Ivory Coast

Situated in West Africa and bordered by Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, and Liberia, Ivory Coast covers approximately 322,000 km² with a southern coastline along the Gulf of Guinea. Yamoussoukro is the official capital, though Abidjan functions as the economic and commercial hub. French is the official language, and the West African CFA franc (XOF) is the currency. The country holds a broadly francophone cultural identity shaped by over sixty ethnic groups.

Many nationalities require a visa to enter Ivory Coast, which can be obtained through Ivorian embassies abroad or via the country's official e-visa platform before travel. Some Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member nationals enter without a visa. Requirements, fees, and durations vary — always verify current conditions through the official Ivorian consular services before departure.

The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro is one of the largest churches in the world by area, modelled loosely on St Peter's in Rome. Taï National Park in the southwest is a UNESCO-listed primary rainforest and one of the last significant tracts of Upper Guinean forest. The lakeside city of Man in the west offers access to the Dent de Man rock formation. Abidjan's Plateau district presents striking modernist architecture, and the Grand-Bassam colonial quarter — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — preserves nineteenth-century Franco-colonial streetscapes on a lagoon-edged peninsula.

The south has a tropical wet climate with two rainy seasons, roughly March–July and October–November, and temperatures ranging from 24°C to 32°C year-round. The north is semi-arid, with a single rainy season and a dry harmattan wind between December and February that pushes temperatures above 35°C. The cooler, drier months of November through February are generally the most comfortable for travel. Pack light, breathable clothing and a waterproof layer if visiting the south.

• World's largest producer of cocoa beans.
• Yamoussoukro replaced Abidjan as capital in 1983.
• Over sixty distinct ethnic groups speak different languages.
• Didier Drogba is the country's most celebrated sportsperson.
• Grand-Bassam was Ivory Coast's first colonial capital.

• cotedivoire.travel — official national tourism portal
• visas.gouv.ci — official e-visa and consular services
• meteo.ci — national meteorological service
• sgfe.gouv.ci — government administrative services portal