Related Cote D'Ivoire Favorites Tips

Favorite thing: Home > Africa > Cote DIvoire


Climate

Dry from December to April, long rains from May to July, a short dry season from August to September, short rains in October and November. In the north the climate is more extreme - rains (May to October) and dry (November to April).

Required clothing: Tropical lightweights; warmer clothing for evenings

Favorite thing: History and Government

History: During medieval times, the region that is now Côte d'Ivoire was at the centre of several major African trade routes, linking the empires which then existed in Ghana and Mali. These were initially dominated by the Dioula people. As trade expanded, they came into contact with Malinke merchants who brought Islam to the region. The collapse of the Mali empire in the 16th century, followed by the Ashanti wars of the 17th century, produced several waves of migration into the forest regions of central and northern Côte d'Ivoire and the foundation of new kingdoms including the Anyi and Baule. In the savannah country of the south, the Kong held sway, notably through the dynasty founded by Sekou Ouattara in the early 18th century. The Kong empire was eventually conquered by the Muslim leader Samory Touré in 1897.

European traders had been present in the region since the 15th century, but it was not until the 19th that the French undertook a determined penetration of the region. They gradually subjugated or formed alliances with the local ruling groups. The colonisation process was completed with the capture of Samory Touré within a year of his victory over the Kong. The territory was later incorporated into French West Africa until it was granted independence in August 1960. The leadership of the country was taken over by Félix Houphouët-Boigny, a quirkily effective politician who dominated the country's political life for the next 30 years through his political party, the Parti Démocratique de la Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI). Houphouët-Boigny retained close links with the West - especially France but also apartheid South Africa.

Houphouët-Boigny died in December 1993 and was replaced by the former speaker of the National Assembly, Henri Konan Bédié. Victory at the December 1995 presidential poll, and for the PDCI at the following month's parliamentary elections pointed to a seamless succession. However, problems began with serious industrial unrest and, abroad, the highly unpopular military intervention in the Liberian civil war. Then in 1999, during the run-up to the presidential election scheduled for early 2000, the principal opposition candidate, Alassane Ouattara of the Rassemblement des Republicains (RDR), was banned from standing on technical grounds concerning his parents' nationality. (The RDR draws its principal support from Muslims in the north of the country.)

The military coup of December 1999, organised by General Robert Gueï, was a surprise. An ex-minister and Ouatarra ally, Gueï moved quickly to prevent intervention by the French for whom Côte d'Ivoire is a key strategic ally in the region. The new military regime established a broadly based government including leading figures from the army and the main political parties. International reaction was muted. Presidential elections were held in October 2000; the principal contenders were Gueï and Laurent Gbagbo, standing for the Front Populaire Ivoirien (FPI) whose main constituency is among Christians in the south. However, when Gueï tried to manipulate the result, he was confronted by a popular uprising which drove him into exile leaving Gbagbo as the legitimate winner. The RDR candidate, Ouattara, was once again blocked from standing, infuriating northern Muslims and sparking serious unrest. An attempted coup in January 2001 confirmed that Côte d'Ivoire remains in a highly volatile situation.

Government: The constitution was suspended following the military coup of December 1999 along with the legislative chamber, the Assemblée Nationale. The country is presently governed by a National Council for Public Salvation with representatives of the army and the main political parties.

Favorite thing: Going back home at 6 in the morning after a crazy night at the NEXT night club in 2 plateaux, buying some chocolate croissants next to the club and eating them with my friends on th roof of our building with a beautiful view of the sunset on the city. Then going to Assinie and spend the rest of the Week-end chilling on the endless beach of white sand.

Fondest memory: My fondest memories are of the people in the place where I was staying. The kids would run up the street as they saw me arriving to the house once they got to know me. I also enjoyed spending time with the women of the family who were mainly hairdressers and seamstresses. We had very differing views on nearly every subject and it was interesting to see their reactions to my European viewpoints on family, education and men. Some of these friends took great pleasure in braiding my hair and trying to convince me to wear the paigne - a sarong like fashion. This style did not suit me, but watching the smiles on their faces as they were laughing at me in the get-up was worth the pain of getting my hair braided!

Favorite thing: If you ever wondered how various grains and corn were grinded up in rural Cote d'Ivoire, here's how.