Location and size

Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis is located at the south-eastern part of the Western Region. The Metropolis is bordered to the west by Ahanta West District and to the east by Shama District. At the south of the Metropolis is the Atlantic Ocean and at the northern part is Wassa East District. The Metropolis covers land size of 191.7 km2 and Sekondi-Takoradi is the regional administrative capital. Though the smallest district in terms of land size, the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis is the most urbanised among the 22 districts in the region.

Relief and drainage

The Metropolis is of varied landscape; the coast line has capes and bays, which have been largely eroded. The central portion of the Metropolis is low lying with an altitude of about 6 metres below sea level. Otherwise, the area is undulating with ridges and hills.

The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis is characterized by faulted shale and sandstone resting on a hard basement of granite, gneiss and schist. The faulting system has marked influence on the land formed especially along the coastline which clearly follows the main fault direction of North East. The surface of the Metropolis is fairly watered, with the drainage pattern being largely trellis in nature with minor dendrite forms. The two main rivers flowing through the Metropolis are the Whin and the Kansawora rivers, while the lagoons are the Essei and the Butre. (Ministry of Food and Agriculture, website: www.mofa.gov.gh). The Essei lagoon lies between Ekuasi town and the city of Takoradi. The pre-dominate species of fish that populate these rivers and lagoons are tilapia and mud fish. The Atlantic Ocean provides not only sources of food and jobs for the people of the Metropolis but also serves as recreational facility for the people notably during the festive occasion i.e. Christmas and Easter celebrations. This unique natural entity stretches from New Amanful to Essipon.

Vegetation

Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis has three main vegetation types, namely, mangrove, savannah woodland and tropical forest. The tropical forest is predominately found around the northern parts of the Metropolis and stretches to the east covering a large part. The savannah woodland is dotted around the middle belt and mangrove vegetation is found along the southern portion. Along the coast, the lagoons and the rivers, the Metropolis is endowed with a river and two lagoons, Kansawora river and Butua and Essei lagoons. The Kansawora River flows towards Butua lagoon creating and extensive beautiful marshland.

Climate

Generally, the Metropolis does not experience severe weather conditions. The climate of the Metropolis is equatorial, with an average annual temperature of about 220C, experienced between January and March. Rainfall is bi-modal, with the major season occurring between March and July and the minor season occurring between August and November. The mean annual rainfall is about 1,380 mm, covering an average of 122 rainy days. (Ministry of Food and Agriculture website (www.mofa.gov.gh).)