Accra
Accra, population 1,970,400 (2005), is the
capital of
Ghana. It is Ghana's largest city and its administrative, communications, and economic center. The primary economic activities are financial and other services, agriculture, fishing, and manufacturing such as processed food,
lumber and
plywood,
textiles,
clothing, and
chemicals. Accra is located at 5°30' North, 0°10' West (5.5, -0.1667). [
1] It sits nears the Greenwich Meridian in the
Accra Metropolitan Area, in the
Greater Accra Region.
Accra was founded by the
Ga people in the
1500s. The word Accra is derived from the word Nkran meaning ants; reference to the numerous anthills seen in the countryside around Accra. During part of its history, Accra served as a centre for trade with the
Portuguese, who built a
fort in the town, followed by the
Swedish,
Dutch,
French,
British and
Danish by the end of the
seventeenth century.
The site of present-day Accra developed into a sizable town around the original
Ga town as well as
British,
Danish and
Dutch forts and their surrounding communities:
Jamestown near the British fort,
Osu near the Danish Christianbourg fort (now Osu Castle) and
Ussherstown near the Dutch Ussher fort. The four areas form the core of the modern city.
At the end of the
Anglo-Asante Wars, Accra replaced
Cape Coast as the capital of the British
Gold Coast colony. After the completion of a railroad to the mining and agricultural interior, Accra became the economic center of Ghana. Large areas were destroyed by
earthquakes in
1862 and
1939, but the city grew around a
seaport (now relocated to
Tema), and later a
brewery, expanding into neighbouring towns.
The
Accra Riots in
1948 launched the Ghanaian campaign for independence, which led to the
Ghana's independence from the United Kingdom and nationhood in
1957.
Accra is home to the
National Museum of Ghana, the
Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, the
National Archives of Ghana, and Ghana's
central library. Also of note is
Christianborg or Osu Castle -- the seat of government, built by the
Danes in the
17th century, the
National Theatre,
Accra Centre for National Culture, a
lighthouse, the
National Sports Stadium, the
W.E.B. DuBois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture and several
beaches. Near the
Parliament of Ghana is the
Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre for Excellence in ICT.
On Accra's outskirts are
Achimota Secondary School which was founded in 1924 and opened in 1927, and
Presby Boys' Secondary School and some of the country's leading secondary schools and, 13km north at Legon, the
University of Ghana. The Defense Commission of the
Organization of African Unity has its headquarters in Accra.
Today, Accra is a major transportation hub, home to the
Kotoka International Airport and lies on
railway lines to
Tema,
Takoradi and
Kumasi. The main harbour city, Tema is connected through the one of Ghana's highways. It is also one of the wealthiest and most modern cities in the African continent, with a (for African standards) a high quality of living. Accra is also known as having one of the continent's most active
night lifes.
The people of Accra are known for their warmth, kindness and hospitality.
*
Accra Taxi Ride - video of Accra seen through a taxi window.
