Discovering the World
Côte d’Ivoire 🇨🇮
Basic facts
Official name: République de Côte d'Ivoire (Republic of Côte d’Ivoire)
Capital city: Yamoussoukro
Population: 30.9 million (2023)
Demonym: Ivorian
Type of government: unitary presidential republic
Head of state and government: Alassane Ouattara (President)
Gross domestic product (purchasing power parity): $202.64 billion (2023)
Gini coefficient of wealth inequality: 41.5% (high) (2015)
Human Development Index: 0.534 (low) (2022)
Currency: West African CFA franc (XOF)
Fun fact: It is home to the largest church in the world.
Etymology
The country’s name comes from French and means “coast of ivory”, which reflects the main colonial trade commodity.
Geography
Côte d’Ivoire is located in West Africa and borders Burkina Faso to the northeast, Ghana to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the south, Liberia to the west, and Guinea and Mali to the northwest.
There are three climates: tropical rainforest in the southwest, tropical monsoon in the southeast and southwest, and dry-winter tropical savanna in the rest. Temperatures range from 18 °C (64.4 °F) in winter to 33 °C (91.4 °F) in spring. The average annual temperature is 26.1 °C (78.9 °F).
The country is divided into twelve districts (districts), which in turn are divided into 31 regions (régions), and two autonomous districts (districts autonomes). The largest cities in Côte d’Ivoire are Abidjan, Bouaké, Daloa, Korhogo, and Yamoussoukro.
History
1235-1672: Mali Empire
1430s-1591: Songhai Empire
1650-1895: Gyaman
1650-1898: Kénédougou Kingdom
1701-1901: Ashanti Empire
1710-1898: Kong Empire
1848-1980: Kingdom of Kabadougou
1870s-1896: Kingdom of Sanwi
1893-1960: Colony of Côte d’Ivoire
1960-present: Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
1999: coup d’état
2002-2007: First Ivorian Civil War
2010-2011: Second Ivorian Civil War
Economy
Côte d’Ivoire mainly imports from China, Nigeria, and France and exports to the Netherlands, the United States, and France. Its top exports are cocoa, gold, and refined oil.
It is one of the largest producers of cocoa beans and palm oil. Services represent 53.3% of the GDP, followed by industry (26.6%) and agriculture (20.1%).
Côte d’Ivoire is a member of the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States, la Francophonie, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Demographics
The Akan people represent 42.1% of the population, followed by the Gur (17.6%), Northern Mandé (16.5%), Kru (11%), and Southern Mandé (10%). The main religion is Islam, practiced by 42.5% of the population, most of which are Sunni.
It has a positive net migration rate and a fertility rate of 3.4 children per woman. 52.7% of the population lives in urban areas. Life expectancy is 62.2 years and the median age is 20.3 years. The literacy rate is 89.9%.
Languages
The official language of the country is French, spoken by 33.6% of the population. The most widely spoken languages are Anyin, Attié, Baoulé, Bété, Dan, Dyula, Guro, and Senari.
Culture
Each ethnic group has its own culture, but their music is characterized by simultaneous rhythms and melodies.
Men traditionally wear a shirt, pants, and a wrap piece of cloth. Women wear a long dress (pagne) or a blouse with a wrap-around skirt and a headscarf.
Architecture
Traditional houses in Côte d’Ivoire are made of adobe and conical thatched roofs made of straw.
Cuisine
The Ivorian diet is based on corn, fish, meat, rice, and vegetables. Typical dishes include attiéké (grated cassava), claclo (sweet banana beignets), gombo frais (a stew of okra and tomato served with fried banana or rice), kedjenou (a spicy stew of chicken and vegetables), and maafe (meat in peanut sauce).
Holidays and festivals
Like other Christian and Muslim countries, Côte d’Ivoire celebrates Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, Assumption Day, All Saints’ Day, Christmas Day, Mawlid, the Night of Power, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha. It also commemorates New Year’s Day. Specific Ivorian holidays include Independence Day on August 7 and National Peace Day on November 15.
National Peace Day
Other celebrations include the Dipri Festival, which honors ancestors; the Festival of Masks, during which dance competitions are held, and the Popo Carnaval.
Festival of Masks
Landmarks
There are five UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Comoé National Park, Historic Town of Grand-Bassam, Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve, Sudanese style mosques, and Taï National Park.
Taï National Park
Other landmarks include the archeological park of Ahouakro, the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, la Dent de Man mountains, the Man Waterfalls, and the Tengrela Mosque.
Basilica of Our Lady of Peace
Famous people
Ananias Leki Dago - photographer
Christian Lattier - sculptor
Didier Drogba - soccer player
Diêm Camille - actress
Gabriel Tiacoh - athlete
Laetitia Ky - artist
Marguerite Abouet - writer
Marie-Josée Ta Lou - athlete
Mathilde Moraeau - painter
Sidiki Bakaba - actor
Laetitia Ky
You can find out more about life in Côte d’Ivoire in this article and this video.
