Cape Coast, Ghana

Cape Coast, the capital of Central Ghana, located west of Accra on the Gulf of Guinea, is the capital city of the Fante people. Since the 1500s onwards it has changed ownership from the British, Swedish, Danish, Dutch and Portuguese. In the year 2000 it had a population of approximately 82,291.

It was first founded by Portugal in the 1400s. The city developed around a Castle - today classed as a World Heritage site. In 1637 Cape Coast Castle had been changed to be a castle by the Dutch, and was then developed further in 1652 by the Swedish before the British took hold in 1664. Many slaves were kept there before their transportation via the Middle Passage. The Brits also centred their Gold Coast operations there in Cape Coast until in 1877 they made Accra their capital

In the city centre is a statue of a crab - the town's symbol. Built in 1820, Fort William was an active lighthouse until the 1970s. Meanwhile in 1702 Fort Victoria was built. A major attraction for tourists and visitors to the city is the Centre for National Culture.

Education

Ghana's leading university - Cape Coast (UCC) is in Cape Coast and the city also proudly contains some of the best schools in Ghana.