Yamoussoukro

Yamoussoukro is the capital city of Ivory Coast and an autonomous district. It is the fifth most populous city in the country.

Yamoussoukro became the legal capital of Ivory Coast in 1983, even though Abidjan still has some important roles. The city is located 240 kilometers (150 miles) northwest of Abidjan.

History

Prehistory

Main article: History of Ivory Coast § Prehistory and early history

Old stone tools found in the area show that people lived around Yamoussoukro a very long time ago. As the Sahara became drier, many people moved south to find better places to live.

Colonial period

Queen Yamoussou, the niece of Kouassi N'Go, led the city of N'Gokro in 1929 during French colonization. The village was renamed Yamoussoukro, where the suffix Kro means town in Baoule.

There were conflicts during this time. In 1909, a group called the Akoué revolted against local leaders. A place called Bonzi, close to Yamoussoukro, was attacked.

Later, the French moved their military station to Yamoussoukro.

Since independence

In 1939, Félix Houphouët-Boigny became the leader of Yamoussoukro. For many years, it remained a small farming town. After World War II, new groups and meetings began, but real growth started after the country gained independence.

In 1950, only about 500 people lived in the village. In 1983, President Houphouët-Boigny chose Yamoussoukro to be the political capital of Ivory Coast because it was his birthplace. Before this, the capital had been Grand-Bassam, Bingerville, and then Abidjan. Even today, most business activities still happen in Abidjan, which is called the “economic capital.”

Governance

Since 2001, Yamoussoukro has been part of the Yamoussoukro Department and the Lacs Region. In 2011, the department was closed, and Yamoussoukro became its own district, separate from Lacs, which became a different district.

Unlike other districts, Yamoussoukro is not split into regions. It is divided into departments, sub-prefectures, and a commune. The district has the departments of Attiégouakro and Yamoussoukro. These departments are split into the sub-prefectures of Attiégouakro, Kossou, Lolobo, and Yamoussoukro. There is one commune, named Yamoussoukro, which has the same borders as the district. In 2011, the Mayor of Yamoussoukro became a district governor chosen by the head of state.

Architecture

Yamoussoukro has many interesting buildings, such as the Kossou Dam, the PDCI-RDA House, schools at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny National Polytechnic Institute, the Town Hall, a Protestant Temple, a Mosque, and the Palace of Hosts. The Yamoussoukro International Airport served passengers and had flights in 1995. It was one of two airports in Africa, along with Gbadolite, that could handle the Concorde airplane.

Places of worship

Yamoussoukro has many important places where people come together for their faith. Most of these are Christian churches and temples, including the Roman Catholic Diocese of Yamoussoukro, the United Methodist Church, and the Assemblies of God. There are also mosques for Muslims to worship.

The city is home to the largest Christian church in the world, the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, which was dedicated by Pope John Paul II in 1990.

Transport

Yamoussoukro has an airport called Yamoussoukro International Airport to help people travel.

Economy

The main activities in Yamoussoukro are fishing, forestry, and perfume industries.

Climate

Yamoussoukro has a tropical wet and dry climate. It has a long wet season from March to October and a shorter dry season. The city is influenced by the harmattan wind, which helps bring the dry season. Yamoussoukro receives less rain each year than nearby Abidjan, with about 1,130 millimeters of rain on average.

Education

The Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny began in 1996.

Sport

Yamoussoukro is a place for important games. It hosted the 2019 World Draughts Championship. The city has a tennis event called the Ivory Coast Open. Two football teams, SOA and ASC Ouragahio, play at Yamoussoukro Stadium. Another team, FC Bibo, plays in the nearby town of Kossou. SOA also has a basketball club. The city was planned to hold some games for AFCON 2023, but these were moved to January 2024 because of weather.