In 1877, British colonial authorities moved the capital of the Gold Coast from Cape Coast to Accra, cementing the rise of a city founded three centuries earlier as a Ga village near the Korle Lagoon. Three European forts — James Fort (British), Ussher Fort (Dutch) and Christiansborg Castle (Danish) — still anchor its historic core. Having become the capital of independent Ghana on 6 March 1957, Accra today concentrates the country's political, economic and financial power, with a metropolitan area exceeding four million people. Kotoka International Airport makes it Ghana's main air gateway. The city remains shaped by Ga traditions, with the annual Homowo festival marking the rhythm of local life.
