Introduction
Yamoussoukro became the official capital of the West African country of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in 1983. Located in the south-central part of the country, it is 170 miles (270 kilometers) northwest of the historic national capital, Abidjan.
Until the 1960s Yamoussoukro was a remote village. Its rapid development into a modern city is credited to Félix Houphouët-Boigny, the president of Côte d'Ivoire from 1960 to 1993.
Places of interest
The city's main attraction is the impressive Basilica of Our Lady of Peace. Among the largest Christian churches in the world, it seats 7,000 people and can hold 18,000 worshipers. The presidential palace and the nearby crocodile-filled artificial lagoons are other points of interest. The city also has a large mosque and university-level training institutes.
History
Côte d'Ivoire achieved independence from French rule in 1960. Houphouët-Boigny became the country's first president and Abidjan the capital. Yamoussoukro served as the country's “second capital” because it was the birthplace, home, and unofficial headquarters of the president.
Houphouët-Boigny spent enormous family funds to modernize Yamoussoukro with broad highways and handsome buildings. In 1983 the city was designated as the country's administrative capital. Many government offices remained in Abidjan, however. Yamoussoukro declined after Houphouët-Boigny's death in 1993. Population (1998 estimate), 110,010.
