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 territorially and politically. The country of Cote Divoire 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 a 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 million people. The official language in Côte d'Ivoire is French, as a relic of colonial times. In addition to the official, there are a number of local languages, the most popular are baule, beta and deula. Compared to many other
African countries, this is quite developed, and the standard of living of the population is very good.
State Symbols Cote Divoire
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 coat of arms of the state is the elephant, which is not only one of the most common animals in the state, but even is 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, humid tropical forests are located in the south, and tall grasslands in the north . The climate, as in most of Africa, is very hot, in the south - equatorial, in the north - subequatorial. In the country there are three large rivers and several small ones. Komoe, Sasandra and Bandama are practically not of interest as transport routes, since they consist of many estuaries 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, cobalt, 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 Cote Divoire
A map of the territory of this state, like many others, has developed over many thousands of years. A significant part of the peoples living in the modern country came from the north-eastern and eastern parts of the continent. Over time, countries with a highly developed management system were founded on this territory.
During the Middle Ages, European merchants paved the way for Côte d'Ivoire. The first to arrive in the country were the Spaniards and the Portuguese through the Gulf of Guinea, and later the British and Dutch began to arrive. Best sellers 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 within 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 lower prices for goods supplied by the country in the world market, the economy of the state 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.
- Residents of the state are very musical. They have a lot of different dances for each significant event. For example, the harvest dance, the fisherman dance, etc.
- The country used to be famous for its forests. Now, most valuable tree species have been destroyed due to fires, clearing of territories and for other reasons.
Output
Like most African countries, Côte d'Ivoire today cannot boast of good development indicators 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 cocoa supplier in the world and the third supplier of coffee. Although there are not many enterprises with highly qualified personnel, the agricultural market still helps the country's economy stay afloat.