Kumasi

For the administrative subdivision of Iran, see Kumasi Rural District.
Kumasi
City
Top to Bottom; Left to Right: Kronom suburb in Kumasi, Prempeh I International Airport, Manhyia Palace, Armed Forces Museum
Flag of Kumasi
Flag
Official seal of Kumasi
Seal
Etymology: Twi: Kumase ('under the kum tree')
Nickname(s): 
The Garden City, Oseikrom
Kumasi is located in Ashanti
Kumasi
Kumasi
Location of Kumasi in Ashanti, Central Ghana
Kumasi is located in Ghana
Kumasi
Kumasi
Kumasi (Ghana)
Kumasi is located in Africa
Kumasi
Kumasi
Kumasi (Africa)
Coordinates: 06°42′00″N 01°37′30″W / 6.70000°N 1.62500°W / 6.70000; -1.62500
Country Ghana
Region Ashanti
DistrictKumasi Metropolitan
Founded1680
Government
[1]
 • TypeMayor–council
 • Metropolitan mayorSamuel Pyne
Area
[2]
 • City299 km2 (115 sq mi)
Elevation
250 m (820 ft)
Population
 (2021)[3][4][5]: 5, 36 
 • City443,981
 • Density1,500/km2 (3,800/sq mi)
 • Urban
3,490,030
 • Ethnicities
 • Religion
Time zoneUTC
Postal codes
AK000-AK911
Area code032 20
ClimateAw
Websitekma.gov.gh

Kumasi,[a] also spelled as Comassie or Coomassie,[8] is a city and the capital of the Kumasi Metropolitan district and the Ashanti Region of Ghana.[9]: 1, 3  It is the second largest city in the country,[10]: 9  with a population of 443,981 as of the 2021 census.[3] Kumasi is located in a rain forest region near Lake Bosomtwe[5]: 2  and is located about 200 kilometres (120 mi) from Accra.[11] Major ethnic groups who lived in Kumasi are the Asante, Mole-Dagbon and Ewe.[5]: 5  The current mayor of the metropolitan is Samuel Pyne.[1][12]

The city was the capital of the Asante Empire, which at its peak covered large parts of present day Ghana and the Ivory Coast.[10]: 9  After getting taken over by the British in 1896, Kumasi rapidly grew with improvements to infrastructure, such as roads and the additions of railways. After Ghana got its independance in 1957, the city became the capital of the Ashanti Region.[12] The city is often regraded as "The Garden City" after Maxwell Fry released his 1945 “Garden City of West Africa” plan for the city.[13] It is also due to the abundant of gardens and forestry in the city.[14]

Kumasi is a commercial, economic, and trading hub in Ghana, home to the biggest market in West Africa: the Kejetia Market. The city is the centre of Asante culture, hence also being nicknamed "Osei-Krom" or simply "Oseikrom", along with attracting many visitors.[10]: 9  The city is also home to numerous trade associations, such as the Aboabo Talia Producers’ Association. Half of the country's timber processing takes place in the city. The Centre for National Culture, Wesley College of Education, and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital are all located in the city.[9]: 10 [12]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference kumasi mayor was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Demographic Characteristics". Ghanadistricts.com. Archived from the original on 3 May 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
  3. ^ a b Population of Regions and Districts Report (2021) (PDF) (Report). Ghana Statistical Service. p. 52. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  4. ^ "World Population Review". Archived from the original on 20 June 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  5. ^ a b c 2010 population & housing census (PDF) (Report). Kumasi Metropolitan: Ghana Statistical Service. 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  6. ^ Kumasi. Merriam-webster. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  7. ^ Brempong, O. (1991). "Twi etymology: a study in ethno-linguistlcs". Research Review. 7 (1). Retrieved 19 September 2024. ...Kumasi (the capital of Ashanti), originated when the legendary priest, Okomfo Anokye, planted Okum trees, one at Kwaman...
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Kumasi summary was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b Devas, N.; Korboe, D. (2000). "City governance and poverty: the case of Kumasi". Environment & Urbanization. 12 (1). doi:10.1177/095624780001200109. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  10. ^ a b c Baeyens, A. (2012). "Kumasi, Ghana. Critical study of an African urban structure". Ghent University Library. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  11. ^ Straight line distances from: Daft Logic; "Google Maps Distance Calculator". Archived from the original on 26 July 2010. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  12. ^ a b c Appiah, A.; Gates Jr., H., eds. (2010). Encyclopedia of Africa. Vol. 1. Oxford University Press. pp. 21, 22. ISBN 0195337700.
  13. ^ Schmidt, S. (2006). "Cultural Influences and the Built Environment: An Examination of Kumasi, Ghana". Journal of Urban Design. 10. doi:10.1080/13574800500297751. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  14. ^ "Kumasi: The Garden City without gardens?". Graphic Online. 31 July 2013. Archived from the original on 11 March 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2020.


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