Cape Coast
Cape Coast
Oguaa Kotokuraba | |
|---|---|
Counter-clockwise from top-left image: Arch bridge and harbour view from Elmina Castle; City hall of Cape Coast; Cape Coast Castle; Cape Coast shoreline. | |
| Etymology: Portuguese: Cabo Corso ("short cape") | |
Cape Coast Location in Ghana Cape Coast Location in Africa | |
| Coordinates: 05°06′N 01°15′W / 5.100°N 1.250°W | |
| 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 (2010) | |
• Total | 108,374 |
| • Ethnicities | |
| • Religion |
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| Time zone | UTC+00:00 (GMT) |
| Postcode district | |
| Area code | 033 |
| Climate | As |
| Website | ccma.gov.gh |
Cape Coast is a city and the capital of the Cape Coast Metropolitan District and the Central Region of Ghana. It is located about 38.4 mi (61.8 km) from Sekondi-Takoradi and approximately 80 mi (130 km) from Accra. The city is one of the most historically significant settlements in Ghana. As of the 2010 census, Cape Coast has a population of 108,374 people. The majority of people who live in the city are Fante.
The city was once the capital of the Fetu Kingdom, an aboriginal Guan kingdom located 10 miles (16 km) north of Cape Coast. Once the Europeans arrived, they established the Cape Coast Castle, which eventually fell under the hands of the British who named the castle and its surrounding settlement the headquarters of the Royal African Company. Cape Coast became the capital of the Gold Coast from 1821 until 1877, when it was transferred to Accra.
Cape Coast is an educational hub in Ghana, home to the University of Cape Coast and the Cape Coast Technical University, along with many other secondary and technical institutions. The tourism dominates the city's economy and service, with sites such as the Cape Coast Castle (World Heritage Site), the Kakum National Park, and the PANAFEST festival serving as attractions to tourists, and the Kotokuraba Market being the largest market in the city.