Côte d’Ivoire is a beautiful country in West Africa – bordered by Mali and Burkina Faso to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the south, Ghana to the east, and Liberia and Guinea to the west.
Here are seven facts to refresh your knowledge about Côte d’Ivoire with the world’s largest church – the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace.
1. Land area and population
The total land area of Côte d’Ivoire is 124,504 square miles (322,463 square kilometres). That is around the same size as Norway.
The population is 26,378,274 (2020 estimate). This is also about five times the population of Norway.
2. Demonym
Residents of the Ivory Coast are known as Ivorians.
3. Two capitals
Côte d’Ivoire has two capitals; Yamoussoukro and Abidjan. The de facto capital is Abidjan while the administrative capital (since 1983) is Yamoussoukro
4. Language
The official language of Ivorians is French, although around 70 native languages are also spoken. A few are Baoulé, Sénoufo, Yacouba, Agni, Attié (or Akyé), Guéré, Bété, Dioula, Abé, Mahou, Wobé, Lobi, Guro
5. Currency
The official currency is West African CFA Franc.
6. Economy
Their industry is based on food, wood products, beverages, oil refining, transportation, and tourism. The main exports include coffee, cotton, petroleum, cocoa, and timber.
In 2019, Ivory Coast exported about 3.57 billion U.S. dollars worth of cocoa beans worldwide, making it the world’s largest exporter of cocoa.
7. Life expectancy
The average Ivorian life span is 58.8 years (2020). Females: 60.1 years. Males: 57.5 years.
Bonus fact: Côte d’Ivoire wildlife boasts of unique species of endemic reptiles – The worm lizards Cynisca rouxae, Cynisca ivoiriensis and a threadsnake Tricheilostoma broadleyi
What did you not know about Côte d’Ivoire until now?
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