Loading ...Cote Divoire Africa
Côte d’Ivoire was once the economic miracle of Africa and a role model for stability on the continent. Never completely breaking from their colonial masters, the post-independence leaders wooed French capital to build a modern infrastructure and considerable prosperity. The long-serving and charismatic first president, Houphouët-Boigny, promoted the notion of a happy amalgam of pragmatic Western capitalism with benign African values. The society he presided over, however, was far from liberal and the dream ended with his death. A consequent string of coups and popular insurgencies shook the country, and northern-led rebellion in 2002 violently split it in half. Most of the huge French-expat community jumped ship, and the economy has since crumbled. However, the country abounds in some of the best natural attractions in West Africa, such as Parc National de Taï’s vast patch of rainforest and the string of beaches along the Atlantic coast. It’s also a land rich in tradition due to a diverse tribal mix that includes Dan, Lobi, Baoulé and Senoufo peoples.
But it’s really the modernity that sets Côte d’Ivoire apart from other West African nations. Abidjan is decidedly dog-eared these days, but its shimmering skyscrapers will still astound. Yamoussoukro in the Centre is famous for its basilica, an astonishing replica of Rome’s St Peter’s, which epitomises the Houphouët-Boigny era and, in a way, Africa’s current place in today’s world, since the Big Man philosophy shows few signs of fading.
Time GMT/UTC
Population 17.3 million
Borders All borders open, but only Ghana safe
Seasons Wet seasons: south (May to July and October to November), north (June to October)
Telephone Country code 225; international access code 00
ATMs Found throughout the government-controlled south
Budget US$40 minimum daily in Abidjan, US$15 to US$20 elsewhere
Visas Required by all except citizens of the US and most West African countries; get one before you arrive
Capital Yamoussoukro
Languages French, Mande, Malinké, Dan, Senoufo, Baoulé, Agni, Dioula
Area 322, 465 sq km
Money West African CFA franc; US$1 = CFA498
