British Gold Coast: Map & History
The Colony of the Gold Coast was a British Crown colony on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa from 1821 until its independence as Ghana in 1957.
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The Colony of the Gold Coast was a British Crown colony on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa from 1821 until its independence as Ghana in 1957. The term Gold Coast may also refer collectively to the four separate jurisdictions administered by the Governor of the Gold Coast: the colony proper, Ashanti, the Northern Territories, and British Togoland. The name derives from the region's abundant gold resources, which attracted European traders, including the British.
Modern Countries Once Part of British Gold Coast
At its mapped extent, British Gold Coast covered territory in 3 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside British Gold Coast's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
British Gold Coast in Depth
History
By the late 19th century, the British, through conquest or purchase, occupied most of the forts along the coast. Two major factors laid the foundations of British rule and the eventual establishment of a colony on the Gold Coast: British reaction to the Asante wars and the resulting instability and disruption of trade, and Britain's increasing preoccupation with the suppression and elimination of the slave trade.
During most of the 19th century, Asante, the most powerful state of the Akan interior, sought to expand its rule and to promote and protect its trade. The first Asante invasion of the coastal regions took place in 1807; the Asante moved south again in the Ga-Fante War of 1811 and in the Ashanti–Akim–Akwapim War of 1814–16.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Gold Coast (British colony) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
British Gold Coast: Key Facts
| Capital | Accra |
|---|---|
| Official language | English |
| Religion | traditional African religion |
| Form of government | colony |
| Currencies | British West African pound, Gold Coast ackey |
| Founded | 1821 |
| Dissolved | 1957 |
Preceded by
- Gold Coast
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q503623 (CC0).
Interactive map
British Gold Coast on the World War I map →
See British Gold Coast’s territory change day by day from 4 August 1914, with every battle it fought.
Interactive map
British Gold Coast on the World War II map →
See British Gold Coast’s territory change day by day from 3 September 1939, with every battle it fought.
British Gold Coast Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which British Gold Coast appears, with the other states of the time.
British Gold Coast Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 1,195,294 km² in 1942 CE.
British Gold Coast: Frequently Asked Questions
When did British Gold Coast exist?
British Gold Coast is dated to 1873 CE – 1960 CE, in the Industrial era.
What was the capital of British Gold Coast?
The capital of British Gold Coast was Cape Coast (1821–1877), Accra (1877–1957).
How large was British Gold Coast at its peak?
At its peak in 1942 British Gold Coast covered about 1,195,294 km².
How did the map of British Gold Coast change over time?
British Gold Coast appears on 3 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1900 CE to 1945 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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