Sister City Relationship Established 1995 Located in the rain
forest region, Kumasi is the second largest city in Ghana with a
population of over 1.5 million. Kumasi is approximately 300
miles north of the Equator. The majority of its residents are
descendants of the Ashanti tribe. Trade, commerce, farming and
mining are the leading industries in the region. Ghana is one of
the wealthier countries in Africa, with much of its wealth
derived from substantial gold deposits and agricultural
products. Cocoa and high-quality hardwood are other major
exports of the Kumasi region. The Ashanti region has been
independent since 1875, though Ghana itself only declared
independence in 1957. King Osei Tutu founded Kumasi in the early
19th century. The king named the city after the KUM tree, which
he planted as a symbol of the Ashanti Empire's victory over the
British. Currently, Osei Tutu II , the 16th monarch of the
Ashanti kingdom, sits on the Golden Stool. He resides in Kumasi
in the Manhyia Palace. Although English is