Ivory Coast

Welcome to Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast is known for its cocoa production. We are the world's largest producer of cocoa.

Look around the videos I've made. You can find out more about cocoa plants and some of the other wonders of my country.

Development

‘People are the real wealth of a nation.’ This is the belief of the United Nations, whose Millenium Development Goals provide a framework for improving the lives of millions.

It helps when nations are peaceful, stable and growing economically. But where even the poorest countries focus on health, education and creating fairer societies, more Africans have the chance of a better life.

Cocoa

Visiting a cocoa farm

Ivory Coast is the largest producer of cocoa in the world. Adeline visits a cocoa farm and meets one of the planters. Most growers are not wealthy men, receiving a fraction of the profits from the chocolate industry.

Local music

Talented singers

Travelling around Ivory Coast, you will see many interesting sights. At the local market, two talented singers give a performance. Music plays an important part in life for many Ivorians.

Education & Jobs

Agriculture is bread and butter

Over two thirds of people in the Ivory Coast are involved in some form of agriculture and there is often pressure on children to drop out of school and help with farming activities.

Foods

Africa has some of the most distinctive cuisines and flavours in the world. Food varies widely, but there are commonalities across regions. Depending on what's grown locally, dishes are also influenced by the traders, immigrants and rulers who settled across the continent. Arab, Asian and European elements blend in with traditional African cooking.

Facts & Figures

Facts & Figures

There are 21.6 million people living in Ivory Coast. Find out other facts and figures about this country.

Food & Daily life

Eating with your hands saves on washing up

If you visit Ivory Coast, you may be offered cutlery with your food. But Ivorians prefer to eat with their fingers, using basins to wash hands before a meal. Fruit is often eaten for dessert; mangoes, mandarins, pomegranates, passion fruit, bananas, pineapple and coconuts are all grown here.

Climate

Africa is a massive continent, with a range of climates. Some regions are hot and dry, like the Sahara, Kalahari and Namib deserts. Other parts are wet or covered in tropical rainforest. Conditions also vary by altitude, from the dry salt pans of the Danakil Depression (one of the lowest points on earth) to the snowcaps (at certain times) of the highest mountains. Weather-wise, Africa has it all!

Health

Africa has a high number of communicable diseases, which place a huge burden on healthcare systems. The vast majority of malaria cases and HIV/AIDS-related deaths occur in Africa; these two diseases currently represent the greatest threats.

With low investment in healthcare and a severe shortage of medical staff, many countries struggle to meet the health needs of their people.

War & Empire

The first humans are thought to have lived in Africa and powerful African empires formed from the medieval age onwards.

However, today's African nations were shaped by the European powers who colonised this vast continent. Having gained their independence, many African countries are still coming to terms with the legacy left by their colonisers.

Economy & Industry

Chocolate is key

Ivory Coast supplies more than a third of the world’s cocoa and its exports for the global chocolate market are worth over 1.7 billion dollars each year.

However, revenues from cocoa production are threatened by regular blights such as black pod disease.

Climate & Agriculture

A dry wind

Ivory Coast has a tropical climate with consistently high temperatures all year round. The country is a major producer of coffee and cocoa beans, so some of the chocolate bars you like will have been made using beans from Ivory Coast.

Games & Sports

Africa is home to arguably the oldest-recorded games and sports. While some are only known through archaeology, modern-day games and sports such as Mancala/Mankala and Nubian wrestling are very much alive today.

Of course, new sports have come along to claim the attention of Africans. You may have heard of one - it's called football.

State of Children

Around one in six children born in sub-Saharan Africa don't live to see their fifth birthday and life can be tough for those who do.

What are the common challenges facing African children and how do their lives compare with those of children in the UK?

Geography & Wildlife

Wildlife at risk

Logging and tree-clearance have left less than a third of the land forested. Only 2% of the primary/ancient forest remains. Steps have been taken to prevent further loss, but many species are threatened.

History & Politics

Volatile ground

Ivory Coast achieved independence in 1961 and grew in wealth during the next three decades.

Civil war broke out in 2002 and the country has seen much unrest in recent years.

Ivory Coast Map

Explore Ivory Coast

Explore some of Ivory Coast's most interesting places and find out more about the country's main cities, national parks and nature reserves.

People & Culture

Popular music

Music is very important to Ivorians and their culture. Ivorian music mixes African and European styles and reggae has proved popular.

Plants

Abundant fruits

There are many kinds of fruits in Ivory Coast, some growing on wild plants and trees, others in plantations.

Poverty & Healthcare

Shortage of trained medical staff

The 2002 civil war brought severe disruption to healthcare services. Many health professionals left the country, causing a huge shortage of staff. Diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis are rampant. But infection rates of HIV/AIDS have decreased by over 25% in the last decade.

Poverty

Across the rest of the world, absolute poverty has halved over recent decades, but in Africa it has barely fallen.

About two-fifths of the population of sub-Saharan Africa survive week by week on what someone in the UK earns from just one hour's work on the minimum wage.

The marketplace

A lady with a machete

At a typical market in Ivory Coast, Adeline meets a woman who is a dab hand at cutting sweet potato with a machete. It looks as if she could do it with her eyes closed.

The stadium

A dedicated athlete

Adeline shows you the stadium where she trains with other athletes. She talks about her passion for running and how she would like to run in the Olympics. Her cheerfulness can’t help but make you smile and wish her success.

Tourism & Communications

Tourism potential

With its white sandy beaches and tropical climate, Ivory Coast should be a popular tourist destination. But years of conflict have destroyed the tourism industry.

Welcome to Ivory Coast

Hi, my name is Adeline. Welcome to Ivory Coast.

Ivory Coast is known for its cocoa production. We are one of the world’s main producers of cocoa. Find out more about the wonders of my country.

Wildlife

With its varied geography and diverse habits, the African continent is home to a wide range of flora and fauna. Though famous for its 'big game' animals, Africa has huge numbers of fish, mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian and insect species, as well as many tree, plant and flower species.

Children's stories

'The Madwoman' and 'Nasty and Rich'

Children took part in a film workshop. They learned film-making techniques, then got the chance to put them to the test by making their very own short films. See the films they came up with, 'The Madwoman' and 'Nasty and Rich'.

Women

A woman’s status varies by country and region across Africa. In many parts, women struggle against inequality in laws, education, pay and domestic responsibilities.

Women’s health is also at risk from traditional practices such as early marriage. But with better education, girls can make more informed choices, leading to the greater development of African nations.

Famine & Agriculture

A quarter of the population of sub-Saharan Africa is undernourished and famines can impact whole regions.

Land is available to grow more food locally, but investment is needed in  technologies such as irrigation for land to be used effectively. Farmers must also adapt to climate change if they are to feed the continent's rising population.

Arts and crafts

A trove of skilfully made treasures

There are many exquisite items to buy in Ivory Coast. Take a look around an arts and craft market to see for yourself.