Looking to boost your chances of winning the next pub quiz? Brush up on your worldly facts with these 14 fun facts about the Côte d’Ivoire!
1. Where is Côte d’Ivoire?
Côte d’Ivoire is a beautiful country in West Africa.
It is bordered by Mali and Burkina Faso to the north, Ghana to the east and Liberia and Guinea to the west; it also has a coastline along the Atlantic Ocean to the south.
2. It’s a gorgeous country.
With stunning sandy beaches, gloriously green rainforest mountains and sprawling cities, there’s lots to explore in Côte d’Ivoire. To witness its delights for yourself, follow the coordinates 6.8500° N, 5.3000° W.
The terrain here is dominated by flat-to-undulating plains, with mountains in the northwest.
3. Côte d’Ivoire is similar to Norway in size.
The total land area of Côte d’Ivoire is 124,503 square miles (322,462 square kilometres)…that’s around the same size as Norway.
Côte d’Ivoire’s population was 28.16 million in 2022…that’s around 5 times the population of Norway!
4. What do citizens call themselves?
Residents here are known as Ivorian.
5. What is the capital of Côte d’Ivoire?
Côte d’Ivoire has two capitals, Yamoussoukro and Abidjan; they cover an area of 1,351 square miles (3,500 square kilometres) and 818 square miles (2,119 square kilometres) and had a population of 212,670 and 4.395 million in 2015 respectively.
6. The weather here is wonderful.
Ivorians living on the coast enjoy a tropical climate, changing to semiarid in the far north.
7. It’s rife with wildlife.
Côte d’Ivoire boasts leopards, antelopes, buffalos, pygmy hippopotamuses, monkeys, elephants, panthers, hyenas, jackals, crocodiles, chimpanzees, zebras and lions, plus a species of worm lizard which is endemic and thus not found anywhere else in the world!
8. What do people speak here?
The official language of Côte d’Ivoire is French, although around 60 native languages are also spoken here.
9. It used to have an English name.
Côte d’Ivoire was formerly known as Ivory Coast until it changed its name in 1985.
10. Get that money changed!
West African CFA Franc is the official currency here.
11. Côte d’Ivoire has produced some amazing sporting talent.
Former Chelsea United football player Didier Drogba was born in Abidjan!
12. The life expectancy here isn’t too long.
The average Ivorian life span is just 58.6 years (2021).
13. It’s a very vibrant country!
Music and dance form an important part of celebrations and ceremonies in Côte d’Ivoire.
14. What does Côte d’Ivoire produce?
Côte d’Ivoire grows coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, bananas and timber; they also catch fish.
Its industry consists of foodstuffs, tourism, beverages, oil refining, wood products and the assembly of trucks and buses.
The main exports include coffee, timber, cocoa, cotton and petroleum.
In fact, Côte d’Ivoire is the world’s largest exporter of cocoa!
FAQs about Côte d’Ivoire
Is Côte d’Ivoire safe?
Côte d’Ivoire does struggle with violent crime, making it fairly unsafe - caution is advised if you are traveling.
Is Côte d’Ivoire a poor country?
Compared to other African nations such as Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire has quite a low GDP.
What is Côte d’Ivoire famous for?
Côte d’Ivoire is likely most famous for its chocolate! As mentioned, it’s the cocoa capital of the world.
Do you know any fun facts about the Cote d’Ivoire? Share them in the comments below!
