Which country colonised ghana

List of subjects Sources Feedback. The Gold Coast: 15th - 19th century. Little is known of the small African kingdoms in the region between the Tano and Volta rivers until the arrival of Europeans in the 15th century. Portuguese navigators, working their way down the west African coast, reach this area in and build a fortress at Elmina in But others follow fast.

As early as a French buccaneer, marauding off the coast, deprives a Portuguese ship of its precious cargo.

That cargo is gold, and the Gold Coast becomes the European name for this part of Africa. The trade in gold with the Europeans makes possible the development in the early 17th century of Akwamu, the first African state to control an extensive part of the coast. During the 18th century the dominance of Akwamu is replaced by that of a much more powerful group, the Ashanti, with their capital inland at Kumasi. By this time the British, Dutch and Danes are the main European traders on this part of the coast, and the most valuable commodity for export is not gold but slaves.

Trading slaves for muskets, among other western commodities, the Ashanti acquire great local power. Their king, the Asantehene, enthroned on a traditional golden stool, holds sway over the entire central region of modern Ghana.

But the Ashanti suffer a series of major blows between and , when the Danes, British and Dutch each in turn outlaw the slave trade. The resulting tension leads to warfare in the s with the defeat of a British force in and again in the s.

In a British army briefly occupies Kumasi. Meanwhile, in the coastal regions, the British are gradually emerging as the main European power. The Danish fortresses including the impressive Christiansborg castle in Accra are bought by the British government in The last Dutch merchants abandon the coast in And in the southern regions are formally proclaimed a British colony, under the name Gold Coast.

But it takes another three decades before the Ashanti kingdom, and its dependencies in the north, are finally brought under British control. In , taking effect from 1 January , Ashanti is declared a British crown colony. Some key dates in Ghana's history:. BBC Weather: Ghana. Government of Ghana. UN news about Ghana. Republic of Ghana Capital: Accra.

Image source, Getty Images. Read full profile. Christianborg Castle is unique among the castles and forts along the coast of Ghana as it served as Government House during various periods in the 19th and 20th centuries and continues to play that role today. The building of the first lodge in the 17th century at Osu is attributed to the Swedish African company in This resulted in all Swedish establishments including Osu lodge passing into the hands of the Danish Africa Company, Caerlof defected to the Dutch in The Danish Commander of Carolusburg was tricked into believing that Denmark had been conquered.

He therefore sold Caroluburg to the Dutch and with it the former Swedish establishments including Osu lodge. Email Address. The History of The Republic of Ghana Ghana gained independence from colonial rule on 6 th ,March, thus making it the first country in Africa, South of the Sahara to regain independence from colonial rule.