The city ofAccra is officially divided into five geographical regions - North, West, East, Central and south - and eleven sub-metropolitan areas: Osu Klottey, Ablekuma North, Ablekuma South, Ayawaso Central, Ayawaso East, Ayawaso North, Ayawaso West, La, Okaikoi North, Okaikoi South, Abossey Okai, and Ashiedu Keteke. The word "neighborhood" can take on various official and unofficial meanings. There are, however, 50 official neighborhoods within the city limits of Accra. "Neighborhoods" exist on both large and small scales. Osu, Jamestown and Usshertown, established during the colonial era have well-defined boundaries by virtue of their siting around the respective forts of Christiansborg, James Fort, and Ussher Fort. The unplanned nature of the city has resulted in the development of slums and much smaller communities within officially recognized neighborhoods with a well-defined center but poorly identified extremities.
Downtown Accra is the site of the Ministries, and the districts of Victoriaborg, West Ridge, and East Ridge. Surrounding downtown are the neighborhoods of the Adabraka, Asylum Down, Jamestown, Swalaba, North Ridge, Tudu and Christiansborg/Osu. Osu-RE to be precise is arguably the liveliest part of Accra and the most preferred hang-out spot for tourists visiting the city.
West of downtown are the neighborhoods of Korle Gonno, Lartebiokorshie, Abossey Okai, Mataheko, Mpoase, Chorkor, Dansoman, Mamprobi, and Odorkor. Dansoman is Accra's largest neighborhood and predominantly a working-class community considered to be Accra's most diverse. However it is stated emphatically and well documented that Mamprobi is not part of Dansoman and still remains a controversial topic Korle Gonno borders Korle-Bu Hospital, which doubles as the teaching hospital of the University of Ghana.
Accra East
East of downtown are the neighborhoods of Cantonments, Labadi, La, Burma Camp, and Airport Hills.
Neighborhood areas
Following the years of Accra's prosperity after World War II, and Kwame Nkrumah's emphasis on the development of Accra and its immediate environs after independence, Accra was the favored destination for job-seeking migrants. This phenomenon brought about the development of unplanned communities on the periphery of the limits of Accra at the time. Over the years, these suburban areas were absorbed into the urban area of Accra and created a dichotomy between planned and unplanned settlements within the city.
Planned neighborhoods
Currently, most of Accra's 22 planned neighborhoods were developed in the colonial era and are inhabited by rich Ghanaians and ex-patatriates.
Given the disproportionate rate of expansion of the city and the provision of basic infrastructure and services, unplanned neighborhoods are characterized by poor road networks, poor drainage systems, and insufficient water and electricity services. Although not mutually exclusive, these unplanned settlements can be further distinguished from slums, where a slum is defined as a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security. For purposes of this article, a slum will further be categorized as an area of severely low income where working migrants living in makeshift accommodations are the majority.
Agbogbloshie
Nima
Kpehe
Awoshie
Alajo
Avenor
Kotobabi
Bawaleshie
Christian Village
Pig Farm
Accra New Town
Maamobi
Abeka
Lapaz
Darkuman
Achimota
Teshie
Odorkor
Nii Boi Town
Akweteyman
Mantseman
Abossey Okai
Apenkwa
Bubiashie
Mpoase
Slums
Agbogbloshie]
Sabon Zongo
Old Fadama
Lavender Hill
Abuja
Chemuna
Gbegbeyise
Chorkor
List of communities within neighborhoods
Within some of the neighborhoods in Accra are smaller communities listed below. Taking into account the slums, communities, planned and unplanned neighborhoods, unofficially there are approximately 120 neighborhoods within the city limits of Accra.
