13 Facts About Côte d'Ivoire

Côte d'Ivoire, also known as the Ivory Coast, is a West African country known for its beach resorts, rainforests, and French colonial legacy.

Ivory Coast is bounded on the west by Guinea and Liberia, on the north by Burkina Faso and Mali, on the east by Ghana, and on the south by the Atlantic Ocean.

The Coast, dubbed the "teeth coast" due to its active participation in the ivory trade, can boast a variety of entertainment and relaxing activities.

Ivory Coast, among other things, has a rich cultural tradition, artistic talents, and French-speaking prowess.

The name "Ivory Coast" reflected the major trade that took place along that stretch of coast, the export of ivory.

The country is known by two different names. Ivory Coast is the English version, and Côte d'Ivoire is the French version. It is now known by its French name after the name was officially changed in 1985. Many people still refer to it as Ivory Coast because it is easier to pronounce.

Ivory Coast also has two capitals: Yamoussoukro, which serves as the country's political centre, and Abidjan, the country's largest city.

Queen Abla Pokou established the Ivory Coast in the mid-eighteenth century. She was the one who decided to relocate the Bauolé people from Ghana to new lands in search of a better way of life. However, she had to pay a high price for it. While crossing one of the rivers on their way to their new home, the Queen's child drowned.

The Ivory Coast was the first black republic to win an Academy Award, as well as the first non-English speaking country. "Black and White in Color," the country's film, won the Academy Award for Best Foreign-Language Film.

The world's largest basilica is located in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast. The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace measures 323,000 square feet. It has a capacity of approximately 18,000 worshippers but is rarely full.

It is the world's largest producer of cocoa. It moved 1.448 million metric tonnes of cocoa beans in 2013, accounting for 31.6 percent of the global total, nearly doubling its nearest competitor, Ghana. It is also a major producer and exporter of coffee and palm oil.

Ivory Coast has only won one Olympic medal: a silver medal in the men's 400m in 1984.

Two civil wars (one in 2002 that lasted 5 years and another in 2011 that lasted a year) were started by competing ethnic factions and nearly brought the country to its knees.