Abidjan | |
---|---|
City and autonomous district | |
Autonomous District of Abidjan District Autonome d'Abidjan (French) | |
Plateau commune skyline Dock of Autonomous Port of Abidjan Pool of Hôtel Ivoire A. Ouattara Bridge Abidjan Great Mosque Street of Koumassi commune An avenue of Abidjan | |
Nickname: "Babi" | |
Motto(s): "District d'Abidjan, acteur de développement" | |
Coordinates: 5°19′N 4°2′W / 5.317°N 4.033°W[1] | |
Country | Ivory Coast |
District | Abidjan |
Department | Abidjan |
Government | |
• Governor | Ibrahim Bacongo Cissé |
Area | |
• Total | 2,119 km2 (818 sq mi) |
• City | 422 km2 (163 sq mi) |
Elevation | 18 m (59 ft) |
Population (14 Dec. 2021 census)[3] | |
• Total | 6,321,017 |
• Density | 3,000/km2 (7,700/sq mi) |
• City | 5,616,633 |
• City density | 13,000/km2 (34,000/sq mi) |
Demonym | Abidjanais |
Human Development Index | |
• HDI (2022)[4] | 0.569 (medium) |
Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
Area code | +225 |
Website | abidjan.district.ci (in French) |
Abidjan (/ˌæbɪˈdʒɑːn/ AB-ih-JAHN, French: [abidʒɑ̃]; N'ko: ߊߓߌߖߊ߲߬) is the largest city and the former capital of Ivory Coast. As of the 2021 census, Abidjan's population was 6.3 million,[3] which is 21.5 percent of overall population of the country, making it the sixth most populous city proper in Africa, after Lagos, Cairo, Kinshasa, Dar es Salaam, and Johannesburg. A cultural crossroads of West Africa, Abidjan is characterised by a high level of industrialisation and urbanisation. It is also the most populous Dioula-speaking and French-speaking city in Africa (Kinshasa being mainly Lingala-speaking).
The city expanded quickly after the construction of a new wharf in 1931, followed by its designation as the capital city of the then-French colony in 1933. The completion of the Vridi Canal in 1951 enabled Abidjan to become an important sea port. Abidjan remained the capital of Ivory Coast after its independence from France in 1960. In 1983, the city of Yamoussoukro was designated as the official political capital of Ivory Coast. However, Abidjan has officially been designated as the "economic capital" of the country, because it is the largest city in the country and the centre of its economic activity. Many political institutions and all foreign embassies continue to be located in Abidjan as well. The Abidjan Autonomous District, which encompasses the city and some of its suburbs, is one of the 14 districts of Ivory Coast.