Avo Coast
Edited by:
Massimo Martini
Access
The Ivory Coast can be reached from Italy by air with mandatory stopovers in hubs such as Paris Charles de Gaulle, Casablanca, Addis Ababa or Brussels. Abidjan's Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport (ABJ) is the country's main airport, with regular connections operated by Air France, Ethiopian Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, Brussels Airlines and Air Côte d'Ivoire. Abidjan is the second largest commercial port in sub-Saharan Africa. By land, the country borders Ghana to the east, Burkina Faso and Mali to the north, and Guinea and Liberia to the west. The main road network is relatively well developed, with paved axes connecting Abidjan to the political capital Yamoussoukro and the main centres. The Société Ivoirienne des Transports Abidjanais (SOTRA) operates public transport in the economic capital; a rapid express bus (BRT) system is expanding. There is no major operational rail network for passengers.
Introduction
Côte d'Ivoire overlooks the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa, with an Atlantic coastline of about 515 km. The territory develops inland with a predominantly flat morphology in the south - where the tropical rainforest is concentrated - and moderate plateaus and relief in the north, where savannah dominates the landscape. The most significant relief is found in the western region, bordering Guinea and Liberia, with Mount Nimba (1,752m) as the highest point in the country (shared with Guinea and Liberia). The country borders Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea and Liberia. Côte d'Ivoire is the leading economy in French-speaking West Africa, supported by the production of cocoa (first in the world), coffee, palm oil and rubber. The constitutional capital is Yamoussoukro, while Abidjan is the economic capital and the main urban centre.
.Description
Ivorian geography is divided into three belts: the southern coastal zone, with the Abidjan lagoon and numerous waterways, is home to most of the population and the most dynamic economy. The central belt is characterised by transitional forests and savannahs, crossed by the large Sassandra, Bandama and Comoé rivers flowing southwards. The northern part, in the Ivorian Sahel, is dominated by shrub savannah and has a drier climate; here lies the city of Korhogo, an important commercial centre. The western foothills, with the Man Massif, are home to Mount Nimba (1,752m), whose mountain forest was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1980.
Pre-colonial Ivorian history is marked by numerous migrations of peoples (Akan, Mandé, Voltaici, Krou) who settled in different parts of the territory in the 14th-18th centuries, founding diverse kingdoms and chefferies. French colonisation, which began in 1886, made Côte d'Ivoire the centre of its presence in West Africa; Abidjan became one of the main urban poles of sub-Saharan Africa. After independence in 1960, President Félix Houphouët-Boigny (1960-1993) led the country to significant economic development through agricultural exports, in a period known as the "Ivorian miracle". The political crisis following his death led to civil wars (2002-2007 and 2010-2011), from which the country has gradually recovered.
Ivorian economy is the largest in sub-Saharan Francophone Africa: Côte d'Ivoire produces about 40% of the world's cocoa, is Africa's second largest coffee producer and a major exporter of palm oil, rubber, cashew nuts and tropical timber. Abidjan is the region's main financial and commercial hub and home to numerous African international institutions.
Ivorian culture is extremely diverse, with over 60 ethnic groups. The traditional Dan (or Yacouba) masks in the Man region are among the best known in West Africa and were inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List in 2012. Coupé-décalé music, which originated in Abidjan in the early 2000s, has had a pan-African spread. Ivorian cuisine is based on rice, fufu, yam and attieké (fermented cassava semolina).
Protected areas include the Taï National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982), a primary rainforest that is home to one of the largest populations of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) on the continent, the Parc National de la Comoé (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983), el Parc National du Mont Peko, the Mont Nimba Nature Reserve (shared with Guinea and Liberia, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve), and the Parc National de la Marahoué.
Hiking in Côte d'Ivoire is mainly developed in the western region of Man, with trails in the hills around Mount Nimba and the region's waterfalls. The forest of Parc de Taï, with its local guides, is accessible for nature hikes in a primary forest environment. The Atlantic coast offers walks between fishing villages and lagoons.
Mount Nimba (1,752m), on the tripartite border with Guinea and Liberia, is the highest peak and can be climbed by local guides in the Man region. There is no structured mountaineering tradition in the country.
There are no internationally significant trail running events in Côte d'Ivoire.
Information
General Data
Capital: Yamoussoukro
Area: 322.460 km²
Minimum elevation: 0m (Gulf of Guinea)
Maximum elevation: 1,752m - Mount Nimba
Number of inhabitants: 28,000.000 (estimated 2024)
Official name: République de Côte d'Ivoire
Name of inhabitants: Ivorians
Main administrative subdivisions: 33 regions
Bordering countries: Burkina Faso - Ghana - Guinea - Liberia - Mali
Institutional website: https://www.gouvernement.ci