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Accra
Capital city and metropolis
Accra central skyline
Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum
Black Star Square
Black Star Gate
Labadi Beach
Airport City
National Theatre
Holy Trinity Cathedral
Ghana National Mosque
University of Ghana
Flag of Accra
Flag
Accra is located in Ghana
Accra
Accra
Accra is located in Africa
Accra
Accra
Coordinates: 5°33′N 0°12′W / 5.550°N 0.200°W / 5.550; -0.200
Country Ghana
RegionGreater Accra Region
Districts
13 districts
Settled15th century
Government
 • MayorElizabeth K. T. Sackey
Area
[1]
 • Accra Metropolitan
20.4 km2 (7.9 sq mi)
 • Urban
199.4 km2 (77.0 sq mi)
 • Metro
3,245 km2 (1,253 sq mi)
Elevation
61 m (200 ft)
Population
 (2021 census)[1]
 • Accra Metropolitan
284,124
 • Density13,900/km2 (36,100/sq mi)
 • Urban
1,782,150
 • Urban density8,938/km2 (23,150/sq mi)
 • Metro
5,455,692
 • Metro density1,681/km2 (4,354/sq mi)
DemonymAccran
Time zoneUTC+00:00 (GMT)
Postcode districts
GA, GL, GZ
Area code030
ClimateTropical savanna climate (Aw)
Websiteama.gov.gh

Accra (/əˈkrɑː/) is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean.[2][3] As of the 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, 20.4 km2 (7.9 sq mi), had a population of 284,124, and the larger Greater Accra Region, 3,245 km2 (1,253 sq mi), had a population of 5.46 million.[1] The name "Accra" sometimes refers to the territory of the Accra Metropolitan District as it existed before 2008, when it covered 199.4 km2 (77.0 sq mi).[4] This territory has since been split into 13 local government districts: 12 independent municipal districts (total area: 179.0 km2) and the reduced Accra Metropolitan District (20.4 km2), which is the only district within the capital to be granted city status.[5] This territory of 199.4 km2 contained 1,782,150 inhabitants at the 2021 census,[6] and serves as the capital of Ghana, while the district under the jurisdiction of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly proper (20.4 km2) is distinguished from the rest of the capital as the "City of Accra".[7]

Formed from the merger of separate settlements around British Fort James, Dutch Fort Crêvecoeur (Ussher Fort), and Danish Fort Christiansborg as Jamestown, Usshertown, and Christiansborg, respectively, Accra served as the capital of the British Gold Coast between 1877 and 1957 and has since transitioned into a more modern metropolis. The capital's architecture reflects this history, ranging from 19th-century colonial architecture to modern skyscrapers and apartment blocks.[8]

Accra is the Greater Accra Region's economic and administrative hub, and serves as the anchor of the larger Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA),[9] which is inhabited by about 4 million people, making it the thirteenth-largest metropolitan area in Africa. In 2020, the Globalization and World Cities Research Network think tank designated Accra as a "Gamma −" level global city, indicating a growing level of international influence and connectedness.[10]

Etymology

[edit]

The word Accra is derived from the Akan word Nkran meaning "ants", a reference to anthills seen in the countryside around Accra.[11] The name specifically refers to soldier ants, and was applied to the town and people by the Twi speakers.[12][13]

The name of Accra in the local Ga language is Ga or Gaga, the same name as that of the Ga people and a cognate with Nkran. The word is sometimes rendered with the nasalised vowels as Gã or Gãgã. Historian Carl Christian Reindorf confirmed this etymology, proposing a link between the martial qualities and migratory behaviour of the local ants and those of the Ga people. The link between the ethnonym and ants was explicitly reflected in the recognition of anthills as sacred places. Sometimes ringed by sacred fences (aklabatsa), the tall red mounds dotting Accra's hinterland were seen as microcosms of human community and as nodal points between the known world and the world of the dead.[12]

The Gas used the reference to the invasive species of dark-red swarming ants to connote the military prowess of the Gas and their ancient conquest of Guang speakers residing in the Accra Plains.[14]

The name Ga is actually a cognate of the name Akan, one of the words in which [g] corresponds to [k] in Akan.[15] Ga also gave its name to the Ga districts surrounding Accra.[16][self-published source?]

The spelling Accra was given to Nkran by Europeans.[16] An earlier spelling used by the Danes was Akra.[17][18]

History

[edit]
A contemporary drawing of the Danish Fort Christiansborg (later is Osu Castle) in what later is Accra. The outpost to the right is Fort Prøvestenen.

Accra Kingdom

[edit]

By the 15th century, the kingdom of Accra ruled the area from the capital at Ayawaso.[19]

Initially, Accra was not the most prominent trading centre; the trading hubs were the ports at Ada and Prampram, along with the inland centres of Dodowa and Akuse.[20] A Portuguese fort was destroyed by the local inhabitants in 1576; trade afterwards was conducted on the beaches.[21] The Dutch later built the nearby Fort Crèvecœur while the British and the Swedes built James Fort and Christiansborg castles, respectively, in the 17th century.[22]

By 1646 the kingdom was a regional power, bolstered by European trade. It depended on the goodwill of the rising Akwamu Kingdom, which controlled the trade routes in the interior. A dispute in 1646 escalated to war when Accra invaded Larteh.[21] At the same time, Accra was weakened by a civil war.[23]

Akwamu conquest of Greater Accra

[edit]

In 1677 Akwamuhene Ansa Sasraku, using the circumcision of a visiting Akwamu prince as pretext, attacked Accra. He sacked Ayawaso and beheaded the king, Okai Koi.[23] The king's son, Ofori, retreated to 'Small Accra', the town that had grown up under the walls of Fort Crèvecœur.[24] Ansa Sasraku's attempts to finish off the Accrans were defeated by the guns of the Danish Fort Christianborg.[25] Ofori and his people survived for years, until the Akwamu fomented a rebellion amongst the Danish garrison, and the fort was turned over to the Portuguese. Ansa Sasraku returned in 1681, burning Osu town and Small Accra and chasing Ofori to exile in Fetu.[26] As Akwamu continued to expand, strips of land east and west were added to the Accra province.[27]

British power increases

[edit]

Britain gradually acquired the interests of all other countries beginning in 1851, when Denmark sold Christiansborg (which they had acquired from the Swedes) and their other forts to the British. The Netherlands was the last to sell out, in 1871. In 1873, after decades of tension between the British and Ashantis, the British captured Kumasi, destroying portions of the city. The British then captured Accra in 1874, and in 1877, at the end of the second Anglo-Asante War, Accra replaced Cape Coast as the capital of the British Gold Coast. This decision was made because Accra had a drier climate relative to Cape Coast. Until this time, the settlement of Accra was confined between Ussher Fort to the east and the Korle Lagoon to the west.[28]

As the newly established Gold Coast's administrative functions were moved to Accra (1877), an influx of British colonial administrators and European settlers grew around the Christiansborg (what later is Osu, Ministries, Ridge, Labone, and Cantonments) began, and the city began to expand to accommodate the new residents. Victoriaborg was formed in the 19th century as an exclusively European residential neighbourhood, located to the east of the city limits of the time. The boundaries of Accra were further stretched in 1908, after a bubonic plague epidemic.[29] This expansion entailed the creation of a native-only neighbourhood, intended to accommodate members of the native population as a means of relieving congestion problems in the overcrowded city centre. Adabraka was thus established to the north of the city.[30]

In 1918, the Grand Orange Lodge of Ghana was established in Accra to oversee and govern the local Ghanaian Orange Lodges. The Ghanaian Orange Order focus on evangelism, positive values and youth development.[31] They have Orange parades in the city, such as the 12th of July parade.[32][33]

A main street of central Accra sometime between 1885 and 1908

By the 1920s, transportation between Accra and the inland cities producing exportable commodities was enhanced. This allowed cocoa to become Accra's largest export and allowed commerce to overtake government as the primary element in the city.[34]

Among the achievements of Guggisberg was the building of a bridge across the Korle Lagoon in 1923, which increased settlement at Korle Bu, Korle Gonno and Chokor, to the west of the lagoon. Guggisberg also oversaw the building of a hospital (Korle-Bu) and secondary school (Achimota).[29]

After World War II

[edit]
Jamestown Lighthouse in Jamestown/Usshertown

In 1948, Ghana remained a colony of Great Britain following World War II. The chief of Osu Alata, Nii Kobina Bonney III, had set up a boycott of European goods across the country due to the rise of prices for essential commodities.[35] At the same time, veterans of the war were fighting for their benefits and promised pay.[36]

Black Star Square

After Kwame Nkrumah became Ghana's first Prime Minister in 1957, he created his own plan for Accra's development.[37] Nkrumah proposed creating spaces to inspire pride and nationalism in his people and people throughout Africa.[38]

The Parliament, Supreme Court of Ghana, Black Star Square and the Bank of Ghana are located in Accra.[39][40][citation needed][41] The city is a transportation hub, home to Accra International Airport, and railway links to Tema, Sekondi-Takoradi and Kumasi. Accra has become a location for national and international business conferences, such as the BarCamp Ghana series, organised by GhanaThink Foundation.[42]

Geography

[edit]
Accra
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
15
 
 
31
23
 
 
33
 
 
31
24
 
 
56
 
 
31
24
 
 
81
 
 
31
24
 
 
142
 
 
31
24
 
 
178
 
 
29
23
 
 
46
 
 
27
23
 
 
15
 
 
27
22
 
 
36
 
 
27
23
 
 
64
 
 
29
23
 
 
36
 
 
31
24
 
 
23
 
 
31
24
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm
Source: BBC Weather[43]
Imperial conversion
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
0.6
 
 
87
73
 
 
1.3
 
 
88
75
 
 
2.2
 
 
88
76
 
 
3.2
 
 
88
76
 
 
5.6
 
 
87
75
 
 
7
 
 
84
74
 
 
1.8
 
 
81
74
 
 
0.6
 
 
80
71
 
 
1.4
 
 
81
73
 
 
2.5
 
 
85
74
 
 
1.4
 
 
87
75
 
 
0.9
 
 
88
75
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches

As a coastal city, Accra is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and sea level rise, with population growth putting increasing pressure on the coastal areas.[44] Drainage infrastructure is particularly at risk, which has implications for people's livelihoods, especially in informal settlements. Inadequate planning regulation and law enforcement, and perceived corruption in government processes, lack of communication across government departments and lack of concern or government co-ordination with respect to building codes are impediments to progressing the development of Accra's drainage infrastructure, according to the Climate & Development Knowledge Network.[45]

Climate data for Accra (Accra International Airport) 1991–2020, extremes 1936–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 36.6
(97.9)		 38.0
(100.4)		 36.5
(97.7)		 38.7
(101.7)		 35.0
(95.0)		 33.5
(92.3)		 32.3
(90.1)		 32.8
(91.0)		 33.9
(93.0)		 34.5
(94.1)		 38.0
(100.4)		 37.5
(99.5)		 38.7
(101.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 32.6
(90.7)		 33.0
(91.4)		 33.0
(91.4)		 32.7
(90.9)		 31.8
(89.2)		 29.8
(85.6)		 28.6
(83.5)		 28.4
(83.1)		 29.6
(85.3)		 31.1
(88.0)		 32.1
(89.8)		 32.4
(90.3)		 31.3
(88.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) 28.5
(83.3)		 29.2
(84.6)		 29.2
(84.6)		 29.0
(84.2)		 28.3
(82.9)		 26.8
(80.2)		 25.9
(78.6)		 25.6
(78.1)		 26.5
(79.7)		 27.5
(81.5)		 28.3
(82.9)		 28.6
(83.5)		 27.8
(82.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 24.5
(76.1)		 25.4
(77.7)		 25.4
(77.7)		 25.3
(77.5)		 24.7
(76.5)		 23.8
(74.8)		 23.3
(73.9)		 22.9
(73.2)		 23.4
(74.1)		 23.8
(74.8)		 24.6
(76.3)		 24.7
(76.5)		 24.3
(75.7)
Record low °C (°F) 15.0
(59.0)		 16.7
(62.1)		 18.9
(66.0)		 19.4
(66.9)		 18.6
(65.5)		 17.8
(64.0)		 17.8
(64.0)		 17.2
(63.0)		 18.3
(64.9)		 19.4
(66.9)		 17.8
(64.0)		 16.7
(62.1)		 15.0
(59.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 11.8
(0.46)		 25.5
(1.00)		 61.1
(2.41)		 87.8
(3.46)		 151.4
(5.96)		 189.6
(7.46)		 63.0
(2.48)		 21.0
(0.83)		 42.9
(1.69)		 80.0
(3.15)		 37.2
(1.46)		 27.2
(1.07)		 798.5
(31.44)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 0.8 1.6 4.1 4.7 8.3 10.2 5.4 3.6 5.4 5.7 2.8 1.5 54.1
Average relative humidity (%) 77 78 79 80 81 85 84 83 81 82 80 80 81
Mean monthly sunshine hours 185.9 189.7 211.9 221.2 219.4 157.9 150.8 146.8 173.0 237.6 244.9 222.7 2,361.8
Source 1: NOAA[46]
Source 2: Deutscher Wetterdienst (extremes 1936–1990, humidity 1952–1967)[47]

Administration

[edit]

The administration of Accra occurs at two levels. Strategic initiatives, such as the urban transportation project, are coordinated between district authorities.[48]

Cityscape

[edit]

Geographically, the areas west of Ring Road West, extending as far west as the saltponds and south of Graphic Road, are considered Accra West.[49]

Demographics

[edit]

The period between 1960 and 1970 saw more rapid industrialization and expansion in Accra's manufacturing and commercial sectors. This contributed to higher rural-urban migration to the city, and consequently a higher population growth rate.[50]

56% of the population of Accra is under 24 years of age. 51% of the population are females, and the remaining 49% males. This gives a males-to-females ratio of 1:1.04. The greater number of females is a reflection of the nationwide trend, where the estimated ratio of males to females is 1:1.03.[51]

Economy

[edit]

In 2008, the World Bank estimated that Accra's economy constituted around US$3 billion of Ghana's total gross domestic product (GDP).[52]

Accra Central, Accra, Ghana

Accra is a centre for manufacturing, marketing, finance, insurance, and transportation. Its financial sector incorporates a central bank, nine commercial banks (with 81 branches), four development banks (with 19 branches), four merchant banks (with seven branches), three discount houses, one home finance mortgage bank, building societies, Ghana Stock Exchange, foreign exchange bureaus, finance houses, insurance companies, insurance brokerage firms, two savings and loans companies, and real estate developers, with industrial sites and residential developments.[53][54] The road network in the Accra Metropolitan Area totals 1,117 kilometres (694 mi) in length.

There are over 50,506 identified residential properties in Accra, and about 4,054 commercial/industrial/mixed properties, with a total rateable value of GH¢13,849,014.[55]

Ecobank Ghana Limited

The sectors of Accra's economy consist of the primary, secondary (manufacturing, electricity, gas, water, construction) and tertiary sectors (supermarkets, shopping malls, hotel, restaurant, transportation, storage, communication, financial intermediation, real estate service, public administration, education, health and other social services). The tertiary service sector is the city's largest, employing about 531,670 people. The second-largest, the secondary sector, employs 22.34% of the labour force, or around 183,934 people. 12.2% of the city's workforce are reportedly unemployed, totalling around 114,198 people.[55]

Education

[edit]

Pre-school

[edit]

Pre-school comprises nursery and kindergarten. In 2001, there were 7,923 children (3,893 girls and 4,030 boys) in pre-schools in Accra. In 2010, the enrolment rate at Pre-school was 98%.[56]

Primary school

[edit]

Primary school enrolment of girls is higher than that of boys.[56] In 2010, the enrollment rate at primary school level was 95%.[56]

Junior high school (JHS)

[edit]

In the 2001/2002 academic year, 61,080 pupils had enrolled in Accra, representing 57.17% of the 129,467 school-age 12–to-14-year-olds. In 2010, the enrolment rate at Junior high school level was 95%.[56] The ratio of girls is higher at this level.[56]

Senior high school (SHS)

[edit]
Achimota School

The transition rate between junior high and senior high school increased from 30% in 1990 to 50% in 2001. The number of students grew by 23,102 between 1990 and 2005, an increase of about 2,310 a year, since 2010 the senior high school enrolment rate has been 95%.[56]

Ghana International School (GIS), a private non-profit A-Level school founded in 1955 for children from ages 3–18, is located in Accra's Cantonments. Abelemkpe is the home of Lincoln Community School, a private, non-profit International Baccalaureate (IB) school for students aged 3–18, established in 1968.[57]

A number of public secondary schools lie on the outskirts of Accra: Achimota School, also referred to as "Motown", which was founded in 1924 and opened in 1927;[58] the Accra Academy, known as "Accra Aca"; the Presbyterian Boys' Secondary School in Legon, also known as "Presec"; Wesley Grammar School – WESS-G Dansoman, St. Mary's Senior High School, also referred to as "Merriez", is a girls' boarding school in Ghana; St. Thomas Aquinas Senior High School, also known as "Quinas"; Accra High School also known as "Ahisco"; West Africa Secondary School, also known as "WASS"; the Accra Girls' Senior High School, also known as "Agiss"; Kaneshie Secondary Technical School ("Kateco"); the Armed Forces Secondary Technical; and St. John's Grammar School; among others.

Universities

[edit]

The University of Ghana is located 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) north of the city centre at Legon. A number of other public and private universities and tertiary institutions have since been founded in Accra, some of which are listed below.

InstitutionLocationPublic/PrivateAffiliation
University of Ghana (Legon)LegonPublic
Accra Institute of Technology (AIT)CantonmentsPrivateKwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Regional Maritime University (RMU)NunguaPrivateUniversity of Ghana
Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU)TesanoPublic
Islamic University College (ICUG)East LegonPrivateUniversity of Ghana
Knutsford University College (Knutsford)East LegonPrivateUniversity of Ghana
Methodist University College (MUCG)DansomanPrivateUniversity of Ghana
Regent University College of Science and Technology (Regent)MatahekoPrivateKwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Ashesi University (Ashesi)BerekusoPrivate
Heritage Christian CollegeAmasamanPrivateKwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Central University (Central)Mataheko/MiotsoPrivate
Zenith University College (ZUC)La, Trade FairPrivateUniversity of Cape Coast
Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ)RidgePublicUniversity of Ghana
Accra Technical University(ATU)TuduPublic
Advanced Business University College (ABUC)KaneshiePrivateUniversity of Education, Winneba
Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA)AchimotaPublic
The University of Professional Studies (UPS)LegonPublic
National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI)CantonmentsPublicUniversity of Ghana
Valley View University (VVU)OyibiPrivate
African University College of Communications (AUCC)AdabrakaPrivateUniversity of Ghana
University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA)East-LegonPublicAccra
Academic City University College (ACUC)HaatsoPrivate
Pentecost University (Pentvars)SowutuomPrivate
Wisconsin International University College, GhanaNorth LegonPrivate

Institutes

[edit]

Environment

[edit]

Water

[edit]

As a growing city, Accra has a water supply and scarcity challenge.[60] Water access uses a patchwork of different delivery processes.[60]

Pollution

[edit]

Accra as a growing city, with vehicles and other urban pollution sources, has an increasing amount of air pollution and plastic pollution. Accra's urban ecosystem has been a site of dumping by international waste networks, with the Agbogbloshie suburb known for its e-waste recycling sites, and the Kantamanto Market as handling an overwhelming flow of used fast fashion from other parts of the world.[61] Both sites are sources of pollution and trash for other parts of the urban ecosystem.[61][62]

Air pollution varies seasonally, and the average measure PM2.5 average concentration of 49.5 μg/m3.[63] Live monitoring of air pollution is done at three sites in the city of Accra.[64] A 2021 review by the Environmental Protection Agency in Ghana found that the levels were exceeding national and international standards for health.[65]

Plastic management is also an increasing challenge.[66] Use of plastic water bottles water sachets and other packaging for food safety, and use of plastic during events like COVID-19 have increased plastic pollution.[67] The beaches around Accra have plastic pollution, and surrounding fisheries are impacted by plastics.[68] Non-profit organizations have been formed to collect the plastic and an increasingly growing network of recyclers and informal waste recovery networks.[68][67][69] Activists and researchers largely attribute the issue to upstream use of plastics.[68]

Decongestion exercises

[edit]

There's been decongestion exercises carried out by successive mayors in the city to help solve the hawking menace, flood issues and ensure road safety in the city.[70]

Growing population and construction within the city has been resulting in a reduction in Urban green space.[71] A 2021 study of low income communities in the city found increasing concern and desire among these communities for urban green spaces for recreation and health.[72] A 2018 study of greenspaces in the city, found the ones that do exist are important for mammal biodiversity in the city.[73]

Transportation

[edit]
Accra International Airport (KIA)
KIA International Terminal Building
Terminal 3 Departure Hall

Accra is on the Atlantic coast and has not served as a port city since the 1950s. Instead, the Port of Tema, about 29 km to the east along the Atlantic coast, was developed for deepwater shipping to and from Ghana as it can accommodate larger ships; the port opened in 1961.[74]

Rapid transit

[edit]

Accra is connected by railway line to Kumasi and Takoradi.[75] There is a suburban railway line from Accra Central Station to Tema.[76]

Aviation

[edit]

Accra is served by Accra International Airport, which has civil and military uses.[77] Located 6 miles (9.7 kilometres) from downtown Accra, the airport handles all of the city's scheduled passenger services. There are plans to build a second airport to relieve the aviation pressure on the Accra International Airport. This new airport will be located at Prampram in Accra and will be constructed by China Airport Civil Construction. This plan was still under review in 2020, as additional runways at Kotoka are in consideration as an alternative to a new international airport.[78]

Taxis

[edit]
Taxis on Accra's High Street

Accra has a taxi network and taxi ranks, and most taxis lack a meter system, so price negotiation is required between the passenger and driver. Metered taxis operate in the city, and tend to be more expensive. Taxis in Ghana are painted in two colours: the four bumpers fenders are yellow/orange, and the rest of the car is in a colour of the operator's choice. These taxis usually function on a shared ride model, where several passengers share one vehicle and the fare is calculated based on the distance traveled. More modern taxi services such as Uber, Taxify, and Yango have joined the market, providing a more advanced and comfortable alternative. Some taxi drivers might charge extra for luggage or late-night trips while some also offer fixed prices and allow for advance bookings, offering a more reliable and secure option.[79]

Tro tros and buses

[edit]

Tro tros (minibuses or cargo vans modified for passenger transport) is the third biggest, and second most efficient and cost-effective way of getting around the city. The buses are typically minibuses or vans. Some models used as tro tros are Nissan Urvan 15-seaters and Mercedes Benz Sprinter or D 309 vans. Trotros are typically decorated with decals such as flags of countries or (local and international) soccer teams, popular sayings, proverbs (in English or local languages) or Bible verses. Trotros pick up and offload passengers at designated bus stops along their regular routes. Tro tros will also usually offload at undesignated locations along the route, by passenger request. Most routes commence and terminate at urban transport terminals such as the Neoplan station or the Achimota Transport Terminal.[80]

Culture

[edit]
The Black Star Square in Accra

Tourism in Ghana accounted for 1,087,000 international tourist arrivals in 2011.[81] Accra is the Greater Accra region's tourist hub, sporting hotels, monuments, museums and nightclubs. The city has three five-star hotels: the Labadi Beach Hotel, the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel and the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel. The Golden Tulip Hotel and Novotel Accra, located in Accra's central business district, are ranked four stars. There are three-star hotels, including the Hotel Wangara, Hotel Shangri-La and Erata Hotel, and budget hotels. The Accra International Conference Centre and other meeting facilities provide venues for conference tourism.[82]

In 1994, Emmanuel Aboki Essien, a high-up member within the Grand Orange Lodge of Ghana, in Accra, was elected President of the Imperial Orange Council, the governing body of the worldwide Orange Order. He was the first African to hold this position, raising the profile of African Orange lodges within the fraternity.[83][84] Accra hold orange walks to celebrate historical events, such as the Battle of the Boyne.[85]

Ghana's film industry is growing. Its first documentary addressing the impacts of climate change premiered in Accra on 14 October 2022.[86]

Twin towns – sister cities

[edit]

Accra has four official sister cities, as recognised by Sister Cities International:[87]

City Province / Region / State Nation Year Ref
Johannesburg Gauteng South Africa [88]
Sterling Connecticut United States [87]
Washington District of Columbia United States 2006 [89]
Columbia South Carolina United States [90]
Columbus Ohio United States 2015 [91]
Chattanooga Tennessee United States 2024 [92]

UNESCO World Book

[edit]

In October 2022, Accra was named by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as World Book Capital for 2023.[93][94][95][96]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 "Ghana 2021 Population and Housing Census – General Report Volume 3A – Population of Regions and Districts" (PDF). Ghana Statistical Service. p. 80 (95). Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  2. ↑ "Walking You Through Accra's Beautiful Attractions". Peace FM Online. 31 January 2022. Archived from the original on 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  3. ↑ Amponsah, Owusu; Takyi, Stephen Appiah (31 January 2023). "Accra is congested, but relocating Ghana's capital is not the only option". The Conversation. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  4. ↑ Sum of the land areas of Accra Metropolitan District, Ablekuma Central Municipal Assembly, Ablekuma North Municipal Assembly, Ablekuma West Municipal Assembly, Ayawaso Central Municipal Assembly, Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly, Ayawaso North Municipal Assembly, Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly, Korle-Klottey Municipal Assembly, Krowor Municipal Assembly, La Dade Kotopon Municipal Assembly, Ledzokuku Municipal District, and Okaikoi North Municipal District, as per the 2021 census, page 80: .
  5. ↑ The country's first president, Kwame Nkrumah, declared the Accra Town Council, as it was referred to at the time, a city.
  6. ↑ Sum of the populations of Accra Metropolitan District, Ablekuma Central Municipal Assembly, Ablekuma North Municipal Assembly, Ablekuma West Municipal Assembly, Ayawaso Central Municipal Assembly, Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly, Ayawaso North Municipal Assembly, Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly, Korle-Klottey Municipal Assembly, Krowor Municipal Assembly, La Dade Kotopon Municipal Assembly, Ledzokuku Municipal District, and Okaikoi North Municipal District, as per the 2021 census, page 80: .
  7. ↑ "Our Background – AMA". Archived from the original on 10 January 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  8. ↑ "Accra — Ghana Articles". Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  9. ↑ "Environmental and Structural Inequalities in Greater Accra". The Journal of the International Institute. 16 (1). Fall 2008. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
  10. ↑ "The World According to GaWC 2020". GaWC – Research Network. Globalization and World Cities. Archived from the original on 24 August 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  11. ↑ www.wisdomlib.org (25 October 2025). "Accra (city information)". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  12. 1 2 Parker, John (1 January 2000). Making the Town: Ga State and Society in Early Colonial Accra. ABC-CLIO, LLC. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-325-00190-6. Archived from the original on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  13. ↑ Views of Africa. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. 1 April 2012. p. 12. ISBN 978-1-61535-571-6. Archived from the original on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  14. ↑ Rucker, Walter C. (28 September 2015). Gold Coast Diasporas: Identity, Culture, and Power. Indiana University Press. p. 30. ISBN 978-0-253-01701-7. Archived from the original on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  15. ↑ Dakubu, Mary Esther Kropp (1 January 1997). Korle Meets the Sea: A Sociolinguistic History of Accra. Oxford University Press. p. 113. ISBN 978-0-19-506061-4. Archived from the original on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  16. 1 2 Ntiamoah, Eric Maclean (1 January 2008). The City of Accra – A Pictorial Visit. AuthorHouse. p. 4. ISBN 978-1-4343-5860-8. Archived from the original on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2020.[self-published source]
  17. ↑ Harries, Patrick; Maxwell, David (20 July 2012). The Spiritual in the Secular: Missionaries and Knowledge about Africa. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. p. 73. ISBN 978-0-8028-6634-9. Archived from the original on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  18. ↑ Jenkins, Paul (1 January 1998). The Recovery of the West African Past: African Pastors and African History in the Nineteenth Century : C.C. Reindorf & Samuel Johnson: Papers from an International Seminar Held in Basel, Switzerland, 25–28th October 1995 to Celebrate the Centenary of the Publication of C.C. Reindorf's History of the Gold Coast and Asante. Basler Afrika Bibliographien. p. 86. ISBN 978-3-905141-70-2. Archived from the original on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  19. ↑ "Accra". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 21 April 2025.
  20. ↑ "Accra History, History of Accra, Accra City Information :: Traveltill.com". Traveltill. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
  21. 1 2 Wilks 1957, p. 30.
  22. ↑ Kwame Anthony Appiah; Henry Louis Gates, eds. (2005). "Accra". Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 18. ISBN 978-0-19-517055-9.
  23. 1 2 Wilks 1957, p. 32.
  24. ↑ Wilks 1957, p. 33.
  25. ↑ Wilks 1957, p. 34.
  26. ↑ Wilks 1957, p. 36.
  27. ↑ Wilks 1957, p. 44.
  28. ↑ "History of Accra". The African Executive. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
  29. 1 2 Roberts, Jonathan (9 November 2021). Sharing the Burden of Sickness. Indiana University Press. p. 146. doi:10.2307/j.ctv21hrjnx. ISBN 978-0-253-05791-4.
  30. ↑ "History of Accra". Archived from the original on 31 May 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2011.
  31. ↑ "Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland Grand Orange Lodge". www.grandorange.org.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
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  33. ↑ "The Boyne Foundation". www.theboynefoundation.com. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  34. ↑ Grant, Richard (2009). Globalizing City : The Urban and Economic Transformation of Accra, Ghana. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press. p. 21. ISBN 9780815631729.
  35. ↑ Nyadzi, Ralph (22 April 2019). "The Causes and Effects of the 1948 Accra Riots in Ghana". Cegast Academy. Archived from the original on 8 May 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  36. ↑ PRAAD. "The Riots of 28th February 1948". Public Records and Archives AdministrationDepartment. Marichael Company Limited. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  37. ↑ Roman Adrian Cybriwsky, Capital Cities around the World: An Encyclopedia of Geography, History, and Culture, ABC-CLIO, USA, 2013, p. 5.
  38. ↑ Hess, Janet Berry (2000). "Imagining Architecture: The Structure of Nationalism in Accra, Ghana". Africa Today. 47 (2): 35–58. doi:10.1353/at.2000.0045. ISSN 1527-1978.
  39. ↑ "Parliament of Ghana". www.parliament.gh. Archived from the original on 25 May 2026. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
  40. ↑ "The Supreme Court". judicial.gov.gh. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
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  42. ↑ "Accra Conferences". Archived from the original on 17 October 2011.
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  44. ↑ Using climate information to achieve long-term development objectives in coastal Ghana and Mozambique Archived 18 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Climate & Development Knowledge Network. Retrieved 16 April 2015
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  54. ↑ Oil Revenue Archived 3 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine. ghanaoilwatch.org.
  55. 1 2 "A repository of all districts in the republic of Ghana". Ghana Districts. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
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Bibliography

[edit]
  • Wilks, Ivor (1957). "The Rise of The Akwamu Empire, 1650-1710". Transactions of the Historical Society of Ghana. 3 (2): 25–62. JSTOR 41405705.
[edit]
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