The city of Accra, capital of Ghana, is officially divided into five geographical regions: North, West, East, Central and south - and eleven sub-metropolitan areas: Osu Klottey, Ablekuma North, Ablekuma South, Ayawaso Central, Ayawaso East, Ayawaso North, Ayawaso West, La, Okaikoi North, Okaikoi South, Abossey Okai, and Ashiedu Keteke. The word "neighbourhood" can take on various official and unofficial meanings. There are, however, 50 official neighbourhoods (i.e. planned and unplanned anchor neighbourhoods) within the city limits of Accra."Accra Metropolitan" , Ghana Districts.
"Neighbourhoods" exist on both large and small scales. Osu, Jamestown and Usshertown, established during the colonial era, have well-defined boundaries by virtue of their siting around the respective forts of Christiansborg, James Fort, and Ussher Fort. The unplanned nature of the city has resulted in the development of slums and much smaller communities within officially recognized neighbourhoods with a well-defined centre but poorly identified extremities.
Overview Accra's expansion has influenced the naming of certain neighbourhoods, such as the Airport Residential Area, North Ridge, East Ridge, West Ridge, West Legon/Westlands, East Legon, and Korle Gonno.
Accra Central Downtown Accra is the site of the government ministries, and the districts of Victoriaborg, West Ridge, and East Ridge.
Surrounding downtown are the neighbourhoods of the Adabraka, Asylum Down, Jamestown, Swalaba, North Ridge, Tudu and Christiansborg/Osu. Osu-RE to be precise is arguably the liveliest part of Accra and the most preferred hang-out spot for tourists visiting the city.
Accra North North of downtown, the neighbourhood of Airport Residential Area, so named because of its proximity to the Accra International Airport, is one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in Accra."Airport Residential Area" , Wanted in Africa. East Legon and West Legon/Westlands are also wealthy neighbourhoods inhabited by wealthy Ghanaians, academics, government officials, and ex-patriates."Where to live in Accra", Wanted in Africa. Other neighbourhoods located in the expansive northern section of Accra are Roman Ridge, Kanda, Dzorwulu, East Legon, Kaneshie, North Kaneshie, Accra New Town, Nima, Kokomlemle, Tesano, Maamobi, Alajo, Christian Village, Apenkwa, Darkuman, Awoshie, Avenor, Kwashieman, Achimota, Bubiashie, Kotobabi, Abelemkpe, Bawaleshie, and Abeka.
Accra West West of downtown are the neighbourhoods of Korle Gonno, Lartebiokorshie, Abossey Okai, Mataheko, Mpoase, Chorkor, Dansoman, Mamprobi, and Odorkor. Dansoman is Accra's largest neighbourhood and predominantly a working-class community, considered to be Accra's most diverse. However, it is stated emphatically and well documented that Mamprobi is not part of Dansoman and still remains a controversial topic"Areas in Accra - Dansoman", Wanted in Africa. Korle Gonno borders Korle-Bu Hospital, which doubles as the teaching hospital of the University of Ghana.
Accra East East of downtown are the neighbourhoods of Cantonments (the site of the U.S. Embassy in Ghana), Labadi, La, Burma Camp, and Airport Hills.
Neighbourhood areas Following the years of Accra's prosperity after World War II, and Kwame Nkrumah's emphasis on the development of Accra and its immediate environs after independence, Accra was the favoured destination for job-seeking migrants.Anthony Gambrah, "Regulation of housing and Services for the Urban Poor: A Case Study of Accra, Ghana" (M.Sc. thesis) , University of British Columbia, August 1994. This phenomenon brought about the development of unplanned communities on the periphery of the limits of Accra at the time. Over the years, these suburban areas were absorbed into the urban area of Accra and created a dichotomy between planned and unplanned settlements within the city.
Planned neighbourhoods Currently, most of Accra's 22 planned neighbourhoods were developed in the colonial era and are inhabited by rich Ghanaians and expatriates. Victoriaborg East Ridge West Ridge North Ridge Adabraka
Asylum Down McCarthy Hill Airport Hills Airport Residential Area Roman Ridge Kanda Dzorwulu East Legon Kaneshie Kokomlemle Tesano West Legon/Westlands Abelemkpe Cantonments Labone Burma Camp (formerly Giffard Camp) Chorkor Mamprobi Korle Bu Korle Gonno Lartebiokorshie Mataheko Dansoman Adenta
Unplanned neighbourhoods Given the disproportionate rate of expansion of the city and the provision of basic infrastructure and services, unplanned neighbourhoods are characterized by poor road networks, poor drainage systems, and insufficient water and electricity services. Although not mutually exclusive, these unplanned settlements can be further distinguished from slums, where a slum is defined as a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security. For purposes of this article, a slum will further be categorized as an area of severely low income where working migrants living in makeshift accommodations are the majority. Agbogbloshie Nima Kpehe Awoshie Alajo Avenor Kotobabi Bawaleshie Christian Village Pig Farm Accra New Town Maamobi Abeka Lapaz Darkuman Achimota Teshie Odorkor Nii Boi Town Akweteyman Mantseman Abossey Okai Apenkwa Bubiashie Mpoase
Slums Agbogbloshie Sabon Zongo Old Fadama (Sodom and Gomorrah) Lavender Hill (Accra) Abuja Chemuna Gbegbeyise Chorkor
List of communities within neighbourhoods Within some of the neighbourhoods in Accra are smaller communities listed below. Taking into account the slums, communities, planned and unplanned neighbourhoods, unofficially there are approximately 120 neighbourhoods within the city limits of Accra. Victoriaborg Ministries Kinbu East Ridge Gold Coast City West Ridge Ambassadorial Enclave Usshertown Makola High Street Rawlings Park Osu Ringway Estates Kuku Hill Osu-Ako Adjei Osu-Alata/Ashante Osu-RE Osu Kinkawe Cantonments El-Wak East Cantonments Airport Residential Area Airport City HIPC Junction Spintex Adabraka Circle Odawna Dansoman Russia Sahara Sukura Shiabu Dansoman Estates Santa Maria Old Dansoman Dansoman Amanhoma SSNIT Flats Akokorfoto Tweneboa Sakaman Kaneshie Awudome First Light North Kaneshie Kwashieman West Legon/Westlands Kisseman Christian Village Haatso Abelemkpe Old Abelemkpe New Abelemkpe/Abelemkpe Forest Airport Residential Area Legion Village East Airport Villagio Manet Usshertown Okaishie Tudu East Legon Shiashie Bawaleshie South Shiashie Okplongo Adjiriganor Nmai Djorn Awoshie Odorgornor Regimanuel Estates Lartebiokorshie Sabon Zango Zoti Area Odorkor North Odorkor South Odorkor Official Town Labadi South Labadi Labadi-Aborm Tesano South Tesano Teshie Nungua Mamprobi Mamobi Nima New Mamprobi Kanda 441 Kanda Estates "37"
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