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Abidjan is the largest city and chief port of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in West Africa. It was the country's capital until 1983, when it was officially replaced by Yamoussoukro. Even after that date, however, Abidjan remained the site of most government functions.
Geography
Abidjan is unique as a port because it is located on a lagoon rather than on the sea. It is separated from the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean by a sandbar. The Vridi Canal connects the port to the sea.
Places of Interest
The Abidjan museum holds more than 20,000 pieces of traditional art from the region. The Italian-designed St. Paul's Cathedral is one of Africa's most elaborate churches. Abidjan also has a national library, two research institutions, and a university founded in 1964. Just north of the city is Banco National Park, a tropical rain forest.
Economy
The modern port of Abidjan is a center of West African trade. Exports include cocoa, coffee, timber, bananas, pineapples, and fish. The city also manufactures beer, soap, matches, and a wide range of metal products, including automobiles.
History
The village of Abidjan became a town in 1903 when work was begun on a railway in the area. Abidjan succeeded Bingerville as capital of the French colony of Ivory Coast in 1934. After the opening of the Vridi Canal in 1950, Abidjan became the shipping and financial center of French-speaking West Africa. It was the capital of the independent nation of Côte d'Ivoire from 1960 to 1983. Population (1996 estimate), 2,500,000.
