Travel to Ivory Coast with travel insurance from Essential Travel

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Information on Ivory Coast with travel insurance from Essential Travel

Travel to the Ivory Coast

The Republic of the Ivory Coast (Côte dIvoire), on the southern coast of western Africa, is bordered to the east by Ghana, to the west by Liberia and Guinea, and to the south by the Gulf of Guinea, leading to the Atlantic Ocean.

Yamoussoukro was designated as the capital of the Ivory Coast in 1983. Former home of the Ivory Coast’s ‘long-term president’, Félix Houphouët-Boigny, it was the scene of lavish development in the 1960s during an otherwise difficult economic period.

The city has several oddities with an eight-lane highway, a full-scale replica of the Roman St Peter’s Basilica, and the world’s largest Christian church, all in the midst of the deep West African jungle. After the president’s death in 1993, the city suffered neglect, and then in 2001 the government announced plans to move to the city.

Abidjan, known as the ‘Paris of West Africa’, is the governing capital, and attracts a number of foreigners, making it the regions most cosmopolitan city. Abidjan’s daring high-rises and lagoon setting make it one of northern Africa’s most striking cities.

The Man region in the central-western section of the Ivory Coast is a sweeping vista of fertile green hills. The town of Man, known for its first-rate market, makes a good base for exploring the region, especially La Cascade, an impressive waterfall in a bamboo forest west of the town.

Taï National Park is one of the last remaining areas of virgin rainforest in West Africa. The towering trees, which grow to over 50m high, hanging lianas, clear streams and resident wildlife, all combine to create a natural and enchanting environment.

The Ivory Coast has been relatively quiet since November 2004, when there were clashes between the French military and Ivorian demonstrators, as well as widespread rioting, looting, and violence in Abidjan and elsewhere. Security remains volatile, and travel to this destination is not advised.

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