Intro
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Ivory Coast or Côte d’Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, is a country located on the south coast of West Africa. Ivory Coast’s political capital is Yamoussoukro in the centre of the country, while its economic capital and largest city is the port city of Abidjan.
Before its colonization by Europeans, Ivory Coast was home to several states, including Gyaaman, the Kong Empire, and Baoulé. The area became a protectorate of France in 1843 and was consolidated as a French colony in 1893 amid the European scramble for Africa. It achieved independence in 1960, led by Félix Houphouët-Boigny, who ruled the country until 1993. Relatively stable by regional standards, Ivory Coast established close political and economic ties with its West African neighbors while at the same time maintaining close relations to the West, especially France. Ivory Coast experienced a coup d’état in 1999 and two religiously-grounded civil wars, first between 2002 and 2007 and again during 2010–2011. In 2000, the country adopted a new constitution.
Ivory Coast is a republic with strong executive power vested in its president. Through the production of coffee and cocoa, the country was an economic powerhouse in West Africa during the 1960s and 1970s, though it went through an economic crisis in the 1980s, contributing to a period of political and social turmoil. It was not until around 2014 that the gross domestic product again reached the level of its peak in the 1970s. In the 21st century, the Ivorian economy has been largely market-based, and it still relies heavily on agriculture, with smallholder cash-crop production being predominant.
Motto:
“Union – Discipline – Travail” (French)
“Unity – Discipline – Work” (English)
Anthem: L’Abidjanaise
(English: “Song of Abidjan”)
| French lyrics | English translation |
|---|---|
| Salut Ô terre d’espérance; Pays de l’hospitalité. Tes légions remplies de vaillance Ont relevé ta dignité. Tes fils, chère Côte d’Ivoire, Fiers artisans de ta grandeur, Tous rassemblés pour ta gloire Te bâtiront dans le bonheur. Fiers Ivoiriens, le pays nous appelle. Si nous avons dans la paix ramené la liberté, Notre devoir sera d’être un modèle De l’espérance promise à l’humanité, En forgeant, unie dans la foi nouvelle, La patrie de la vraie fraternité. | We salute you, O land of hope, Country of hospitality; Thy gallant legions Have restored thy dignity. Beloved Ivory Coast, thy sons, Proud builders of thy greatness, All mustered together for thy glory, In joy will construct thee. Proud citizens of the Ivory Coast, the country calls us. If we have brought back liberty peacefully, It will be our duty to be an example Of the hope promised to humanity, Forging unitedly in a new faith The Fatherland of true brotherhood. |
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