at the beginning of the 19th century and the political unrest in theGold Coast region as a result of the abolition of theAtlantic slave trade by Denmark and Britain were contributing factors in theAsante invasion of the coast in 1806. Cape Coast itself avoided the attack, but the confidence of the townspeople in the British ability to protect them against theAsante plummeted.[5]: 167 [10]
More forts were built, such asSmith's Tower on top of Dawson Hill andFort McCarthy.[5]: 167
Cape Coast was threatened a second time by the Asante in 1824 after British troops underCharles MacCarthy weredefeated. The town had been largely burnt down in 1817, slowing down its economy.[5]: 167, 169 [11]
Before the building of the Sekondi Harbour in the 1890s, the town was the most important anchorage in the county. Trading during the time was at its peak, but after 1850, the year the British acquired Danish possessions, conditions turned sour. Trade declined, rivalry with the Dutch reached new heights, and Asante pressures escalated.[5]: 170
The capital of theGold Coast was transferred from Cape Coast to Accra in 1877.[12] This, along with many other causes, resulted in irreversible damage to the town's economy. The 1880s saw a minor boom in its economy with the gold rush.[5]: 170
The city's St. Francis Cathedral was dedicated in 1928.[13] The building is the first Catholic Cathedral built in Ghana.[14] In addition, one of the first Catholic schools in Ghana,St. Augustine's College, was established in Cape Coast in 1936. During Ghana's cocoa marketing boom of the 1900s, the city experienced a certain period of economic prosperity.
After the completion of harbours and railways in other parts of the country, such as Sekondi and Kumasi,cocoa cultivation and trade in Ghana diversified, and Cape Coast lost some importance. However, after the establishment of theRoman Catholic Archdiocese and the university of the city in 1950 and 1962 respectively, Cape Coast became an educational hub in Ghana.[5]: 170
Transportation in the city is regulated by the Transport Department of the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly, with Dennis K. Sulemanu acting as the transport officer of the department.[15]
In certain areas, such as Abura, with a population of 15,000 in 2000 and located close to major establishments, transportation needs are served by local transport (taxis andminibuses). Most residents in Cape Coast do not own personal vehicles, with the exception of the city's middle class, which includes government and educational staff. Congestion is present, made worse by the city being located south of theAccra–Takoradi trunk road.[16]
In 1873, there was a proposal for a line to link the settlements of Cape Coast and Kumasi in order to send troops to fight the Asante. It never came to fruition due to the war ending sooner than expected.[17]
Plans for the construction of an airport for the city were announced byMahamudu Bawumia at theNew Patriotic Party's manifesto launch on August 18, 2024. According to Mahamudu, theUS$2 billion in funding has been secured from South Korean investors.[18][19]
The metropolitan has amayor–council form of government. The mayor (executive chief) is appointed by thepresident of Ghana and approved by the city council, theCape Coast Metropolitan Assembly.[20] The mayor of Cape Coast is Ernest Arthur, currently serving his second term in office.[1]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 56,601 | — |
| 1984 | 65,763 | +16.2% |
| 2000 | 82,291 | +25.1% |
| 2010 | 108,374 | +31.7% |
| 2021 | 189,925 | +75.2% |
| Source:Ghana Statistical Service.[b] | ||
As of the 2010 census, the population of Cape Coast is 108,374 people which grew to 189,925 by 2021.[2]: 71 The city was historically an early centre forChristian missionaries, most notably theBasel missionaries. Christianity is the most practised religion in the city, followed byIslam andtraditional religions. The largest ethnic group that resided in the city are theFante, who are a subgroup of theAkan. The ethnic group's language isFante.[2]: 30, 3
Cape Coast is located at05°06′N01°15′W / 5.100°N 1.250°W /5.100; -1.250 (5.100000, -1.250000) and is about 38.4 mi (61.8 km) fromSekondi-Takoradi and approximately 80 mi (130 km) fromAccra.[22]
The city resided in theCape Coast Metropolitan, which has an area size of 122 km2 (47 sq mi) and is one of 6 metropolises in Ghana. The district is bordered to the south by theGulf of Guinea, theHemang-Lower Denkyira District to the north, to the west by theKomenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem Municipal District, and to the east by theAbura/Asebu/Kwamankese District.[2]: 1, 3
The city'stopography is classified as hilly, the hills overlain by sandysilts. The rock type of the city is dominated by theBirimian formation andbatholiths, also consisting ofgranite andpegmatite. There are valleys of various streams between the hills, with Kakum being the largest stream. The minor streams end in wetlands, the largest of which drains into theFosu Lagoon at Bakano. In the northern part of the district, however, the landscape is suitable for the cultivation of various crops.[2]: 1, 3 [23]: 43
Cape Coast is noted for its significant green spaces, but rapid population and infrastructure growth present threats to its vegetation. The city's greenery plays a crucial role inflood management and improving residents' overall well-being. Data from a 2023 study showed that the metropolitan's dense vegetation in 2018 was 47.12 km (29.28 mi), a 24.01% decrease from 71.13 km (44.20 mi) in 1991.[24]
Cape Coast has atropical savanna climate (Köppen:As), with two rainy seasons peaking in May to June and October. The dry periods (harmattan) occur between November and February. The annual rainfall ranges from 90 to 110 mm (3.5 to 4.3 in) along the coast while in the hinterland is between 110 and 160 mm (4.3 and 6.3 in). The average temperatures are around 24 to 32 °C (75 to 90 °F) while the relative humidity is between 60% and 80%.[25]
| Climate data for Cape Coast (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 31.9 (89.4) | 32.9 (91.2) | 32.9 (91.2) | 32.7 (90.9) | 31.6 (88.9) | 30.1 (86.2) | 29.1 (84.4) | 28.9 (84.0) | 29.7 (85.5) | 30.9 (87.6) | 31.8 (89.2) | 31.9 (89.4) | 31.2 (88.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22.6 (72.7) | 24.0 (75.2) | 24.2 (75.6) | 24.3 (75.7) | 24.1 (75.4) | 23.5 (74.3) | 22.9 (73.2) | 22.4 (72.3) | 23.0 (73.4) | 23.2 (73.8) | 23.5 (74.3) | 23.1 (73.6) | 23.4 (74.1) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 13.5 (0.53) | 18.7 (0.74) | 64.9 (2.56) | 92.8 (3.65) | 199.5 (7.85) | 209.4 (8.24) | 65.9 (2.59) | 29.9 (1.18) | 58.9 (2.32) | 89.8 (3.54) | 49.9 (1.96) | 29.6 (1.17) | 922.8 (36.33) |
| Average rainy days(≥ 0.1 mm) | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 65 |
| Source:World Meteorological Organization[26] | |||||||||||||
Cape Coast is a part of the Oguaa Traditional Area.[c] The main festival celebrated in the city isFetu Afahye, which is celebrated in the first Sunday of September every year, and it attracts people of all different backgrounds.[2]: 3
The following is a selected list of radio stations in Cape Coast:[28]
Agriculture in the city is managed by the Department of Agriculture of the metropolitan. The head of the department is Olympia Enyonam Williams.[30] Results from a 2005 study found that Cape Coast has close to noirrigated vegetable farming taking place within the city proper expect for the premises of Cape Coast University. Close to 90% vegetables consumed by the city's residents come from sources such as Kumasi and as far asTogo and its border with Ghana.[31]: 1
The city's topography makes farming difficult to achieve. There are limited suitable areas that could be used for farming; those that meet the criteria are prone to floods. This makes Cape Coast and its surrounding areas one of the mostwater scarce in Ghana, resulting in most of the residents resorting to fishing.[31]: 2
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Fishing provides a livelihood to most of the residents of Cape Coast, who live in the southern fishing communities. Trade,sewing, and carving are also sources of income alongside fishing. Children are also involved in the occupation as a way of participation and respect.[32][33]
Due to the decline of fish populations, which many blamed on the fishing practice called 'Saiko', where unwanted fish captured by large ships are exchanged at sea for goods such as fruit, water and livestock bought by locals, fishers' livelihoods are at stake since their lives depend on the occupation.[32]
In recent years, 25.1% of Cape Coast's employed population works in service-related jobs, such aswholesale andretail. The city is home to theKotokuraba Market, the largest market in the city. The triangular-shaped market was developed in the late 1930s by the colonial government. Since then, it has become one of the most significant sources of income for the municipal authority in the city, employing about 35% of the female employed population.[34]
Cape Coast has been experiencing an increasing number of tourists due to attractions such as the Cape Coast Castle (World Heritage Site), theKakum National Park, and thePANAFEST festival. Although access to areas such as compounds that housesshrines, such as the "Tree Shrine", a silk cotton tree near Anaafo market, are prohibited.[35] The city's infrastructure, however, is underdeveloped, impacting the quality of life for the residents and the overall experience of the tourists.[36] As of 2000, there are no streets in the city that prioritise pedestrian access. Residents often are not aware of the role that they play in the tourism industry.[37]
Cape Coast's tourism sector was looked after by theCentral Regional Development Commission (CEDECOM). In order to fund the development of the sector, CEDECOM reached out toUNDP andUSAID, which in turn contacted the Debt for Development Coalition (DDC) for a 'debt swap' arrangement. After cooperating with multiple parties, the Natural Resource Conservation and Historic Preservation project was launched. The project focused on the rehabilitation and transformation of the city's castles and fortresses into heritage creations, and resulted in the creation of the Kakum National Park.[38]
Both former United States presidentBarack Obama and vice presidentKamala Harris have visited Cape Coast along with the Cape Coast Castle. Obama visited on 11 July 2009, while Kamala arrived on 28 March 2023.[39][40][41] Obama'strip marked the first time during hispresidency that he had visited sub-Saharan Africa.[42]
During Obama's visit to the castle, he made a remark to the castle's history with thehistory of African Americans.[43]
And I think, as Americans, and as African Americans, obviously there's a special sense that on the one hand this place was a place of profound sadness; on the other hand, it is here where the journey of much of the African American experience began. And symbolically, to be able to come back with my family, with Michelle and our children, and see the portal through which the diaspora began, but also to be able to come back here in celebration with the people of Ghana of the extraordinary progress that we've made because of the courage of so many, black and white, to abolish slavery and ultimately win civil rights for all people, I think is a source of hope. It reminds us that, as bad as history can be, it's also possible to overcome.
Cape Coast is home to manyNGOs, some of which have limited human resources due to financial pushbacks. These NGOs address and confront social issues in the metropolitan area as a whole. Some NGOs with operations in the city are the Seeds of Sovereignty[44] and the Abraham Smiles Foundation.[45] A 2021 study's findings show that most people do show interest in participating in NGO related activities, depending on what the organization in question revolves around.[46]
Cape Coast is home to the main campus of theUniversity of Cape Coast (UCC). The institution was established in 1962 as auniversity college and had special relations with theUniversity of Ghana. On 1 October 1971, the college gained the status of a full and independent university by an Act ofParliament; the University of Cape Coast Act, 1971 and theUniversity of Cape Coast Law, 1992.[47][48]
TheCape Coast Technical University is also located in the city. It opened in 1986, operating under theGhana Education Service to offer intermediary courses. In 1992, following thePolytechnic Law (PNDCL 321), the university was upgraded to the status of atertiary institution. It currently stands as a technical university.[49]
The following is a list of Cape Coast'ssecondary andtechnical schools:[50]
Cape Coast have two principal hospitals: theCape Coast Teaching Hospital and the Cape Coast Metro Hospital.[51] The Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, popularly known as "Interberton" by the locals, was the first of a series of Regional Hospitals established by theMinistry of Health. Full operations began on 12 August 1998 and the hospital was awarded the Best Regional Hospital in 2003. The facility remained the largest hospital in the region.[52]
The Cape Coast Metro Hospital is a 115-bed facility. It was the main hospital serving the area until the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital was built, where it started to fall into disarray due to neglect.[51] In 2024, renovations were announced for the facility, totaling aroundUS$77,452.67.[53]
The city is home to theCape Coast Sports Stadium, amulti-purpose stadium which is currently home to theCape Coast Ebusua Dwarfs. Construction of the stadium began in 2012 and officially opened on 3 May 2016. It was financed and designed by China.[54][55]
The Ebusua Dwarfs, a professional football club based in Cape Coast with a current squad of 30 players, currently competes in theGhana Premier League.[56]
The city is also home to theVenomous Vipers, a professional football club. The current Board Chairman of the team is Kweku Ackah-Yensu, who took office in 2022. They play against the Ebusua Dwarfs.[57]
The following is a list ofsister cities of Cape Coast, designated bySister Cities International:
Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Cape Coast".Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.05°06′N01°15′W / 5.100°N 1.250°W /5.100; -1.250
Places adjacent to Cape Coast | |
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Cities and towns ofGhana by population | ||
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| 2,000,000+ |   | |
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| 60,000+ | ||
| 40,000+ | ||
| 20,000+ |
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| 5,000+ | ||
| Metropolitan (1) |
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| Municipal (7) |
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| Ordinary (14) |
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Definitions from Wiktionary
Media from CommonsTexts from Wikisource
Travel guides from Wikivoyage
Data from Wikidata| International | |
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