Abidjan is the economic capital of Ivory Coast and is one of the most populous French-speaking cities in Africa.
According to the 2014 Ivory Coast census, Abidjan's population was 4.7 million, which is 20 percent of the overall population of the country, and this also makes it the 4th most populous city proper in Africa, after Lagos, Cairo and Kinshasa. Considered the cultural crossroads of Africa, Abidjan is characterised by a high level of industrialisation and urbanisation.
The city expanded quickly after the construction of a new wharf in 1931, followed by its designation as the capital city of the then-French colony in 1933. Abidjan remained the capital of Ivory Coast after its independence from France in 1960.
The completion of the Vridi Canal in 1951 enabled Abidjan to become an important sea port. In 1983, the city of Yamoussoukro was designated as the official political capital of Cote d'Ivoire. However, almost all political institutions and foreign embassies continue to be located in Abidjan.
Because Abidjan is also the largest city in the country and the centre of its economic activity, it has officially been designated as the economic capital of the country. The Abidjan Autonomous District, which encompasses the city and some of its suburbs, is one of the 14 districts of Ivory Coast.
In the 1980s, Jean-Bédel Bokassa took refuge in Abidjan after his ouster from power in the Central Africa Republic.
Abidjan was originally a small Atchan fishing village. In 1896, following a series of deadly yellow fever epidemics, French colonists who had initially settled in Grand-Bassam decided to move to a safer place and in 1898 chose the current location of Abidjan.
In 1903 it officially became a town.[The settlers were followed by the colonial government, created in 1899. But then nearby Bingerville became the capital of the French colony, from 1900 until 1934.
The future Abidjan, situated on the edge of the lagoon n'doupe or the lagoon in hot water, offered more land and greater opportunities for trade expansion. The wharf in Petit Bassam now Port-Bouet south of town quickly overtook the wharf of Grand-Bassam in importance, and became the main point of economic access to the colony.
In 1904, the rail terminus was located in the Port-Bouet area of Abidjan.Starting in 1904, when Bingerville was not yet complete, Abidjan became the main economic hub of the colony of Ivory Coast and a prime channel for distributing products to the European hinterland, particularly through the Lebanese community, which was increasing in importance.
Henri de Fougeres became governor of French Sudan in 1924, and remained governor until his death in 1931. One of the main streets of Abidjan still bears his name.
The traditional language of the city was Ebrie. Since independence, the official language in Abidjan and throughout Ivory Coast has been French.
While the official language is a formal variety standard French similar to that of Paris, the most commonly spoken form of French spoken in Abidjan is a colloquial dialect known as français de Treichville or français de Moussa which differs from standard French in pronunciation and in some of its vocabulary.
Another form of spoken French in Abidjan is Nouchi, a highly informal variety used as adolescent slang. The historical lingua franca, still spoken and understood by most of the trading population of Abidjan, is Dioula. The city hosts many Ivorians from all over the country and about sixty vernacular languages are spoken, such as Attie, Baoule, Bete, and Wobe.
Abidjan is surrounded by more than thirty villages where Baoule and Ebrie are still commonly spoken.
Abidjan lies on the south-east coast of the country, on the Gulf of Guinea. The city is located on the Ebrie Lagoon. The business district, Le Plateau, is the center of the city, along with Cocody, Deux Plateaux the city's wealthiest neighborhood and a hub for diplomats, and Adjame, a slum on the north shore of the lagoon.
Treichville and Marcory lie to the south, Attecoube, Locodjro, Abobo Doume and Yopougon to the west, and Ile Boulay is located in the middle of the lagoon. Further south lies Port Bouët, home to the airport and main seaport. Abidjan is located at 5°25′ North, 4°2′ West (5.41667, −4.03333).
Abidjan experiences a tropical wet and dry climate (Aw), according to the Koppen climate classification. Abidjan has nonconsecutive rainy seasons precipitation above 60 millimetres (2.4 in) with a long rainy season from March to July and a short rainy season from September to December, and three dry months January, February and August.
Precipitation is abundant during the summer months, except for August, due to activation of the Benguela Current, which reduces the precipitation total throughout the month.The Benguela Current also lowers the mean temperature during August, making it the coolest month of the year, averaging 24.5 °C (76.1 °F).
Abidjan has two additional dry months (January and February). Abidjan is generally humid, with average relative humidity above 80% throughout the year.
In 1931, Plateau and what would become Treichville were connected by a floating bridge, more or less where the Houphouet-Boigny Bridge stands today. The year 1931 also saw addresses begin to be assigned to the streets of Abidjan for the first time. The addressing project was temporarily concluded in 1964, under the leadership of Mayor Konan Kanga, then badly redone American-style in 1993.
Abidjan became the third capital of Ivory Coast by a 1934 decree, following Grand-Bassam and Bingerville. Several villages in Tchaman were then deserted. The leader of the Tchaman community can still be found in Adjame center or meeting in Tchaman, north of the Plateau.
South of the Plateau district,the current central district of the city of Abidjan, the village of Dugbeo was moved across the lagoon to Anoumabo, or the forest of fruit bats, which became the neighborhood of Treichville now known as Commikro, city of clerks.
Treichville was renamed in 1934 in honour of Marcel Treich-Laplenie (1860–1890), the first explorer of the Ivory Coast and its first colonial administrator, considered its founder. Instead of Dugbeyo, is the current Treich-Laplenie Avenue, the bus station and water lagoon buses in Plateau, and the Avenue Charles de Gaulle commonly called Rue du Commerce.
The city was laid out like most colonial towns, on a grid plan. Le Plateau or m'brato in Tchaman were inhabited by settlers. In the north, the city was inhabited by the colonized. The two zones were separated by the Gallieni Military Barracks, where now there is the current courthouse.
Near the port, originally named Boulevard de Marseille, settlers became defensive and stole a street sign of a famous street of Marseille renamed the street Canebiere, a sand track. This is the legend behind the first Blohorn oil mills, in Cocody and a racetrack was built in the south of the city.
In Le Plateau in the 1940s, the Bardon Park Hotel was built, the first air-conditioned hotel working in francophone Africa.
Abidjan's lagoon became connected to the sea once the 15m-deep Vridi canal was completed in 1950.Soon Abidjan became the financial center of West Africa. In 1958, the first bridge to connect Petit-Bassam Island with the mainland was completed.
When Cote d’Ivoire became independent in 1960, Abidjan became the new country’s administrative and economic center. The axis south of Treichville, towards the international airport and the beaches, became the heart of European and middle-class Abidjan.
The city saw considerable population growth in the decades following independence, expanding from 180,000 inhabitants in 1960 to 1,269,000 in 1978.Abidjan’s skyline dates back to the economic prosperity of this period.
New districts such as the upmarket Cocody were founded during in this period; built to a large extent in a colonial style, Cocody has since become home to Cote d’Ivoire’s wealthy classes as well as expatriates and foreign diplomats. The district is home to the embassy of France, Hotel Ivoire which for a long time, was the only African hotel to have a skating rink, and, since 2009, the largest U.S. embassy in West Africa.
Construction on St. Paul’s Cathedral, designed by Italian architect Aldo Spirito, began with the 1980 groundbreaking by Pope John Paul II and was completed in 1985. From the 1980s, Abidjan’s fortunes declined as a result of negligence on the part of officials as well as corruption and general degradation.
In 1983, the village of Yamoussoukro became the new political capital of Ivory Coast under the leadership of President Felix Houphouet-Boigny, who was born in Yamoussoukro.
From 2002 to 2007 and especially from 2010-2011, Abidjan suffered from the consequences of the First and Second Ivorian Civil Wars. In November 2004, armed conflict broke out between French forces and Ivorian forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo after the Ivorian Air Force attacked French peacekeepers in northern Cote d’Ivoire.
After France destroyed Cote d’Ivoire’s air capabilities in retaliation, pro-Gbagbo groups staged riots and looting in Abidjan and targeted French homes, schools, and businesses.French peacekeepers moved into the city to calm the situation. Other crises during the first civil war period include the case of the Probo Koala in 2006, in which disposed products caused thousands of residents to seek medical attention.
Cote d’Ivoire’s civil conflicts seriously impacted the security situation in Abidjan. Amidst the anti-French riots in November 2004, 4,000 prisoners in Abidjan escaped from the country’s largest prison
Abidjan was one of the main theaters of the 2010-2011 Ivorian crisis and the site of major demonstrations against incumbent president Gbagbo, including one on International Women’s Day in 2011 that saw several demonstrators killed by Gbagbo’s forces.
The end of the crisis came with Gbagbo’s capture in Abidjan in April 2011, following a major offensive by forces loyal to election winner Alassane Ouattara with support from France and the UN.
The University of Abidjan (1958),technical colleges, and the National Library of Ivory Coast and National museum are in Abidjan.
Sights in Abidjan include St Paul's Cathedral designed by Aldo Spirito, the Cocody Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art and the Parc du Banco rainforest reserve.
Plateau is known for its skyscrapers, which are unusual in West Africa. It is the business centre of Abidjan. With its gleaming skyscrapers, high-end shops, and outdoor cafes, Plateau is a favourite place of business travelers. There are also many different banks located in the Plateau district.
The majority of Ivorian government institutions are still located in Abidjan and have not been transferred to the political capital, Yamoussoukro. The President's office is in Cocody, and the parliament, the Constitutional Council, the Supreme Court, and the Chancellery of the National Order are all in Plateau.
Under the presidency of Laurent Gbagbo (2000–11), efforts were made to give effect to the project of making the political capital Yamoussoukro in Ivory Coast.This goal continues to be the consensus of the country's political leaders.
Government offices are located in Le Plateau in the administrative district of Abidjan, Boulevard Carde or Angoulvant Boulevard near the Cathedral of St. Paul of Abidjan, or elsewhere in the great buildings of the town.
The instability of the 2002-2007 civil war and 2010-2011 crisis saw foreign peacekeeping forces stationed in Abidjan. The United Nations Operation in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI), established in April 2004, has its headquarters at the former Hotel Sebroko in Attecoube.
While the size of the force has been reduced since the end of the 2011 crisis, UNOCI’s mandate was extended in 2013 and again in 2015. The force remains authorized to maintain up to 5,245 troops, 192 observers, 1,500 police and eight customs officers in the country.
France’s peacekeeping operations in Cote d’Ivoire continued under the aegis of Operation Unicorn until 2015 and then as the French forces in Cote d’Ivoire from 2015 onward. In 2014, French defense minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced that Abidjan would be reinforced as the entry point for France’s military presence and counter terrorism operations in the Sahel region.
After al-Qaeda militants targeted beach goers at Grand Bassam in March 2016, the French government announced it would increase its troop deployment in Cote d’Ivoire from 500 to 900.French soldiers are based in Port-Bouet as well as at the Abidjan airport.
In 2007, Pierre Laba’s comedy film Permanent Danger explored the laxity of the police against banditry in major African cities, specifically in Abidjan.
Since 2000, Ivory Coast has experienced a sharp rise in drug trafficking. Drug dens arise mainly in informal settlements and there has been a recent spike in demand among unemployed youth and Ivorian vagrants. The Ivorian police increasingly focus on the fight against trafficking and drug use in the district of Abidjan.
A report by the Office of the UN says West Africa plays an increasingly important role in the transit of cocaine to Latin American and Europe.According to an investigation by a United Nations commission for the fight against drug trafficking, 46% of adolescents in West Africa are dependent on illegal drugs. In May 2007, seven drug houses were dismantled and 191 people arrested including a military officer.
Abidjan is home to Port-Bouet, one of the six French military bases that still exist in Africa,Dakar, Libreville, Bouar CAR, N'Djamena and Djibouti. Thousands of people live there, around the 43rd BIMA which is permanently in place in accordance with established defense agreements on 24 April 1961 linking the two countries.
Abidjan is the regional headquarters of major international institutions: UNICEF, UN Development Program, World Health Organization, World Food Program, UNOPS,UNFPA,International Labour Organization (ILO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), etc. International nations all have representation in Abidjan, most of which serve sub-region
The American Embassy is located in Ivory Coast while the African Development Bank (ADB) moved for a while to Tunisia, which is the largest financial institution in Africa.
The 1998 census recorded Abidjan's population as 2,877,923. Estimates for the population of the Abidjan metropolitan area as of 2005 vary between 4 and 5 million inhabitants. As Abidjan is inhabited by people from a wide array of different ethnicities, French is commonly spoken in the metropolitan area, which is the fourth largest French speaking metropolitan area in the world after Paris, Montreal and Kinshasa.
Colloquial Abidjan French has even appeared, which has a different pronunciation and some familiar words from standard French. Abidjan is recognized as one of the few areas in Africa where French colloquial Abidjan French is truly a native tongue,along with Libreville, Gabon.
The population of Abidjan was 4,707,404 at the 2014 census. In 2006, the metropolitan area of Abidjan had 5,060,858 inhabitants. This population increase can be attributed to the displacement since September 2002 caused by the war. Many inhabitants come to live in town for employment and safer housing.
By 1950, Abidjan had just exceeded a population of 50,000 at the end of 1948. Reaching a population of a million by the end of 1975, the city grew at a rate of 10 to 12% per year, doubling every six or seven years. However, this growth underwent a sharp decline due to the crises of the 1980s and 1990s. In the last 20 years of the 20th century, the growth rate dropped to 3–6%.
Birth rate growth was supplemented by migration, with the influx being substantial and the outflow only partly compensating the arrivals. The migration, prior to the census of 1988, contributed a growth of about 80,000 with 50,000 people from within Ivory Coast, and about 30,000 from abroad per year.
From within Ivory Coast, the migration pattern was dominated by Akan (South-east, 48%), then Mande (North-west, 24%) and Krou (South-west, 20%). From abroad, the migration was Burkinabes (30%), Malians (22%), Ghanaians (19%), Nigerien (11%), and Guineans (9%).Of the Non-African migration, Lebanese migration was higher than European migration, with the French being largest of these.
Non-African migration represents 3% of the total population of Abidjan, which is still the highest in the area.
The figures for 2006 estimated the population of Abidjan to 3,796,677 inhabitants, while the larger metropolitan area of Abidjan had 5,060,858 inhabitants. This population increase is mainly due to war events of September 2002. The town hosts many people in search of both jobs and secure homes.
Before 2014, the last population census in the country had taken place in 1998. It presented 2,877,948 inhabitants for the city.A new census was held in May 2014 and showed a population for the city of 4,707,404.
Modern districts like Plateau or Cocody have developed similar to those in Europe with the construction of large office towers and apartment buildings between the 1970s and the mid-1980.
Traditional neighborhoods like Treichville or Marcory maintained the system of concessions where housing is adjacent to the plant and an area of several houses, within the normal organization and multi centuries-old African villages.
The district of Cocody is also home to many single-storey wooden villas, surrounded by vast gardens of lush vegetation, fed by the heavy rains that water the city. Wealthier inhabitants constructed villas in imitation of Greek temples in this district. In addition, many houses were built on stilts on the edge of the Ebrie Lagoon. The town hall, a fine example of modernist architecture, was designed by architect Henri Chomette.
The urban network is disrupted, as Abidjan has seen its population double every seven years since 1945. Rural people are attracted by the opportunities of the city. Abidjan represents 45% of city dwellers in the Ivory Coast and 20% of the overall population.
The city is still the most populated in the country the second largest city in the country, Bouake which had 542,082 inhabitants in 2014 or the political capital, Yamoussoukro with 207,412 inhabitants in 2014.
Efforts have been made to address waste management issues in Abidjan. In 2006, a contract was signed between China and Ivory Coast: a Chinese company handling urban waste and industrial plans to treat all waste district this transformation also create daily cleaning.
French nongovernmental organisation ACTED rolled out a three-part project across three districts of Abidjan in 2016, establishing street cleaning, waste collection and hygiene training. ACTED spokesperson Jérémy Lescot described the project as a fine success.
Following the death of long term president-for-life Felix Houphouet Boigny in 1993, the fortunes for Abidjan changed a great deal and successive coup d'etats in Cote d'Ivoire caused a massive exodus of the foreigners living there.
Today, despite the current political issues in Cote d'Ivoire at large, Abidjan remains the economic and de facto capital of the country. Even after everything that's happened, it still boasts a large selection of restaurants, hotels, sites, and other reasons to visit.
For those traveling through West Africa, it is a must-see city with one of the liveliest night scenes to be found for 1,000 kilometers.
Flights To Abidjan:
- Air Cote d'Ivoire is a national carrier that offers connections to a number of destinations in West and East Africa.
- Air France from Paris
- Brussels Airlines from Brussels
- Egyptair from Cairo
- Emirates from Dubai (via Accra, no change of aircraft)
- Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa
- Kenya Airways from Nairobi which continues to Dakar on the same aircraft.
- Middle East Airlines from Beirut via Accra or Lagos, no change of aircraft.
-Turkish Airlines from Istanbul
- Royal Air Maroc from Casablanca
The roads to Abidjan are quite good despite their maintenance not being kept up as much as it should as of late. Traffic lights all but disappear once outside of Abidjan though, so be advised that driving outside of the city can be active.
It's important to note that whether in a private car, taxi, or gbaka or the shared minibuses you will be stopped at various official and unofficial checkpoints where they will delay you at the very least and try to shake down a bribe at the very worst. Abidjan also serves as a terminus for long haul bus lines from Bamako, Mali, Ouagadougou, Burinka Faso, and Accra, Ghana.
If you are travelling from Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Liberia and Togo, YSG Transport, Chisco Transport, Union Transport de Bouake (UTB Transport), STC Transport and Others are good recommendations. All the Road travelers travelling through West Africa are always allowed to enter the West African countries with or without passport,visa not needed as they are all among the ECOWAS States.
It is also worthy to note that other travelers from Nigeria can get to Abidjan and nearby West African capitals through the weekly transport system of Ejigbo, Osun State, Nigeria, International Travel Buses. They have daily and weekly travel scheme of an uninterrupted boderless travels from Nigeria to Cote d'Ivoire.
Some of the Travel organizers include; Bully Orelope, Ojo-Oba, Atanda 'Agee" Rambo Transport also known as IRT, Orit-marun, Ejigbo L.g.a, Laba Transport, STC Transport among others. You can get to Ejigbo, Osun State fom all Lagos' inter-city bus terminus, and from Osogbo.
The only train connection with Abidjan is the one that ends in Burkina Faso. While a possibly interesting ride, the schedule is quite unreliable and hard to predict.
Abidjan is quite spread out so walking can take a lot of time and bicycle riding isn't the safest choice except nearer the water in Zone Quatre. As such, there are many options to get around via motored transport.
They have a complex system that is comprised of two types of car taxis. The first type that most visitors will encounter are the orange or red-orange ones. These are legally able to operate anywhere in the city and you will most likely be able to ride solo in them. They are also the most expensive.
A ride from the airport will run most people,especially non-Africans who speak little French about 5,000 CFA, even to districts that are just 3km away. If willing to haggle a lot,the drivers will often complain that they have to pay a fee to pick up passengers there, which is a lie, you may be able to get it to 3,500 or 2,500 CFA. A ride between two distant districts such as Zone Quatre and Plateau will be about 2,000 CFA.
The other type of taxi is color-coded to operate in a specific neighborhood, such as the green taxis you'll see in an area such as Koumassi. These are significantly cheaper, but will most likely have to be shared and of course the distance they can travel is limited to a single neighborhood.
Travel books often make allusion to some taxis having meters. If they do and this is rare, they are never working and you always, always agree on the price prior to departure.
There are several bus routes throughout the city. They are cheap and decently reliable, although they are often incredibly crowded due to insufficient numbers. Some of the bus stations can be overwhelming though, such as Adjame which, for those new to travel in West African cities will be a lot to handle. There is also the threat of pickpockets in these crowded areas.
In 2010, the Ivorian government relaxed import restrictions on small motorcycles. Prior to this, the amount of motorcycles you would see on the street was negligible and there were absolutely none acting as taxis as it was illegal. Times are changing on this front, but be forewarned that going about Abidjan on the back of a moto is probably the number one way to die during travels, although it is cheap.
If you just need to cross the lagoon and can make use of one of the ferry routes, by all means take it. While the lagoon is polluted in some parts, it's still a wonderful ride and gazing at the Abidjan skyline from the water at sunset is delightful.
Abidjan is sometimes referred to as the "Paris of West-Africa". During the long and stable rule of the Ivory Coast's Godfather Felix Huphouet-Boigny the city of Abidjan has flourished. However, the political instability and the civil war of the past decade have taken their toll on the city.
Neglect, low maintenance of buildings and public space and the mass exodus of foreigners have given the city an atmosphere of "lost glory". Very nice is the public zoo. It really is a beautiful place with loads of interesting animals for just CFA 200, well worth this small sum. Also don't forget a trip to Bassam, Abidjan's no. 1 beach.
Places To Explore
- National Library of Cote d'Ivoire (Bibliotheque Nationale de Cote d'Ivoire)
- National Museum
- St Paul's Cathedral (Cathedrale Saint-Paul d'Abidjan)
- The Cocody Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art
- The Parc du Banco rainforest reserve
There are many places to eat Ivorian food, most of them on the sidewalk or on a small road side terrace. Make sure that you ask about the price before you sit down, in order to avoid lengthy discussions about the price when they try to overcharge you after the meal. The staple foods in the Ivory Coast are rice, cassava, yam and bread.
Bread is usually eaten at breakfast or as a supplement to the meal. The cassava (manioc) can be eaten cooked whole, as a mash called plakali, mixed with banana (foutou) or in crums (atchiki). Fish is usually the cheapest meal. European style cuisine can be found in the wealthier neighbourhoods such as Plateau, Cocody, Deux Plateaux and Zone 4.
The number one place to go out at night in Abidjan is Princess Road in Yopougon. There are many bars to just relax and drink and also loads of dancing with live music or deejays. Don't forget to order some fried spicy chicken; they prepare it for you right on the street.
- Abidjan is the Tiama in Plateau (the CBD) next to Standard Chartered Bank and opposite a police station.
- Civilisation will cost you around USD 150 a night.
- The Novotel is also OK and around the same price. The hotels Golf and Ivoire are owned by the government and very badly maintained.
- Cocody
- Hotel la riyo rooms from 35,000 next to total garage.
- Hotel licorne next door rooms start at 60,000cfa
There are a number of issues that plague Abidjan, which are indicative of the overall problems that Cote d'Ivoire is experiencing. First and foremost are the military checkpoints. While generally harmless for foreigners, they can make it maddening to get across the city in a timely fashion, especially if one is in a private car.
Bribes are commonplace, but not an absolute. Carrying small bills is always a good idea. Otherwise, just agreeing with the officer bothering you is the best course of action. If you are respectful, they will usually let you be, unless you are French, in which case you will be hassled a good deal more due to the Ivorians having heavy disdain for French involvement in their country.
Also if you are in a private car, you will notice that most people roll through red lights late at night. While illegal, there have been incidents of carjackings when people are stopped, so heed this warning as you see best.
Something else to keep in mind is that Cote d'Ivoire literally shuts down at midnight until 05:00. As a remnant of a curfew imposed during the last civil war, they barricade all the main points of entry and exit to all the towns. If you find yourself on the wrong side of that barricade when it is closed,such as staying in Bassam, but partying in Abidjan you will absolutely not be let through until 05:00.
Pickpockets are a problem in crowded places much like anywhere else in the world. Keep track of your personal items and make sure your bags are well closed when passing through busy bus stations or markets.
The most lively of neighborhoods such as Koumassi, Treichville, and Yopougon are probably best avoided, unless you go there with a local. Yopougon is undoubtedly the safest neighborhood with the most impressive assortment of street food, but there can also be young, drunken men in these areas who can be looking for trouble.
If you are not starting the trouble and try to diffuse the situation, you will probably not have any issues as people in Abidjan are used to an international crowd in their city.
Women should not go out unaccompanied at night. During the day, you will have no problems. Ivorian society is most definitely patriarchal, but at the same time, the men are respectful of international women and at times maybe a bit too respectful, giving you a lot more attention than you would like.
If you receive unwanted advances, just do as the local girls do and firmly tell them that you are not interested. They will eventually get the point or move on to other women.
Go Out
Abengourou - A small town three hours north where you can have an audience with the king of Indenie Kingdom.
Bouake - The second largest city of Cote d'Ivoire located in the dead center of the country with a lively market and night scene.
Grand-Bassam - About 45 minutes to the East and the original capital of the country with old Colonial architecture that is being restored and an excellent beach.
Jacqueville - A small, relaxing beach town that sits about an hour from Abidjan with a short, 450m ferry across the lagoon.
San Pedro - An old town about six hours West of Abidjan with nice beaches which serves as a secondary port city for the country.
The region near the lagoons is the most industrialized region of the country.
Major industries include food processing, lumber, automobile manufacturing, textiles, chemicals, and soap. There is also a large oil refinery. Its industries are mainly in construction and maintenance with the presence of major international groups: the furnace SETAO, Colas, Bouygues, Jean Lefebvre, and Swiss Holcim.
There are textile industries with the packaging of cotton in the north both for export or for on-site processing of cloth, canvas, batik clothing and miscellaneous. The textile sector is very dynamic, and represents 15.6% of net investment, 13% of turnover and 24% of the value added in Ivorian industry.
There are several offshore oil wells in operation as Ivory Coast is an oil producing country, which leads to the presence of a chemical industry with oil refineries, and an oil port. It also works on stones and precious metals for exportation.
The city also has a large wood processing plant at the port by river from the forests of central Canada. It exports natural mahogany, peeled wood, plywood and chipboard for the past two centuries.
Food industry mainly include: the production of palm oil, bergamot and Seville oranges. In the west, rubber is processed as well as manufacturing beverages from pineapples, oranges and mangoes, producing robust coffee: Ivory Coast is the third largest producer, behind Colombia and Brazil and processing cocoa,it is the third largest producer in the world behind Ghana and Indonesia.
37% of cocoa and 10% of coffee products undergo at least one first local processing. Abidjan is also the first African tuna port for the European market. This generated 3,000 salaried jobs and is an important source of foreign exchange. As in all countries of the Third World developing countries, much of the city's economy lies in what economists describe as informal economy with its many odd jobs.
The development of tertiary industry, with the establishment of international commercial banks and the increasing number of service companies of all types, appears to be the trend of recent years. Abidjan is the main financial center of French West Africa. The seat of the common stock exchange of West Africa (BRVM) is located in Abidjan. BRVM is mainly dominated by Ivorian firms.
The thermal power plant Azito, built in 1997 in partnership with EDF, located on the Yopougon on the edge of the lagoon and facing Ebrie Island Boulay, alone provides 300 MW.Two other power plants, built in 1984 and 1985, are installed in Vridi. Several utilities are installed in Abidjan: CI Energies, formerly SOPIE, which is a corporation state, ICE and CIPREL, subsidiaries of the French group SAUR Cote d'Ivoire produces all the electricity it consumes, and exports to neighboring countries, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Mali and Burkina Faso through the interconnection.
The production, which increases steadily, and gas storage are provided by two state companies: PETROCI and GESTOCI. A small industry of renewable energy production has also developed.
Abidjan is home to all the representatives of international financial institutions: World Bank, International Monetary Fund, African Development Bank, BOAD, etc. Banking Commission of WAEMU regional stock exchange securities subsidiaries of major international banks: BNP Paribas, General bank, Crédit Lyonnais, Citibank, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Barclays, etc.
Sixteen national banks (SGBCI, BICI, etc.) maintaining a network of 170 branches, seven financial institutions and more than thirty insurance companies make a financial competitive Abidjan that animates the entire West Africa.
Trains on the line to Ouagadougou run from several stations in the city, the most important being in Treichville. Ferries link Treichville, Abobo-Doumé and Le Plateau. Felix Houphouet Boigny International Airport serves the city. Work on a new metro system has begun, with the beginning of service anticipated in 2020.
SOTRA Abidjan Transport Company ensure urban transportation in Abidjan via bus, taxi and luggage Line Express.
Sotra has announced the start of work for the use of light rail to Abidjan. The project has three phases at a cost of 125 billion CFA francs for a long loop of 32 km.
There are two kinds: the taxi-meter orange, which can travel throughout the city, and woro-woro yellow and green, blue or orange depending on the commune, which are limited to a neighborhood.
Port Bouet Airport has a large capacity that allows it to accommodate all existing large aircraft. Abidjan is located an hour's flight from all the capitals of the sub-region. Abidjan is served by major airlines in the direction of the great capitals of the world. Headquarters of the former multinational African Air company, Abidjan has more than 900,000 passengers.
Abidjan has the biggest port in the sub-region (West Africa), which is also the second biggest in Africa; the biggest being in Lagos. It is a container transshipment port and was opened in 1951 in the presence of the Minister of Overseas and Colonies at the time, François Mitterrand. The 15m deep Vridi Canal, where boats with large draughts can dock in the deep-water port.
The Ivory Coast is in the Franc Zone,where the currency is CFA francs, as part of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). Abidjan is the economic centre of both the Ivory Coast and of the whole region, including Burkina Faso and Mali; this is mainly because of its deep-water port.
The road network in Abidjan 5,600 km asphalted in 1995, compared to 1,000 km in 1970, which covers the whole region, effectively increases its port activity as 50% of the business from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger pass through it.
Abidjan receives the bulk of the country's industrial activity; its port alone receiving 60% of ivory park industry. Abidjan has ambitions of oil-production—off-shore production and especially refining and distribution. In 1995 the port received 12 million traffic, of which 5.5 million tonnes were petroleum products.
Exports include coffee, cocoa, timber, bananas, pineapples, and manganese.
The city is the foothold for the region's only railway: the Abidjan-Ouagadougou line, with stations in Treichville, Abobo and Adjame. This line only has two trains, the Gazelle and the Belier, and links the two capitals in about 40 hours.
The most recent project in Abidjan is one for an electric train which is promised by the Ivory Society of Railroads (SICF).
The development of infrastructural projects has been envisaged, including a suburban train system in Abidjan which is estimated to cost almost 100 billion CFA francs. This suburban train system would link the North-West to the East and North of the city. The project extends over 25 km of railway tracks which as of 2011 were used by the operator Sitarail, a subsidiary company of the Bollore group.
The infrastructural works tracks, electrification, and civil engineers have been estimated at 40 billion CFA francs, financed by the State of Ivory Coast and backers World Bank and the French Development Agency. In addition, a BOT concession contract would be given to a private operator, over 20–30 years, to operate the network.
This operator will be in charge of the acquisition of railway materials, workshop renovation and the implementation of an organisational system. The concession contract has been estimated at around 60 billion CFA francs.
Abidjan is a unique city in Africa. Its nicknames, such as "Manhattan of the tropics", "Small Manhattan" or "Pearl of the lagoons", explain the city's unpredictable and triumphant image. With its accommodation facilities such as the Golf Hotel and sporting facilities, its lively night life, transport and communication lines as well as its impressiveness, it is the perfect city for business tourism.
Abidjan also has beaches around the lagoon, with palm and coconut trees, in the Vridi area, which are very popular at weekends with the picturesque sight of the pineapple and coconut sellers. Nevertheless, the rip-tides which affects practically the whole of the Gulf of Guinea's coast, means that in this area swimming is not usually allowed. Generally, in Cote d'Ivoire, tourism has never really been developed as an economic industry; the country is not much of a common holiday destination.
Parc du Banco (Banco National Park) Converted in 1926, this park has 3,000 hectares and ancient "sacred wood" lies at the entrance to the city, in the Attécoubé community, which has been conserved as a relic of the first forest which surrounded the lagoon in the past. A tarmaced road goes straight to the lake at the heart of the park and trails go throughout it. The park is inhabited and there are coffee and cocoa plantations.
At the edge of the park, a small river serves as a wash-house where the fanicos, laundry men, work after collecting the laundry from the whole of the city. It is one of the 'small jobs' which exist in Abidjan.
Overall, the nightlife in Abidjan is considered to be one of the liveliest in the whole of Africa.
The district has an abundance of night-clubs, maquis, out-door areas, and go-go bars. These entertainment platforms provide a musical pipeline encompassing mainly DJs, Coupe Decale and Zouglou, and, in lesser amounts, other local and international varieties.
Formerly containing only local traditional varieties, Congolese music and Western music, Abidjan's night life has experienced a positive cultural disruption in its music since the start of the 2000s, with the arrival of Coupe Decale.
This musical genre was introduced in 2002 by Douk Saga and La Jet Set, with the help of Sagacite, created a phenomenon which has not stopped spreading and reaching out to the hot nights in the capitals of the sub-region. It has given a globally identifiable cultural identity to entertainment made in Cote d'Ivoire.
The very popular Zouglou additionally benefits Woyo spaces; furnished and dedicated so that the most famous, the Internat at Fitini's and the Lycee at Vieux Gazeur's, attract zouglouphiles the whole weekend.
Treichville, with its many maquis, discotheques, and jazz clubs, used to be the liveliest area in the city, but since the end of the 1990s Youpougon, Marcory, and Cocody have taken over this role.
The Treichville mosque, the Cocody mosque, the Plateau Mosque, and Saint-Paul's Cathedral in Abidjan, created by the architect Aldo Spirito and inaugurated by Pope John Paul II in 1985, make up the city's main religious buildings. The cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Abidjan. On April 5, 2015, the construction of a new LDS Temple in Abidjan was announced.
Monuments and museums
- The National Library of Ivory Coast
In Cocody:
- The Goethe Institute.
- The Municipal Museum.
- The American Culture Centre (CCA)
- The Ki Yi M'Bock Village in the Riviera.
- Cocody Museum of Contemporary Art.[83]
- Point d'Orgue, private music education centre
In Plateau:
- The French Cultural Centre (CCF)
- The Ivory Coast Museum of Civilisations
The National Museum: presents a collection of Ivory Coast art statues, masks, jewellery, tools, carved doors, tom-toms and musical instruments from every region in the country. It is free entry, but there is the possibility of a voluntary donation when you leave.
- In Treichville:
- The Sports Palace
- The Cultural Palace.[84]
- The Abidjan artisanal centre (CAVA)
Each year film festivals are organised in Abidjan: The Clap-Ivoire Festival,the Spanish Film Festival, the Ivory Coast National Film Festial (FESNACI) – the first of which was organised in 2007,the short film festival (FIMA), which has been organised since 1998 by Hanni Tchelley, the Abidjan Israeli Film Festival; the fourth one took place in 2006 in the Goethe Institute.
Several fashion events are organised in the city each year: "Les Féeries" (The Fairies),the ceremonies for Miss Cote d'Ivoire, Miss Abidjan District, Miss Christmas (for 6–11 year olds) and Miss Awoulaba which is very prestigious. Moreover, the Yehe Fashion Show takes place every year, a celebration of African fashion, and the International Festival of Lingerie and Beauty of Abidjan (FILBA).
Abidjan is also the headquarters for Ivory Coast's clothes designers, renowned for being the best in Africa; including Gilles Toure a designer for Miss Cote d'Ivoire or even Patheo.
- Climbie Beach Festival
- International Cartoon Festival.
- International Comedy Festival (FIRA) organised by Adama Dahico.
Ivory Coast national sport - basketball, athletics, rugby, handball, volleyball, etc., soccer is very popular in Abidjan. Abidjan is home to ASEC Mimosas, one of the country's leading football clubs.
- ASEC Mimosas in Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny
- Africa Sports in Stade Robert Champroux
- Stade d'Abidjanin Stade Municipal d'Abidjan
- Stella Club d'Adjamein Stade Robert Champroux
- Jeunesse Abidjanin Stade Robert Champroux
- Satellite FC Abidjanin Stade Imam Ali Timite
- EFYM
- Rio-Sports d'Anyama in Parc des sports de Rio
Each year a 7-a-side football tournament is organised: the Festival of Maracana d'Abidjan (FESTMA) which takes place in Yopougon.
Following the undeniable success of the Football Academy created by Jean-Marc Guillou (Academie Sol Beni), from which several old members have rejoined professional European clubs, several football training centres for young footballers have developed in recent years: the Cyril Domoraud Centre, Labo foot in Yopougon, the Centre ivoirien de formation de football d'Abidjan (CIFFA), l'Étoile Scientifique Football Abidjan (ESFA), etc.
In 1964, the Jeux d'Abidjan took place in Abidjan, as did the final of the African Cup Winners' Cup in 1975, 1980, 1983, and 1990, then another in 1992 under the name of CAF Confederations Cup. The Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny was the host of the very first African Super Cup in 1992, and the second in 1998. The finals of the 1966, 1986, 1995, and 1998 CAF Champions League also took place in Abidjan.
The main football event organised in Abidjan was the 1984 African Cup of Nations and one of the finals of the 1983 African Youth Cup of Nations.
The economic capital also attracted other football events such as the Assumption Tournament,the first one taking place in 2007 in the Stade Robert Champroux), the West African Club Championship (UFOA Cup), and international gala matches.
Abidjan is the centre of Ivorian rugby, and most of the Ivory Coast national rugby union team come from here. Although the origins of Ivorian rugby go back to the 1960s and earlier, French official Jean-François Turon managed the team at Abidjan University in the 1980s, but it was François Dali who created Ivorian rugby, and his son was the national captain during the 1990s.
Tourism Observer
No comments:
Post a Comment