![]() The name had long since been translated literally into other languages, which the post-independence government considered increasingly troublesome whenever its international dealings extended beyond the Francophone sphere. It retained the name through French rule and independence in 1960. The coastline of the modern state is not quite coterminous with what the 15th- and 16th-century merchants knew as the "Teeth" or "Ivory" coast, which was considered to stretch from Cape Palmas to Cape Three Points and which is thus now divided between the modern states of Ghana and Ivory Coast (with a minute portion of Liberia). In the 19th century, usage switched to Côte d'Ivoire. Other names for the area included the Côte de Dents, literally "Coast of Teeth", again reflecting the ivory trade the Côte de Quaqua, after the people whom the Dutch named the Quaqua (alternatively Kwa Kwa) the Coast of the Five and Six Stripes, after a type of cotton fabric also traded there and the Côte du Vent, the Windward Coast, after perennial local off-shore weather conditions. Like those, the name "Ivory Coast" reflected the major trade that occurred on that particular stretch of the coast: the export of ivory. There was also a Pepper Coast, also known as the "Grain Coast" (present-day Liberia), a " Gold Coast" ( Ghana), and a " Slave Coast" ( Togo, Benin and Nigeria). The coast that the French named the Côte d'Ivoire and the Portuguese named the Costa do Marfim-both meaning "Coast of Ivory"-lay between what was known as the Guiné de Cabo Verde, so-called "Upper Guinea" at Cap-Vert, and Lower Guinea. Originally, Portuguese and French merchant-explorers in the 15th and 16th centuries divided the west coast of Africa, very roughly, into four "coasts" reflecting resources available from each coast. In the 21st century, the economy still relies heavily on agriculture, with smallholder cash-crop production predominating. In 2020 Ivory Coast was the world's largest exporter of cocoa beans and had high levels of income for its region. From 2012 to 2021, the economy grew by an average of 7.4% per year in real terms, the 2nd highest economic growth in Africa and 4th highest in the world. Ivory Coast has experienced again high economic growth since the return of peace and political stability in 2011. Through the production of coffee and cocoa, it was an economic powerhouse in West Africa during the 1960s and 1970s, then experienced an economic crisis in the 1980s, contributing to a period of political and social turmoil that extended until 2011. Ivory Coast is a republic with strong executive power vested in its president. Its stability was diminished by a coup d'état in 1999, then two civil wars-first between 20 and again during 2010–2011. Relatively stable by regional standards, Ivory Coast established close political-economic ties with its West African neighbours while maintaining close relations with the West, especially France. It achieved independence in 1960, led by Félix Houphouët-Boigny, who ruled the country until 1993. The area became a protectorate of France in 1843 and was consolidated as a French colony in 1893 amid the European Scramble for Africa. The country has a religiously diverse population, including numerous followers of Christianity, Islam, and indigenous faiths.īefore its colonization by Europeans, Ivory Coast was home to several states, including Gyaaman, the Kong Empire, and Baoulé. ![]() In total, there are around 78 different languages spoken in Ivory Coast. Its official language is French, and indigenous languages are also widely used, including Bété, Baoulé, Dioula, Dan, Anyin, and Cebaara Senufo. It borders Guinea to the northwest, Liberia to the west, Mali to the northwest, Burkina Faso to the northeast, Ghana to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea (Atlantic Ocean) to the south. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is the port city of Abidjan. ![]() Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. ^ The 2021 census did not report the religious affiliation of the remaining 2.2% of the population.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |