Pepper Coast


Pepper Coast, also known as the Grain Coast, was the name given by European traders to a coastal area of western Africa, between Cape Mesurado and Cape Palmas. It encloses the present republic of Liberia.

Origin of the name

The Pepper Coast got its name from the availability in the region of the melegueta pepper, also known as the "grain of paradise", which in turn gave rise to an alternative name, the Grain Coast. The importance of the spice is shown by the designation of the area from the Saint John River to Harper in Liberia as the "Grain Coast", in reference to the availability of grains of paradise. In some cases, this term covers a wider area incorporating Sierra Leone and the Ivory Coast.