YamoussoukroCapital
Côte d'Ivoire · Country profile
Yamoussoukro is the monumental political capital of the Ivory Coast in the calm heart of the country, the planned city of the wide boulevards, the grand official buildings and the enormous basilica that the founding father of the nation grew from his birthplace into a showcase of independent Africa. It pairs a quiet, provincial everyday life of the markets, the schools and the lakeside farms with the extraordinary ambition of its public architecture, at the centre of which stands the vast basilica of Our Lady of the Peace, one of the largest church buildings in the world, with its colossal dome and the herds of the crocodiles sunning in the lakes beside the presidential residence. The government ministries, the great avenue of the four hundred thousand and the universities of the city reinforce the curious scale of the place. Vast, strange and quietly dignified, Yamoussoukro is one of the most unusual capital cities of the continent.
About Yamoussoukro
Yamoussoukro is the capital of Côte d'Ivoire. The city's documented population is around 212,670 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the West African CFA franc (XOF) and French is spoken; the dialling code is +225.
The Basilica of the Peace and the Pools of the Crocodiles
The city is built on a grand plan of wide tree-lined avenues that connect the official district, the lake system and the great basilica, with the everyday life of the town held in the markets, the shops and the street food of the side roads. The essential visit is the basilica and its grounds, the piazza with its giant plaza and the viewpoint of its dome, followed by the lakes with their famous crocodiles, the presidential palace grounds and the museums of the founder of the nation. The daily life of the big hotels, the ministries and the universities keeps the city busy through the week, and the whole site is comfortably seen in a day from the national capital, two hours of road away.
The Avenue of the Founder and the Museum of the President
The climate of the city follows the two-season tropical pattern of the interior of the country, with the long wet season and the shorter dry season of the winter months carrying the pleasantest travel window of the year, the heat softened by the humidity of the lakes and the trees. The franc of the region is the currency and the French the language of the country, and the road from the economic capital passes the twin cities of the central region with their lakes along the way. The basilica, the crocodiles and the founder legacy make the stop worthwhile, with modest, respectful dress for the holy site and time for the drive back completing the simple plan.
The Lakes of the City and the Universities of the Town
The basilica of Our Lady of the Peace, the vast marble and glass limestone church built in the late eighties at the orders of the founding father and blessed by the pope, stands as the defining landmark of the capital, with its enormous dome, its immense plaza big enough for a quarter million pilgrims and its clear view from the terrace, while the long ceremonial avenue leading to the presidential residence frames the ambition of the whole plan. The lakes of the city hold their famous residents, the protective crocodiles that the founder fed at the hour of the feeding, now a tourist spectacle of the morning, and the museum of the founder in the old residence tells the story of the nation in independence. The town itself stays gentle: the market of the city, the big hotels with their pools and the universities give the calm daily round of this capital in waiting. One of the stranger and more memorable cities of Africa, Yamoussoukro is a monument to a single man and a national idea.
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- Country
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Population
- 212,670
- Capital
- Yamoussoukro
- Region
- Africa
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF)
- Languages
- French
- Calling code
- +225
- Country code
- CI
Entry requirements for Côte d'Ivoire
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Côte d'Ivoire for tourism.
Frequently asked questions
Is Yamoussoukro the capital of Côte d'Ivoire?
Yes — Yamoussoukro is the capital of Côte d'Ivoire.
What currency do I need in Yamoussoukro?
The local currency is the West African CFA franc (XOF). Languages spoken in Côte d'Ivoire include French.
What is the dialling code for Côte d'Ivoire?
The international dialling code for Côte d'Ivoire is +225.
Do I need a visa to visit Côte d'Ivoire?
It depends on your passport. For the origins we track, the current tourism visa status is Morocco (e-visa). Check the entry requirements tool for your own nationality.
Flying out of Yamoussoukro? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.