Slave Coast of West Africa Slave Coast of West Africa The Slave Coast is a historical name formerly used for parts of coastal West Africa along the Bight of Benin. The name is derived from the region's history as a major source of African slaves during the Atlantic slave trade from the early 16th century to the late 19th century. Other nearby coastal regions historically known by their prime colonial export are the Gold Coast, the Ivory Coast, and the Pepper Coast (or Grain Coast). European sources began documenting the development of trade in this region and its integration into the trans-Atlantic slave trade around
Gold Coast (region) more territory inland in the late 19th century after the Anglo-Ashanti wars. In 1957, the territory of Gold Coast was granted independence as Ghana. Gold Coast (region) The Gold Coast was the name for a region on the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa that was rich in gold and also in petroleum, sweet crude oil and natural gas. It now forms the country of Ghana. The Gold Coast, Slave Coast, Pepper Coast (or Grain Coast) were named after the main export resources there. Early uses of the term Gold Coast refer literally to the coast and not the interior.