Elmina (Fante: Edina) is a town and the capital of the Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem District on the south coast of Ghana in the Central Region.

[2] When the Portuguese, after first coming in contact with the Gold Coast, struck an agreement with the King of Elmina to build the São Jorge da Mina Castle in the 1470s, the settlement grew to become an important centre of commerce and trade in the region.

[6] Prior to the arrival of the Portuguese, the town was originally called Anomansah ("perpetual" or "inexhaustible drink") from its position on the peninsula between the Benya lagoon and the sea.

[1] Based on oral traditions, the town was founded by Kwaa Amankwaa, a hunter who was in search of food.

By 1479, the Portuguese were transporting slaves from as far away as Benin, who accounted for 10 percent of the trade in Elmina, and were used to clear land for tillage.

[12] The location of Elmina made it a significant site for re-provisioning ships headed south towards the Cape of Good Hope on their way to India.

After years of Portuguese commerce on the Elmina Coast, the Dutch learned of the profitable activity taking place through Barent Eriksz of Medemblik, one of the earliest traders and Guinea navigators.

[13] The Dutch West India Company captured Elmina in 1637; in subsequent centuries it was mostly used as a hub for the slave trade.

[17] In August 2020, a $93 million rehabilitation project began, improving the harbour's infrastructure to help with increasing demand.

The mayor (executive chief) is appointed by the president of Ghana and approved by the town council, the Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem Municipal Assembly.

[4]: 1 Like most of Ghana, Elmina has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) with consistently hot weather year-round.

[20] Elmina is home to the annual Bakatue Festival, a celebration of the sea and the local fishing culture, held on the first Tuesday of July each year.