Elmina

Elmina is a town on the Atlantic Ocean coast of Ghana , lying west of Cape Coast . The first Europe an settlement in West Africa , it now has a population of around 20,000 people.

The town grew around St George El Mina Castle , built by the Portuguese in 1482 , and was Portugal's West Africa n headquarters until the Dutch West India Company captured it in 1637 ; in subsequent centuries it was mostly used for the Slave Trade . The city remained in Dutch hands until 1872 , when it was ceded to the English .

Elmina is also home to Fort St Jago , built by the Dutch in 1666 , several Asafo Shrine s and a Lagoon . Today, Elmina's main industry is Fishing .

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