One land, many peoples
arts and media
Did you know- The African nation of Côte d’Ivoire was the world’s first black republic to win an Oscar, the world’s most popular award. In early 1977, surprisingly, the country film “Black & White in Color” made world headlines when it won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in Los Angeles, CA. It had been hand-selected by various American experts. Additionally, Côte d’Ivoire was one of the first non-English speaking nations to win the American award, ahead of Brazil and Argentina, as well as India and South Korea.
Ivory Coast Train
Did you know- Known as the Ivory Coast until October 1985, it was one of the most stable countries in sub-Saharan Africa between 1960 and 1985, along with Botswana, Mauritius, Morocco, and Liberia. At that time, Côte d’Ivoire had no military coups and no civil conflicts. In fact, unlike Cambodia and Zaire, it was one of the most peaceful francophone countries on the planet. During the Cold War, he played a leading role in African affairs.
independence
Did you know- It was part of the French Federation of West Africa. After a 118-year French occupation, the African nation gained its independence, with Félix Houphouet-Boigny as Head of State, in the early 1960s. Since then, the country maintains strong diplomatic relations with Paris.
Geography
Did you know- Ivory Coast it covers about 124,502 square miles (322,460 square kilometers), and has about 21 million people. This African state is surrounded by Mali (a former French colony) and Burkina Faso (Upper Volta until August 1984) to the north, Ghana (a democratic nation since the 2000s) to the west, Guinea (a former French territory), and Liberia (a independent country). nation since 1847) to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. A vast tropical forest covers much of the land there. Major rivers include the Sassandra, the Cavally, the Bardama, and the Comoe.
summer olympics
Did you know- The African nation has been a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since the 1960s. Athletes from the Ivory Coast have competed in the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics, the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, the 1984 Los Angeles Games, 1988 Seoul Games, 1992 Barcelona Olympics, 1996 Atlanta Games, 2000 Sydney Olympics, 2004 Athens Games and 2008 Beijing Olympics . .
United Nations
Did you know- With its transformation into a modern country, Côte d’Ivoire joined the United Nations in the early 1960s. In the following years, it became one of the members of the UN Security Council (1964-1965). Meanwhile, between 1960 and 1990, the republic was best known for its pro-Western policies, along with African states such as Kenya, Senegal, and the Kingdom of Swaziland. Finally, Amara Essy, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the nation, was one of the recognized international leaders in the 1990s. Thus, he was appointed president of the 49th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Languages
Did you know- French is the official language, but Côte d’Ivoire has a large population that does not speak French (dioula and other African dialects). Each region of the nation has its own dialect.
miss Universe
Did you know- Ivory Coast made its Miss Universe debut in July 1986 when the country’s delegate, Marie Francoise Koume, competed in Panama City, Panama.
Football
Did you know- Without a doubt, under the direction of Didier Yves Drogba Tèbily, the national team is one of the most popular in West Africa, along with other squads such as Ghana and Nigeria. According to the results of the 2006 World Cup, Ivory Coast is among the top nineteen soccer teams in the world, ahead of Poland and Saudi Arabia, as well as Japan. So far, Drogba is the most important footballer in the country. He is from Abidjan. Soccer is a popular sport among adults and children.
Marie-Therese Houphouet-Boigny
Did you know- Marie-Thérèse Houphouet-Boigny, First Lady of the country from 1969 to 1993, was one of the most popular women in Africa in the second half of the 20th century. During that period of time, she was a promoter of the national culture and an outspoken advocate for children. Because of her elegance and her perfect French, the international press dubbed her “The Jacqueline Kennedy of Africa”.
Yamoussoukro
Did you know- Yamoussoukro is home to the capital of the Ivory Coast. However, Abidjan – the country’s former capital – is the largest city.
Economic Sciences
Did you know- More than 70% of the country’s population depends on agriculture and tourism. Meanwhile, this French-speaking nation is one of the world’s leading cocoa producers. Recently, bananas and palm oil have also become important crops. Otherwise, France is one of the two largest investors in Côte d’Ivoire.
gabriel tiacoh
Did you know- Ivory Coast is home to some African champions, including Gabriel Tiacoh, one of the continent’s best sprinters in the mid-1980s. This legendary athlete won the country’s first medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, CA.
Ethnic groups
Did you know- There are more than 60 ethnic groups in the country.