Keta - coastal community in Volta Region, Ghana

Keta is a coastal town in the Ghanaian Coastal Plain. The town sits on a sandbar of land that separates the Keta Lagoon from the Gulf of Guinea.

Understand

It is the capital of the Keta Municipal District. Keta had a population of 23,000 in 2013. Parts of the town were devastated by sea erosion between the 1960s and 1980s.

In the Ewe language, "Ke:ta" means "head of the sand".

Keta Lagoon

This 126-km-long lagoon is a body of open salty water, surrounded by flood plains and mangrove swamps. There are seasonal inflow of sea water during high tide from the Gulf of Guinea and regular inflow of rivers. Population growth, extensive human activities and climate change have contributed to reduce the volume of water in the lagoon which appears to be drying up.

The lagoon is important in conserving several species of mangroves, crabs, shrimps and raffia plants. The Keta lagoon is the most important wetland on the Ghana coast for waterbirds. With Songor Lagoon, it constitutes the fourth most important waterbirds site on the Gulf of Guinea coast. The site supports 76 waterbird species with an estimated total population of well over 100,000, including globally significant numbers of 21 species.

The Keta Lagoon is on the list of Wetlands of International Importance of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. In 1999 work began on measures to limit further erosion and to control flooding of the coastal region.

Get in

Get around

See

• Fort Prinzenstein (Danish: Fort Prinsensten). It was built by Danish traders in 1784 for defensive purposes to keep the area safe from other colonial powers. Prinzenstein is one of the few forts built for the Atlantic slave trade that lie east of the Volta River. The fort also supported the trade of imported and exported goods such as gold and ivory in a give-and-take for muskets, brandy, iron rods, textiles, cowries shells. Keta served as an open port until the Tema Harbour commenced its operation to the west in 1962. The fort has been designated a World Heritage Site (along with several other castles and forts in Ghana). 2022-12-18
• Cape St. Paul Lighthouse, Woe. A lighthouse that is believed to guide ships away from a mythical massive underwater mountain. This lighthouse is thought to be the oldest in Ghana. 2022-12-18

Do

Buy

Eat

Drink

Sleep

• Keta Lagoon Resorts & Tours. 2022-12-04
• Tsisa Guest House, behind the Keta government hospital, 5.890138°, 0.981081°, +233 55 605 4286. Air-conditioned or fan rooms, bar. 2022-12-04
• Lagoon View Guest House, 5.886894°, 0.979365°. Bar/lounge. 2022-12-04
• Keta Lagoon Resort, Vodza Old Rd, 5.940167°, 0.996187°. Restaurant and bar. The hotel is built on walkways over the lagoon. 2022-12-04

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