Côte d'Ivoire
Africa · Yamoussoukro · CI
Cote d'Ivoire is the francophone powerhouse of the West African coast, a country of the forest economy, the colonial heritage and the great cultural capital of the Abidjan. The Abidjan, the economic capital, spreads its skyscrapers across the lagoons of the coast, a modern African metropolis of the markets, the nightlife and the famous maquis restaurants, while the political capital of the Yamoussoukro holds the enormous basilica built by the founding president. The coast runs the lagoon towns and the surf beaches of the Sassandra and the Grand-Bassam, the historic colonial quarter, and the interior spreads the cocoa forests and the northern savannahs of the Korhogo with their mask cultures and their dancers. The country has rebuilt its calm since the crises of the early century and is again one of the liveliest and most prosperous destinations of the region.
Overview
Côte d'Ivoire is a country in Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro and the international dialling code is +225. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include French. Local currency is the West African CFA franc (XOF). We also list 1 city in Côte d'Ivoire: Yamoussoukro.
The Lagoons of the Abidjan and the Towers of the City
The economic capital of the country, built on the lagoons of the coast and connected to the sea by the canal of the Vridi, is one of the great African metropolises, a city of the skyscrapers, the bridges and the busiest port of the region. The districts of the city, from the plateau of the offices and the cathedral of the modern design to the markets and the nightlife of the Marcony, give the Abidjan its intense, sophisticated energy, and the lagoon ferries and the boulevard of the edge frame the views across the water. The famous maquis of the city, the open-air restaurants of the grilled fish and the attieke, are the great institution of the everyday, and the cultural life of the city, the music, the dance and the fashion, is among the richest of the continent.
The Basilica of the Yamoussoukro and the Enormous Dome
The political capital of the country, the Yamoussoukro at the centre of the nation, holds one of the most extraordinary monuments of Africa, the basilica of the peace that the founding president raised in his native town, a vast marble church with a dome inspired by the basilica of the Vatican and a capacity among the greatest of Christianity. The basilica, set in the green estates of the capital, is the emblem of the extravagant vision of its builder, and its interior of the windows, the marbles and the bronze rivets is astonishing in its scale and its polish. The town around the monument, the boulevards, the hotels and the crocodile lake of the presidential enclave, completes the strange, grand story of the modern capital.
The Historic Quarter of the Grand-Bassam and the Beaches of the Coast
The old capital of the country, the Grand-Bassam on the lagoon east of the Abidjan, preserves the historic quarter of the colonial era, a world heritage of the galleried houses, the government buildings and the churches of the late nineteenth century. The quarter, built beside the sandspit where the lagoon meets the sea, anchors the memory of the early colony, and the museums of the town, from the national costume museum to the museum of the city, fill in its story. The beaches of the coast, the wide Atlantic strands of the base and the resorts to the west, run the weekend life of the region, and the fishing villages of the coast with their colorful pirogues hold the vivid everyday of the sea.
The Masks of the Korhogo and the Traditions of the North
The northern savannahs of the country, around the town of the Korhogo, hold the mask cultures of the Senufo and the neighbouring peoples, one of the richest and least-commercialised artistic worlds of the continent. The masks of the region, carved for the ceremonies of the harvest, the funerals and the initiations, are kept by the secret societies of the villages, and the dancers who wear them move with the whirling, acrobatic energy that the region is famous for. The artisans of the town, the carvers, the weavers and the smiths, still work in the traditional way, and the markets and the villages of the north reward the visitor with the living culture of the savannah, far from the coast.
The Cocoa Forest and the Maquis of the Everyday
The forest belt of the interior of the country, the plantations of the cocoa and the coffee that built the fortune of the nation, spreads the green, intense landscape of the agricultural heart of the region. The farm roads of the belt thread between the forests and the villages, and the markets of the collectors and the cooperatives run the daily commerce of the crop. The maquis of the land, the simple open-air restaurants that serve the grilled fish, the chicken and the attieke of the cassava, are the beloved institution of the everyday life of the whole country, and the palm wine and the music of the evenings complete the picture. The forest, the farms and the cooking together give the visitor the real, lived Ivorian experience.
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- Capital
- Yamoussoukro
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF)
- Languages
- French
- Calling code
- +225
- Internet TLD
- ci
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Côte d'Ivoire.
Which nationalities can enter Côte d'Ivoire?
Current visa status for tourism for the origins we cover, with links to the detailed requirements.
Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit Côte d'Ivoire?
For the origins we track, Côte d'Ivoire requires a visa for tourism (Morocco: e-visa). Entry rules depend on your passport, so confirm the current requirements for your own nationality with our entry requirements tool.
What is the capital of Côte d'Ivoire?
Yamoussoukro is the capital of Côte d'Ivoire, and the country sits in Africa.
What currency is used in Côte d'Ivoire?
You pay with West African CFA franc (XOF) in Côte d'Ivoire. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Côte d'Ivoire?
The languages we list for Côte d'Ivoire are French. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Côte d'Ivoire?
The dialling code for Côte d'Ivoire is +225 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which cities in Côte d'Ivoire do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Côte d'Ivoire: Yamoussoukro (capital).