Cape Coast

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Cape Coast, situated at the heart of Ghana’s coastline, extends from a low promontory into the Gulf of Guinea within the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 75 miles (120 km) southwest of the Ghanaian capital, Accra.

During the 15th century, the Portuguese established a post at this location, and later in the 16th century, the British arrived. The town, among the oldest in the country, developed around Cape Coast Castle, initially constructed by the Swedish in 1655 and later seized by the British in 1663. Functioning as a significant hub for Asante traders, Cape Coast evolved into a roadstead port and served as the commercial and administrative capital of the Gold Coast until 1877, when Accra assumed that role. Cape Coast’s decline commenced in the early 1900s with the construction of railways from Sekondi and Accra to Kumasi.

Although the Cape Coast harbour ceased operations with the establishment of Tema port in 1962, the city maintained its significance as an educational centre, housing several secondary schools and the University of Cape Coast, founded in 1962.

Economic activities in Cape Coast include fishing, trade, and government administration within the Castle. An industrial area was finalized in 1976, contributing to the production of bricks, tiles, tobacco products, cotton textiles, soap, sugar, cocoa products, beverages, salt, and chemicals. Notable structures in the town include Christ Church (1865, the first Anglican church in the country), Wesley Chapel (1838), and the Cathedral of St. Francis, serving as the seat of the Roman Catholic archbishop of Ghana. Additionally, a polytechnic school commenced in 1974, and the Cape Coast Urban Health Centre was completed in 1976. The name “Cape Coast” is a corruption of the Portuguese “Cabo Corso” (Corsican Cape), while the local inhabitants refer to the town as Gua or Oegua. The population was 82,291 in 2000 and 169,894 in 2010.

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More details about Cape coast

ID
52168
Name
Cape Coast
State ID
52
State Code
CP
State Name
Central
Country ID
83
Country Code
GH
Country Name
Ghana
Latitude
5.10535000
Longitude
-1.24660000
WikiData ID
Q221283

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 lived in the city are Fante.

The city was once the capital of the Fetu Kingdom, a kingdom located 10 miles (16 km) north of Cape Coast. Once the Europeans arrived, they established the Cape Coast Castle, which eventually went 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, where it was transferred to Accra.

Cape Coast is a 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 city's economy is dominated by the tourism 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.

Toponymy

The traditional name of the city is Oguaa, from the Fante word Gua, meaning "market". Another traditional name is Koto-Kuraba meaning "crab-hamlet", which is a corrupted version of the word Koto-wuraba, meaing "crab rivulets". The word survives in the name of a market in the city.^{: 164, 165}

Cabo Corso ("short cape") was the first European name given to the settlement by the early Portuguee navigators who first discovered it. The name was later corrupted by the British to "Cape Coast".

History

Early settlement

The origin of the indigenous inhabitants of the settlement is thought to share similarities to those of Edina, as Cape Coast became the principal town of the Fetu Kingdom. "Fetu" was an old Guan (Etsii) kingdom located 10 miles (16 km) north of Cape Coast. The site is now known nowadays as Effutu.^{: 164, 165}

Around this time, a market, known at the time as Ouga, 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 of William Towerson, the first documented English navigator to have reach the Guinea coast, who touched land in 1555.^: 165

Arrival of Europeans

Trade grew between the people of Fetu and the Europeans. Sometime in 1650, a plot of land was bought from the King of Fetu by Hendrik Carloff, acting for Dutch privateers working against the Dutch West India Company. In 1655, a fort was built on the site of Carolusborg under the hands of the Swedish. It switch hands several times before 1664, when it was captured from the Dutch by a joint English and Dutch force.^{: 165, 166}

After the attack, the English named Cape Coast the headquarters of the Royal African Company 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 Dutch built a fort on their land, known as Fort Frederiksborg. The fort was later bought out by the English.^: 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 as Phipps Tower, which was later abandoned and is now manage by the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board.^: 166

Colonial times

The Napoleonic Wars at the beginning of the 19th century and the political unrest in the Gold Coast region as a result of the abolition of the Atlantic slave trade by Denmark and Britain are contributing factors in the Asante 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 the Asante plummeted.^: 167

More forts were built, such as Smith's Tower on top of Dawson Hill and Fort McCarthy.^: 167

Cape Coast was threatened a second time by the Asante in 1824 after British troops under Charles MacCarthy were defeated. the town was largely burnt down in 1817, slowing down its economy.^{: 167, 169}

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 in which conditions turned south. Trade declined, rivalry with the Dutch got to new heights, and Asante pressures escalated.^: 170

The capital of the Gold Coast was transferred from Cape Coast to Accra in 1877. This, along with many other causes, resulted in irreversible damage to the town's economy. The 1880s saw a minor boom to its economy with the gold rush.^: 170

Present (1900–present)

The city's St. Francis Cathedral was dedicated in 1928. The building is the first Catholic Cathedral built in Ghana. In addition, one of the first Catholic schools in Ghana, St. Augustine's College, was established in Cape Coast during 1936. The cocoa marketing boom of the 1900s that Ghana experienced, 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 the Roman Catholic Archdiocese and the university of the city in 1950 and 1962 respectively, Cape Coast became a educational hub in Ghana.^: 170

Transportation

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.

In certain areas such as Abura, with a population of 15,000 in 2000 and is located close to major establishments, transportation needs are served by local transport (taxis and minibuses). Most residents in Cape Coast do not own personal vehicles, with the exception of the city's middle class, which included government and educational staff. Congestion is present, made worse by the city being located south of the Accra–Takoradi trunk road.

In 1873, there was a proposal for an 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.

Plans for the construction of an airport for the city was announced by Mahamudu Bawumia at the New Patriotic Party's manifesto launch on August 18, 2024. According to Mahamudu, the US$2 billion in funding has been secured from South Korean investors.

Government

The metropolitan has a mayor–council form of government. The mayor (executive chief) is appointed by the president of Ghana and approved by the city council, the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly. The mayor of Cape Coast is Ernest Arthur, currently serving his second term in office.

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, the population of Cape Coast is 108,374 people.^: 71 The city was historically an early centre for Christian missionaries, most notably the Basel missionaries. Christianity is the most practiced religion in the city, followed by Islam and traditional religions. The biggest ethnic group that resided in the city are the Fante, who are a subgroup of the Akan. The ethnic group's language is Fante.^: 30, 3

Geography

Cape Coast is located at 05°06′N 01°15′W (5.100000, -1.250000) and is about 38.4 mi (61.8 km) from Sekondi-Takoradi and approximately 80 mi (130 km) from Accra.

Metropolitan Area

The city resided in the Cape Coast Metropolitan, which have 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 the Gulf of Guinea, the Hemang-Lower Denkyira District to the north, to the west by the Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem Municipal District, and to the east the Abura/Asebu/Kwamankese District.^: 1, 3

Topography

The city's topography is classified as hilly, the hills overlain by sandy silts. The rock type of the city is dominated by the Birimian formation and batholiths, also consisting of granite and pegmatite. 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 the Fosu Lagoon at Bakano. In the northern part of the district, however, the landscape is suitable for the cultivation of various crops.^: 1, 3^: 43

Parks

Cape Coast is noted for its significant green spaces, but rapid population and infrastructure growth presents threats to its vegetation. The city's greenery plays crucial roles in flood 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.

Climate

Cape Coast has a tropical 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%.

Culture

Cape Coast is a part of the Oguaa Traditional Area. The main festival celebrated in the city is Fetu Afahye, which is celebrated in the first Sunday of September every year, and it attracts people of all different backgrounds.^: 3

Media

The following is a selected list of radio stations in Cape Coast:

FM

90.3 Kastle FM
93.3 Cape FM
92.5 Radio Central
100.5 ATL FM
102.9 Yes FM
87.7 Eagle FM
90.9 Sompa FM
107.5 Live FM

Economy

Agriculture

Agriculture in the city is managed by the Department of Agriculture of the metropolitan. The head of the department is Olympia Enyonam Williams. Results from a 2005 study found that Cape Coast has close to no irrigated 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 as Togo and its border with Ghana.^: 1

The city's topography makes farming difficult to achieve. There are limited suitable areas that could be used for the basis of farming, the ones that do fit the criteria are prone to floods. This makes Cape Coast and its surrounding areas one of the most water scarce in Ghana, resulting in most of the residents resorting to fishing.^: 2

Fishing

Fishing proves a livelihood to most of the residents of Cape Coast, whose residents live in the southern fishing communities. Trade, sewing, and carving also are sources of income alongside fishing. Children are also involved in the occupation as a way of participation and respect.

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.

Service

In recent years, 25.1% of Cape Coast's employed population works in service-related jobs, such as wholesale and retail. The city is home to the Kotokuraba Market, the largest market in the city. The triangular-shaped market was developed in the late 1930s by the colonial government. Since then, it had become one of the largest sources of income for the municipal authority in the city, employing about 35% of the female employed population.

Tourism

Cape Coast has been experiencing an increasing number of tourists due to attractions such as the Cape Coast Castle (World Heritage Site), the Kakum National Park, and the PANAFEST festival. Although, access to areas such as compounds that houses shrines such as the "Tree Shrine", a silk cotton tree near anaafo market are prohibited. The city's infrastructure however is underdeveloped, impacting the quality of life for the residents and the overall experience of the tourists. As of 2000, there are no streets in the city that prioritizes pedestrian access. Residents often are not aware of the role that they play in the tourism industry.

Cape Coast's tourism's sector was looked after by the Central Regional Development Commission (CEDECOM). In order to fund the development of the sector, CEDECOM reached out to UNDP and USAID, which in turn contacted the Debt for Development Coalition (DDC) for a 'debt swap' arrangement. After cooperating with multiple different 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.

State visits

Both former United States president Barack Obama and vice president Kamala Harris have visited Cape Coast along with the Cape Coast Castle. Obama visited on 11 July 2009 while Kamala arrived on 28 March 2023. Obama's trip marked the first time during his presidency that he had visited sub-Saharan Africa.

During Obama's visit to the castle, he made a remark to the castle's history with the history of African Americans:

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.

Non-governmental organizations

Cape Coast is home to many NGOs, some of which have limited human resources due to financial pushbacks. These NGOs addresses and confront social issues in the metropolitan as a whole. Some NGOs with operations in the city are the Seeds of Sovereignty and the Abraham Smiles Foundation. 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.

Education

Cape Coast is home to the main campus of the University of Cape Coast (UCC). The institution was established in 1962 as a university college and had special relations with the University of Ghana. On 1 October 1971, the college gained the status of a full and independent university by an Act of Parliament; the University of Cape Coast Act, 1971 and the University of Cape Coast Law, 1992.

The Cape Coast Technical University is also located in the city. It opened in 1986, operating under the Ghana Education Service to offer intermediary courses. In 1992, following the Polytechnic Law (PNDCL 321), the university was upgraded to the status of a tertiary institution. It currently stands as a technical university.

The following is a list of Cape Coast's secondary and technical schools:

Healthcare

Cape Coast have two principal hospitals: the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital and the Cape Coast Metro Hospital. The Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, popularly known as "Interberton" by the locals, was the first of a series of Regional Hospitals established by the Ministry of Health. Full operations begun on 12 August 1998 and was awarded the Best Regional Hospital in 2003. The facility remained the largest hospital in the region.

The Cape Coast Metro Hospital, an 115-bed facility built by the colonists, was the main hospital serving the area until the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital was built, where it started to fell into disarray due to neglect. In 2024, renovations were announced for the facility, totaling around US$77,452.67.

Sport

The city is home to the Cape Coast Sports Stadium, a multi-purpose stadium which is currently home to the Cape Coast Ebusua Dwarfs. Construction of the stadium began in 2012 and officially opened on 3 May 2016. It was financed and designed by China.

The Ebusua Dwarfs, a professional football club based in Cape Coast with a current squad of 30 players, currently competes in the Ghana Premier League. According to a 2018 study, like other teams in the league, high anxiety and a lack of self-confidence among the players could lead to a decline of performance.

The city is also home to the Venomous Vipers, a professional football club. The current Board of Chairman of the team is Kweku Ackah-Yensu, who had taken office in 2022. They play against the Ebusua Dwarfs.

Notable people

Frederick Acheampong, football administrator and media personality
Nana Amba Eyiaba I, queen mother
Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, fifth vice-president of Ghana
Gifty Anti, journalist
B. J. Da Rocha, founding member of the New Patriotic Party and served as its first National Chairman
Kwesi Brew, poet and diplomat
Joey B, musician
Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, former Minister for Education
Efua Sutherland, playwright, author, and child advocate