5 Facts of Ivory Coast

The capital of Ivory Coast is Yamoussoukro

 

Located in West Africa, Cote d'Ivoire (The Ivory Coast) is a nation that was home to many ancient kingdoms in pre-colonial times. It still has incredible art, carvings and cultural arts displayed in museums and galleries and being created in small villages throughout the country. A trip to Cote d'Ivoire is a fantastic journey into a land that straddles the past and the future. There is amazing natural beauty and mineral wealth and signs of growth which make it a wonderful place to visit. There are several interesting things people should know about the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire:

5 Facts You Might Not Know

1

C'te d'Ivoire has an area of 322,462 square kilometers (124,503 sq mi). It has a population of about 21 million people. The country is bordered by Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia and Mali. The Gulf of Guinea forms its southern border.

2

The terrain in C'te d'Ivoire is diverse. There are beautiful inland lagoons in the east, large areas of dense tropical forest, mountains in the northwest and an excellent network of rivers throughout the country. In central C'te d'Ivoire there is a mix of forest and savanna which runs across the country's width. This gives way to interior savannas and grassland habitats which are part of the shrub lands biome.

3

Cote d'Ivoire was colonized by France. Although the country gained independence in August 1960, French remains the official language. Local languages including Baoul', Dioula, Dan, Anyin and Cebaara Senufo are also widely spoken. The natives of C'te d'Ivoire are a proud people who are always willing to talk about the ancient kingdoms of Gyaaman, Baoul', the Anyi kingdoms of Ind'ni' and Sanwi, and the Kong Empire.

4

Cote d'Ivoire leads the world in the production of cocoa. Timber is also a major revenue earner. The country is blessed with great natural resources including bauxite, cobalt, diamonds, iron, oil, natural gas and manganese.

5

The highest point in the country is the 1,752 meters tall Mount Nimba. Exploring the 800 kilometer long Bandama River or Lake Kossou, the country's largest lake, is a great holiday adventure.