Gold Coast
Gold Coast, section of the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, in Africa. It extends approximately from Axim, Ghana, or nearby Cape Three Points, in the west to the Volta River in the east and is so called because it was an important source of gold.
Elmina CastleThe fortress of São Jorge da Mina, later known as Elmina Castle, built in 1482 in the Gold Coast region (now Ghana) as a trading post and supply base for Portuguese navigators.
An area of intense colonial rivalry from the 17th century, the region was acquired by the British in 1874 as the Gold Coast colony, which later expanded. The colony achieved independence from Great Britain on March 6, 1957, under the name Ghana. It was the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence in the colonial era.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Amy McKenna.
Citation Information
Article Title:
Gold Coast
Website Name:
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher:
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published:
06 August 2026
Access Date:
November 13, 2026