Kumasi, also spelled as Comassie or Coomassie, is a city and the capital of the Kumasi Metropolitan district and the Ashanti Region of Ghana. It is the second largest city in the country, with a population of 443,981 as of the 2021 census. Kumasi is located in a rain forest region near Lake Bosomtwe and is located about 200 kilometres (120 mi) from Accra. Major ethnic groups who lived in Kumasi are the Asante, Mole-Dagbon and Ewe. The current mayor of the metropolitan is Samuel Pyne.
The city was the capital of the Asante Empire, which at its peak covered large parts of present day Ghana and the Ivory Coast. 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. The city is often regraded as “The Garden City” after Maxwell Fry released his 1945 “Garden City of West Africa” plan for the city. It is also due to the abundant of gardens and forestry in the city.
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. 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.
