Accra is Ghana’s capital and biggest city, with a population of 2.27 million people. It is also the coterminous capital of the Greater Accra Region and the Accra Metropolitan District.
Accra is a city on Ghana’s Atlantic coast that extends north into the country’s interior. It was originally established around a harbor and served as the British Gold Coast’s capital from 1877 until 1957. Accra, which was formerly only a 19th-century suburb of Victoriaborg, has evolved into a contemporary metropolis, with architecture spanning from 19th-century architectural structures to modern skyscrapers and apartment towers.
Accra is the economic and administrative center of the Greater Accra area. It also serves as a hub for a variety of nightclubs, restaurants, and hotels.
A number of new structures have been constructed since the early 1990s, notably the multi-story Novotel hotel, which is owned by the French. The National Theatre of the city was constructed with Chinese aid. Accra was named a Gamma-minus-level global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network in 2010, suggesting an increasing degree of international impact and connection.
Accra – Info Card
POPULATION : | City: 2,291,352 / Metro: 4,000,000 |
FOUNDED : | 15th century / Incorporated (city) 1961 |
TIME ZONE : | English (official), Asante , Ewe , Fante , Boron , Dagomba , Dangme , Dagarte |
LANGUAGE : | English (official), Asante , Ewe , Fante , Boron , Dagomba , Dangme , Dagarte |
RELIGION : | Christian 68.8% (Pentecostal/Charismatic, Protestant , Catholic, other ), Muslim 15.9%, traditional 8.5%, other 6.8% |
AREA : | 173 km2 (67 sq mi) |
ELEVATION : | 61 m (200 ft) |
COORDINATES : | 5°33′N 0°12′W |
SEX RATIO : | • Male: 49% • Female: 51% |
ETHNIC : | Akan 47.5%, Mole-Dagbon 16.6%, Ewe 13.9%, Ga-Dangme 7.4%, Gurma 5.7%, Guan 3.7%, Grusi 2.5%, other 2.7% |
AREA CODE : | 030 |
POSTAL CODE : | |
DIALING CODE : | +233 30 |
WEBSITE : | www.ama.gov.gh |
Tourism in Accra
Accra is the tourism capital of the Greater Accra area, with a diverse range of hotels, monuments, museums, and nightclubs. The Labadi Beach Hotel, the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, and the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel are the city’s three five-star hotels. Conference tourism is possible because to the Accra International Conference Centre and other meeting facilities.
Accra is also home to the National Museum and the National Theatre, both of which have striking contemporary Chinese architecture.
The Jamestown section of the city is home to the Ussher Fort and James Fort, as well as Osu Castle (also known as Christiansborg), which was erected by Danish immigrants in the 17th century.
The Flagstaff House (the President of Ghana’s office), the Ghanaian Parliament House, the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT, the Black Star Square, the Accra Sports Stadium, and the Accra Centre for National Culture are all worth seeing.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, which was formed in 1943 as the Apostolic Prefecture of Accra, has its headquarters in the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. The cathedral was built in 1947.
Accra features an Atlantic beachfront, with Labadi Beach being the most famous, as well as Kokrobite Beach, which is situated 25 kilometers west of Accra. The Academy of African Music and Arts is also located on the seaside.
Climate of Accra
Accra has a tropical savanna climate that is on the verge of becoming semiarid.
The average annual rainfall in Ghana is about 730 mm, with the majority of it falling during the two rainy seasons. The main rainy season runs from April to mid-July, with a lesser second rainy season starting in October.
Throughout the year, there is very little difference in temperature. The average monthly temperature varies from 24.7 °C (76.5 °F) in August to 28 °C (82.4 °F) in March, with an annual average of 26.8 °C (80.2 °F).
Climate Data For Accra
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Average high °C (°F) | 32.6 (90.7) | 32.9 (91.2) | 33.6 (92.5) | 33.0 (91.4) | 31.6 (88.9) | 29.8 (85.6) | 28.8 (83.8) | 28.4 (83.1) | 29.4 (84.9) | 28.8 (83.8) | 28.1 (82.6) | 31.2 (88.2) | 30.68 (87.22) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 28.8 (83.8) | 29.4 (84.9) | 29.6 (85.3) | 29.5 (85.1) | 28.4 (83.1) | 26.8 (80.2) | 26.3 (79.3) | 25.9 (78.6) | 26.8 (80.2) | 26.2 (79.2) | 25.7 (78.3) | 28.1 (82.6) | 27.63 (81.72) |
Average low °C (°F) | 24.7 (76.5) | 25.6 (78.1) | 25.7 (78.3) | 25.7 (78.3) | 25.0 (77) | 23.7 (74.7) | 23.5 (74.3) | 23.1 (73.6) | 23.8 (74.8) | 23.6 (74.5) | 24.7 (76.5) | 25.0 (77) | 24.51 (76.13) |
Geography of Accra
The old British, Danish, and Dutch forts are focused in central Accra, which is compact. However, as a result of immigration from rural regions, the city has grown without respect for zoning, giving it a spread appearance. Accra Metropolitan District, Tema Metropolitan District, Ga South Municipal District, Ga East Municipal District, Ga West Municipal District, Adenta Municipal District, Ashaiman Municipal District, Ledzokuku-Krowor Municipal District, and the town of Kasoa in the Awutu Senya District of the Central Region make up the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA).
The city’s western boundary is defined by the meeting of the Lafa stream and the Mallam junction. Accra’s northern boundary is formed by the University of Ghana’s Great Hall, while the eastern border is formed by the Nautical College. The southern boundary is formed by the Gulf of Guinea. Despite these boundaries, there are grounds of contention with neighboring districts, resulting in a de facto contraction of the city limits in recent years.
Economy of Accra
Manufacturing, marketing, banking, insurance, and transportation are all major industries in Accra. The country’s financial sector includes 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, multiple building societies, the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), foreign exchange bureaux, finance houses, insurance companies, insurance brokerage firms, two savings and loans companies, and numerous real estate developers, with industrial sites accounting for about a quarter of the country’s total land area.
The primary, secondary (manufacturing, power, gas, water, construction), and tertiary sectors make up Accra’s economy (supermarkets, shopping malls, hotel, restaurant, transportation, storage, communication, financial intermediation, real estate service, public administration, education, health and other social services). The tertiary service industry, which employs roughly 531,670 people, is the city’s biggest. The secondary industry, which employs 22.34 percent of the work force, or roughly 183,934 individuals, is the second-largest. According to reports, 12.2 percent of the city’s workforce, or 114,198 individuals, are jobless.