Kumasi, also known as "Osei-Krom" or simply "Oseikrom," is a city and the capital of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly 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.
Kejetia Market, the largest market in West Africa, is located in Kumasi.
Kumasi is located in a rain forest region near Lake Bosomtwe and is located about 200 kilometres (120 mi) from Accra. The city experiences a tropical savanna climate, with two rainy seasons which range from minor to major.
The name Kumasi derived from the Twi word Kumase, meaning 'under the kum tree' in which kum meant 'the tree' and ase means 'under'.
History of the Ashanti Empire , (Ghana Africa)
Historical Significance
Kumasi was founded in the 1680s by Asantehene Osei Kofi Tutu I as the capital of the Ashanti Empire. The city rose to prominence in 1695, when it became the capital of the Ashanti Empire due to the activities of its ruler, Osei Tutu. The ruler of Kumasi, known as the Asantehene, also served as the ruler of the empire.
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After being taken over by the British in 1896 coupled with experiencing a fast population growth, Kumasi rapidly grew with improvements to its infrastructure, such as roads and the addition of railways. After Ghana gained its independence in 1957, the city became the capital of the Ashanti Region. Kumasi remains the seat of the Asantehene.
European sources in the late 19th century mentioned the city's neatness such as the account of F. In 1888, R. walked round and examined the town. Lady Mary Alice Hodgson, the first English lady to visit Ashanti, wrote "The Siege of Kumasi", an account of the siege of the fort by the nationals of Ashanti and of the subsequent march to the coast.
In 1926, following the return of the Ashanti King Prempeh I after 30-year in exile in Seychelles Island, Kumasi was vested with ceremonial control over the Ashanti sub-states. The full role of king was restored by the colonial administration in 1935.
Geography and Climate
Kumasi is located in the Kumasi Metropolitan, one of more than thirty districts in the Ashanti Region. It covers a land area of 214.3 km2 (2.307×109 sq ft) and is elevated 250 to 300 m (820 to 980 ft) above sea level. Due to large amounts of encroachment, water pollution in the city is increasing, threatening rivers such as the Wiwi and the Subin.
Kumasi has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw), with two distinct rainy seasons, major and minor. The major season usually occurs from March to July whilst the minor season is from September to November. The annual rainfall clocks in at around 1,200 mm (3.9 ft) while the relative humidity ranges around 53% to 93%.
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Urban Planning and Housing
Historically, the city was planned based on traditional land settlement patterns and land use systems of the Asante Empire. Although the city was not 'formally' planned, it was considered to be well-organized with physical structures complying to the local culture and architecture. Some areas of Kumasi were declared as sacred.
At the time of Bowdich's visit in 1817, Kumasi was documented to have contained 27 streets. Compound houses are the most popular style of housing in Kumasi, being able to house 8 to 15 households on average. A typical compound house is usually a one-storey building containing single rooms surrounding a square courtyard. Aside from compounds, non-compound housing tends to be in the form of either bungalows or two-storey buildings set in substantially spacious plots or of apartment buildings. Additionally, there is also a small government sector of relatively small, single household dwellings. These non-compound types only constitute around 43% of houses.
Government and Demographics
Although Kumasi does not have a mayor on its own, the metropolitan it is located in and administrated by has a mayor-council form of government. The metro is split up into 10 sub-metropolitan areas: Manhyia, Tafo, Suame, Asokwa, Oforikrom, Asawase, Bantama, Kwadaso, Nhyiaeso and Subin.
The population of the city of Kumasi is 443,981 people while the population of the metropolitan area is 3,490,030 people. One out of every five people in Kumasi are Christian, followed by Islam and traditional African religions. The largest ethnic group in the city is the Asante, followed by the Mole-Dagbon and Ewe people.
Culture and Tourism
Kumasi is the centre of Asante culture, helping it to be nicknamed "Osei-Krom" or simply "Oseikrom". Kumasi is also known for its traditional textile, kente, usually always made using traditional practices. It is home to the largest market in West Africa, the Kejetia Market, home to over 10,000 stores and stalls.
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Places with cultural background(s) in the city include Fort Kumasi (built by in 1896 to replace an Asante fort and now a museum) and the Nurom Hat Museum. Film in Kumasi, Kumawood, is a rapidly growing industry appealing to those who lack access to education but have a passion for acting. The industry mainly focuses on local storylines, along with being set in village surroundings usually on a low budget ranging from $6,860 to $11,440, sharing similarities with Wakaliwood. The first documented movie theatre to open in Kumasi was the Rex cinema, constructed in 1938.
Economy and Commerce
The Ashanti Region accounted for 21% of total national output of Ghana in 2014, of which 48% was situated in the city of Kumasi alone. This makes the city an economic centre in the country. Much of the city's wealth is derived from being the middle point of many of Ghana's main roads, along with cacao farming in the hinterland.
Since the 1960s the city has been home to many businesses, big and small, contributing to the city's economic growth. In fact, two-thirds of all non-household businesses in Ashanti was in Kumasi. Kaase and Suame are known as heavily industrialized areas, being the home for many mechanic shops and businesses, such as Guinness Ghana Breweries and a Coca-Cola Bottling Company United branch.
Much of the shopping and trading activity in the city takes place at Kumasi's shopping streets, in and around Kejetia Market and Adum. These two areas border each other. There is also heavy economic activities at Bantama and Asafo. Asafo in particular is the printing hub of Kumasi. Most of the printing done in Kumasi and Ashanti Region as a whole is done at Asafo. Kumasi's Ahwiaa (a sub-town in Kumasi) is also well noted for its wood carvings and arts.
Street hawking is a popular and ever-increasing economic employer in Kumasi, with a 2013 report finding that it appealed to people who lack formal education or the proper financial status to go into other economic activities.
Education
After Ghana's got its independence in 1957, education surrounding teaching and research in Kumasi improved as a result of the nation's visions for the future. When the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology first opened as the College of Technology in Kumasi in 1952, it did not comprise with a school of architecture.
Following their advice, the Department of Architecture in Kumasi admitted its first students in 1958. KNUST transitioned from a college to a university in 1961. There are elite all-boys and all-girls senior high schools such as Prempeh College, Kumasi High School, T I Ahmadiyya School, Opoku Ware School, Yaa Asantewaa Girls' Senior High School and St. Louis Senior High School in Kumasi.
The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (formerly the Kumasi College of Technology) is the biggest university in the Ashanti Region and the first biggest in Ghana followed by the University of Ghana. St. Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (est.
Sports
The local football team, the Asante Kotoko, has won several national and continental trophies and awards, and serves as a rival to the Accra-based Hearts of Oak. Their Kumasi Sports Stadium, also known as Baba Yara Stadium, was built in 1959, renovated in 1978, and again in 2007 with a seating capacity of 40,000. The city is also the home of the King Faisal Football Club, a premier division side. There is the Royal Golf Club which has the Asantehene as president.
Former Leeds United and Ghana national football team footballer Tony Yeboah and professional wrestler Kofi Kingston were born in Kumasi, by the real name Kofi Sarkodie-Mensah.
Health
The city is home to 136 health facilities, most of which are privately owned. The biggest hospital in Kumasi is the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, which is located on a hill that overlooks the city. It is a 750-bed facility and is the second largest hospital in the country. The hospital opened in 1954 and was initially named Kumasi Central hospital.
Parks and Recreation
Kumasi is one of the few African cities to adopt the Howard's Garden City Model. This is because in 1945, Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew designed the city's first ever development plan based on the ideals of Howard. The city is also home to numerous recreational parks and gardens which are open to the public, with the per capita green spaces around 4.7 square metres (51 sq ft). Some major parks are Abbey's Park, Jackson's Park, Hero's Park, located on the same premises as the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, and Rattray Park. Although, the state of most of these parks are poor at best and are barely maintained.
The city is also home to the Kumasi Zoo, also known as the Kumasi Zoological Garden, located at the heart of the city. It is operated by the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission of Ghana. An interesting fact about recreational parks in Kumasi is that a 2014 study by B.B. Amasa found that about 34% of the city's residents does not visit parks at all and does not understand the importance of parks.
Transportation
Kumasi is served by the Prempeh I International Airport. As of May 2020, two airlines offered regularly scheduled flights to Accra. Airlines servicing the airport included Africa World Airlines and Passion Air. In 2013, the Government of Ghana approved expansion plans to the Kumasi Airport to service international flights into the region.
The city is home to the Asokwa Interchange, an project which was a part of the Urban Environmental Sanitation Project Phase II. The by-pass is one of three interchanges in Kumasi. In 2021, the Government of Ghana announced the construction of a four level stack interchange in Suame.
Public transport in the city is provided by transit buses, a mix of privately owned mini-buses known as tro-tros, taxicabs and buses. Tro-tros are usually converted mini-buses that run regular, well-known routes.
Kumasi is served by the railway lines to Sekondi-Takoradi and Accra. The train service has been suspended for several years because of damaged track, bridges and locomotives. Currently, no trains run to and from Kumasi due to the collapse of the railway corporation.
Kumasi is located near the Boankra Inland Port, an inland port situated in the Ejisu Municipality. Construction at the port is situated into two phases, with phase one scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024.
Time Zone
Kumasi is in the Africa/Accra time zone, which has a UTC offset of UTC+0. There is no Daylight Saving Time in use.
| Time Zone | Name | UTC Offset | Daylight Saving Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Africa/Accra | Africa/Accra | UTC+0 | No |
Here's some key time-related information for Kumasi:
- Current date: Sunday (November 9, 2025)
- Universal Time Coordinated: GMT / UTC UTC+0
- Sunrise: 5:54 am Local time
- Sunset: 5:45 pm Local time
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