Tema (for Accra), Ghana

Once a collection of tribal villages, Accra grew in importance as the local Ga people traded with the Portuguese, who built the first fort in the region during the 16th century.

In 1877, Accra became the capital of the British Gold Coast colony and when Ghana regained its independence in 1957, it became the country's capital.

One of West Africa's most vibrant cities, you can see evidence of its colonial past in Jamestown and its pan-African roots in Independence Square where the Triumphal Arch representing African liberation stands.