The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, also known as the "Ivory Coast", is one of the countries located in West Africa. In the past, it was a French colony, and today it is a completely independent state both in territorial and political terms. The country of Côte d'Ivoire is washed by the waters of the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean. By land, the state borders on Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea. The territory is 322, 460 km. sq.
General information
This is one of the states in which there are at least five dozen ethnic groups. The capital of the country is the city of Yamoussoukro, which is the place of residence for almost 250 thousand people. Unlike most European countries, here the capital is not always the main city.
In this state, for example, the main city is Abidjan, whose population is approximately 3 millionHuman. The official language in Côte d'Ivoire is French, a relic of colonial times. In addition to the official language, there are a number of local languages, the most popular being Baule, Bete and Gyula. Compared to many other African countries, this is quite developed, and the standard of living of the population is quite good.
State symbols of Ivory Coast
The state flag consists of three vertical stripes of the same size: orange, white and green. The first color symbolizes the savannah, the second - peace and unity, the third - forests and hope. There are other interpretations.
The main element of the emblem of the state is the elephant, which is not only one of the most common animals in the state, but is even present in the name of the country. The national anthem was officially adopted as soon as the country became independent, in 1960.
Geography
The territory of the state is predominantly flat, with tropical rainforests in the south and tall grass savannahs in the north. The climate, as in most of Africa, is very hot, in the south - equatorial, in the north - subequatorial. On the territory of the country there are three large rivers and several small ones. Komoe, Sasandra and Bandama are of little interest as transport routes, since they consist of many mouths and rapids, and also periodically dry up.
Among natural resources there are many precious and expensive raw materials. For example, diamonds, gold, oil, gas, nickel, copper, manganese, cob alt, bauxite, etc. On the territory of Côte d'Ivoire, tourists can enjoy visiting various national parks. It is in this country that the most developed and beautiful sights of West Africa are located, and one of the parks is even included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
History of Ivory Coast
The map of the territory of this state, like many others, has evolved over many thousands of years. A significant part of the peoples living in the modern country came from the northeastern and eastern parts of the continent. Over time, countries with a highly developed system of government were founded on this territory.
During the Middle Ages, European merchants paved the way in Côte d'Ivoire. The Spaniards and Portuguese were the first to arrive in the country through the Gulf of Guinea, and later the British and Dutch began to arrive. Popular goods for European merchants were ivory, gold, pepper, ostrich feathers. Later, the country began to actively participate in the slave trade.
At the end of the 19th century, after long battles between local tribes and French troops, the territory of the country was occupied, and France turned it into its colony. Since 1958, the state was proclaimed a republic, part of the French Community. In 1960, on August 7, the country nevertheless gained independence.
In the first 25 years after the independence of Côte d'Ivoire, the pace of development of the state continued to gain momentum. However, in 1987, due to a decrease in prices for goods supplied by the country on the world market, the economystate began a serious recession.
Interesting facts
- Despite the fact that officially Independence Day from France should be celebrated on August 7, due to field work, most of the population celebrates it on December 7.
- The inhabitants of the state are very musical. They have a lot of different dances for every significant event. For example, harvest dance, fisherman dance, etc.
- Earlier, the country was famous for its forests. Now, most valuable tree species have been destroyed due to fires, land clearing and other reasons.
Conclusion
Like most African countries, Côte d'Ivoire today does not boast a good development record or an excellent standard of living. However, the state still occupies certain niches in the world market. For example, Côte d'Ivoire is the largest supplier of cocoa in the world and the third largest supplier of coffee. Although there are not many enterprises with highly qualified personnel, the agricultural market still helps the country's economy to stay afloat.
