Cote d’Ivoire, which is also known as Ivory Coast, is a French-speaking West African country, with its capital in Yamoussoukro, and the largest economic centre of the country in the port city of Abidjan. The country is well known for its large exportation of cocoa.
Cote d’Ivoire is bordered by 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. The country covers an area of 322,463 km2 (124,504 sq mi).
The country gained independence from France on the 7th of August, 1960. The independence movement was led by Félix Houphouët-Boigny, who ruled the country until 1993.
The climate of the Ivory Coast is generally warm and humid, ranging from equatorial on the southern coastlines to tropical in the middle and semiarid in the extreme north. There are three seasons: warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), and hot and wet (May to September) (June to October). Temperatures average between 25 and 32 °C (77.0 and 89.6 °F) and vary between 10 and 40 °C (50 and 104 °F).
According to Worldometers, the current population of the country is pegged at 27,791,257 as of Friday, September 2, 2022, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data, with a forecast population of 51,263,671 by 2050
Cote d’Ivoire is blessed with natural resources such as petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, palm oil, and hydropower.
The most populous ethnic group on the Ivory Coast is Akan, with others being Dyula, Maninka, Voltaiques / Gur, and Kru among others.
Apart from French, which is the official language of the country, other languages spoken in Ivory Coast include Bété, Baoulé, Dioula, Dan, Anyin, and Cebaara Senufo, among others. In total, there are around 78 different languages spoken in Ivory Coast.
Christianity is the most common religion practised in the Ivory Coast, the other being Islam, traditional religion, with a very tiny population of irreligious citizens
According to UNESCO, as of 2018, the Ivory Coast’s adult literacy rate is 47.17%. While the literacy rate for men is 53.66%, it is just 40.5% for women, demonstrating a significant discrepancy between the sexes.
The literacy rate in Ivory Coast is quite low when compared to other nations.
Côte d’Ivoire cuisine is mostly based on tubers, cereals, pork, poultry, beef, shellfish, fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, and spices. It is similar to that of neighbouring West African countries such as Ghana and Nigeria. Some of the most popular foods in the country include Attiéké, Garba, Ivorian Snacks (Alloco & Claclo), Barbecued/Grilled Fish, Chicken or Pork, Kedjenou, Foutou, Peanut Butter Stew (Mafé Sauce), Fisherman’s Soup and Placali with Okra Sauce (or Kopè).
The Ivorian passport currently ranks in 90th place according to the Guide Passport Index. It provides visa-free access to 55 destinations.
According to the Ivory Coast visa policy, Nigeria is one of the 24 countries that can enter the Ivory Coast without the need for a visa; the others being Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone Singapore, Togo, and Tunisia. It should be noted that you can’t stay beyond 90 days without a visa in the country.
Additionally, holders of diplomatic or service category passports issued to nationals of Austria, Brazil, China, Gabon, Iran, Israel, South Africa, Turkey, Uganda, Venezuela, and Vietnam do not require a visa for Cote d’Ivoire.
Apart from the 24 visa-free countries, visitors from other countries who wish to visit Ivory Coast will need a visa to enter the country.
Around 135 nationalities require a visa to visit the Ivory Coast under current Ivory Coast regulations regarding admission for tourism, which could either be a visa obtained in advance through a diplomatic government office or an E-visa.
Ivory Coast E-visa allows a visitor to stay in the Republic for a minimum of 90 days for purposes such as tourism, transit, or business and may be used multiple times within that period.
A tourist E-visa programme for Ivory Coast is now accessible for nationals of over 120 countries via an expedited electronic application process. To obtain a tourist visa online, applicants must only fill out a simple form with basic personal information, upload some supporting documents, and pay an E-visa charge.
E-visas for the Ivory Coast are approved within 48 hours, and the traveller receives an email with the approved document, which the visitor is recommended to print and give to immigration officers upon arrival. Tourist visas are valid for a maximum of 90 days.
An applicant must fill out a simple online form with basic information about himself or herself, their passport, and their destination to apply for an electronic visa.
1. Requirements for an e-visa visa
- Valid passport
- Copy of the passport information page
- confirmation of your flight and accommodation reservations
- proof of valid travel insurance
According to pickvisa.com, the Cote d’Ivoire E-visa fee may vary depending on your nationality or depending on the category of E-visa which could be a Short or long-term visa.
You can apply for short time visas (from one to three months) for realising your temporary travel to Cote d’Ivoire which could be tourism, visiting family or friends, business trips, short-term education, exchange programs, short-term work, and many other non-permanent nuances.
The short-term visa fee is around 50 euros for a single-entry and a multiple-entry visa (it can vary depending on your country and nationality). Additionally, you may also need to pay other fees, courier service fee, etc.
Regardless of whether or not your country is exempted from visa requirements, if you plan to stay longer in the country, then you will have to apply for a long-stay visa from your home country before moving to Ivory Coast. Cote d’Ivoire Long-term Visa fee costs around 77 USD – 143 USD (it can vary depending on your country and nationality). Additionally, you may also need to pay other fees, courier service fees, etc.
2. Top attraction centre
Cote d’Ivoire is a country blessed with many fascinating attraction centres. Let’s take a look at some of them according to a list by crazy tourists.
1. Abidjan
The nation’s broad, pulsing heart can be found on the south coast, along the extensive coastal stretches of the Ebrié Lagoon. It is the second-largest metropolis in West Africa, with a population of more than four million people. Visitors can walk the frantic alleys of the busy central Plateau district, see the imposing Francophone spires of St. Paul’s cathedral, see the National Museum, party on heady Princess Road, eat native cassava curries on street corners, and so on.
2. Tai National Park
The extensive reserves of the Ta National Park cover over 3,000 square kilometres, making it one of the most important protected sections of what remained of the Upper Guinean rainforests, which were once the dominating environment in all of West Africa, stretching from Gabon to Senegal. It’s a wild area carved with massive river valleys and clad in damp woodlands, punctuated with bizarre inselberg mountains and surrounded by undulating savannah.
Then there’s the wildlife, which includes the critically endangered pygmy hippopotamus, swinging olive colobus monkeys, duikers, and chimps.
3. Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve
UNESCO considers this soaring arch of mountainous peaks, which stretches across the borders of the Ivory Coast and into the wild, wild areas of southern Guinea, to be one of the most important natural reserves in all of West Africa. Chimpanzees, unique butterflies, exotic toad species, and otter shrews are among the surprises that await intrepid hikers who make the trip here (often from the adjacent town of Danane).
4. Yamoussoukro
A trip to Yamoussoukro is an odd experience.
The metropolis of 300,000 can appear to be a ghost town, despite its great open spaces, bright new (or at least relatively new) municipal buildings, and high-rise hotels.
It’s worth noting that it was only chosen as Ivory Coast’s capital in 1983 – a pet project of President Houphout-Boigny, who was born here in 1908. Still, there are some remarkable sights, not the least of which is the massive Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, the world’s largest Christian church and a mass of domes and columns that represents Rome’s grandeur.
5. Comoe National Park
The wide grounds of the Comoe National Park, spread eagle between the northern cities and the Ghanaian borderlands, are a true magnet for ecotourists and outdoor enthusiasts visiting Ivory Coast.
They bloom with old gallery trees and undulating savannah grasslands, the odd splinter of soaring rock, and the Comoé River’s serpentine meanders.
Visitors can also see yellow-backed duikers and Mona monkeys, colobuses and pangolins, stalking leopards and lions, and many other species in their riverside settings.
6. Assouinde
Assouinde is possibly the most well-known beach resort in the country. The extensive lengths of yellow sand here are popular with city slickers looking for a respite from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis, and they are home to a slew of fantastic hotels and hostels. These back onto the mirror-like lagoons and twisting rivers of the Lagunes region on one side, and pour into the Atlantic on the other, where rolling surf and lots of chances for sunbathing and beachcombing exist.
7. Sanssandra
With its good location on the edge of the Gulf of Guinea, it was inhabited by the Portuguese, British, and French and became one of West Africa’s main logging ports. The area is still primarily industrialized today, but there are also rows of sandy beaches, ancient lighthouses, and a slew of local beer pubs and cafés to visit.
8. Grand-Bassam
Grand-Bassam, proudly proclaiming its UNESCO World Heritage status, bursts forth from the Ivorian coast with the Ancien Bassam area, a combination of beautiful Parisian homes and constructed colonial municipal structures.
3. COST OF LIVING
According to livingcost.org, the cost of living in Ivory Coast is $845, which is 1.1 times less expensive than the world average. Ivory Coast ranked 91st out of 197 countries by the cost of living and the 163rd best country to live in.
The average salary after taxes in Ivory Coast is $121, which is enough to cover living expenses for 0.1 months.
4. ACCOMMODATION
In the Coast, many accommodation alternatives depend on your choice and financial capability. Some typical accommodation and prices in the country are listed below.
1 bedroom apartment in city centre, 40 m2 or 430 ft2 = $452
Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2 = $204
3 bedroom apartment in city centre, 80 m2 or 860 ft2 = $1094
Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2 = $688.
5. MINIMUM WAGE
According to wageindicator. org, the government-mandated minimum wage of workers in Ivory Coast is CFA 60,000. No worker in Ivory Coast can be paid less than this mandatory minimum rate of pay. Any employers who pay below the Minimum Wage may be subject to punishment by the government of Ivory Coast.
6. WORKING HOURS
Generally, the standard work week in Ivory Coast is 40 hours a week or eight hours a day, from Mondays to Fridays. Most of the businesses and establishments in the country operate from 8 AM to 5 PM.
7. JOB OPPORTUNITY FOR FOREIGNER
The official language of Ivory Coast is French, therefore foreign nationals who are interested in working there should at the very least be conversant with it. It might be difficult for foreigners to find professional employment in Ivory Coast because the country is heavily market-based and dependent on the agriculture industry, which employs around 68% of the entire population. English teaching is one profession that might provide career opportunities in Ivory Coast for foreigners.
8. WORK PERMIT
Ivory Coast, like many other nations, needs expats to apply for work permits through their home country’s embassy or consulate. To apply, you must already have employment lined up in the Ivory Coast, as your potential employer will be considered as part of your application.
9. TRANSPORTATION
Ivory Coast has a variety of transportation alternatives for moving about the country.
1. Bus
Most buses in Ivory Coast are spacious, up-to-date, and comfortable. However, the bus system is quite extensive and complicated, particularly for foreigners. Thus, despite being one of the simplest and most cost-effective modes of transportation in the nation, you might find it a little challenging at first.
In general, you will need an average of 200 CFA francs for a bus trip.
2. Taxi
The taxi system in each significant city on Ivory Coast is unique. Examples are those from Abidjan and Bouaké, which are orange, and those from Yamoussoukro, which are white with stripes of green and orange. The fare must be arranged in advance with the driver, unlike in Abidjan where taxis have meters. It often falls between 500 and 1,500 CFA francs.
3. Train
There is only one train line in Ivory Coast, and it covers over 1,200 kilometers. The Société Internationale de transport Africain par rail (SITARAIL) oversees the train network that connects Abidjan with Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso.
Fast and relatively clean describe the express train. However, it is suggested that you choose first-class seats because they are more comfortable.
4. Bush taxis
Although it exclusively serves local or metropolitan lines, the bush taxi is unmistakable in Ivory Coast. Bush taxis, like shared taxis, only start when they are filled. As a result, bus schedules are erratic.
10. CRIME AND SECURITY
According to the 2021 statistics on the organized crime rate in Africa by statista.com, Ivory Coast is placed at number 11th out of 54 countries with a 6.16 crime index out of 10 while the Democratic Republic of the Congo had the highest organized crime index on the list, scoring 7.7 points.
Crime is widespread and diverse in Cote d’Ivoire. Child labour, arms trafficking, terrorism, and human rights violations are the most common types of crime. Other less common but nonetheless visible sorts of crime include cannabis and synthetic drug trafficking, prostitution trafficking, and fauna and flora crimes.
11. HOW TO ENSURE SAFETY
As a foreigner, you should use caution and avoid any demonstrations, huge crowds, political gatherings, and rallies. Crowds can form rapidly, and roadblocks are common. In the case of a disturbance, monitor local media and obey local authorities’ orders and statements. You must comply with any additional checks or security measures requested by the authorities, which may be implemented at short notice.
Also, keep windows closed, doors locked, and valuables out of sight when driving. Avoid using shared taxis, public transportation, and nighttime walking if at all feasible.
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