10 Unusual Facts about IVORY COAST

The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is located on the western part of Africa bordering six countries which are Ghana, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali and Liberia. It is also bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and it is therefore a tourist destination and one that does not fail to make people talk about it with its very rich culture. As always Africa Revealed is about to take you on a journey to this country because our video series on this is far from over. By the way if you have any ideas for videos and themes you would like to see in the future be sure to let us know in the comments area just below. Also feel free to leave us a like on this video and subscribe to our channel to support us. Now let's get into it. Dollars in Ivory Coast So with this title you surely think that we're going to talk about money or economy right? Sorry but you're completely wrong. We're going to talk about symbols, legend and above all seashells. Let us take the time to explain. The sand dollar also called sand flower is a sea urchin very present on the beaches of Côte d'Ivoire like any specimen of its species. It's a living being and it is tinged with pretty burgundy colors until its death where it becomes much lighter. Sand dollars usually turn white but can also turn pale green at times and got their name because of their size and very large coin-like appearance. The special thing about these sand dollars is their pattern. If you find them on Assini beach where there's an abundance of them you will see their magnificent flower-shaped pattern at the origin of an Ivorian legend. If you find a sand dollar in perfect condition and turn it over five little birds will fly away. This legend represents the white dove but be careful to find some you will have to look into areas of wet sand and dig a little to a few centimeters deep. The currency of Ivory Coast After this first tempting title it was inevitable that we touch the subject of currency so as not to disappoint you but like a good number of countries present on the African continent Ivory Coast was colonized by France. Now let's do a quick history lesson. It was on December 26th 1945 during the Breton Woods agreements following World War II that various declarations were announced by France. The one that interests us is the Declaration of Parity at the International Monetary Fund also known as the IMF. This declaration was to create more equality with the currency and economy of different countries. This is how the CFA franc the currency of the French colonies of Africa was created. And since then the Ivorian government like many others has not changed its currency. To give you an idea of the equivalent 100 CFA francs are worth about 15 cents euro. Basically one euro gives you nearly 654 CFA francs. Abbreviations and Acronyms As explained in the previous fact Ivory Coast was colonized by France thus the official language of the country is French. However the language that is best understood by the majority of Ivorians is Dioula an African language spoken by more than 20 million people in the western region of the continent. And be aware that the fairly frequent Ivorian habits is to abbreviate and use acronyms for a lot of words of all kinds. For example they often refer to the President of the National Assembly as the PAN or the National Development Program as the PND. The country itself is very often referred to by its initials CI which stands for Côte d'Ivoire and the acronyms are notably used wrongly to refer to all ministries, institutions or even private companies. But beware that does not just stop at the abbreviations of proper names. There really are initials for everything. A country where they negotiate or bargain. In Ivory Coast there are many more small traders than in highly urbanized countries like the United States. It is therefore more common to buy food in general in the markets. Obviously everything varies from place to place but usually it is not uncommon to find everything you need at a normally decent price. It should be noted that if you don't negotiate even a minimum then you will come across as someone too naive and someone easy to rip off. If negotiating may be frowned upon in western countries in Côte d'Ivoire it is quite the opposite. Of course a trader can only be happy if you don't try to negotiate but it is likely to follow you and you most likely end up paying more later because of this excess of politeness and over-the-top honesty. The morale is that you have to dare to ask for redactions. Football National Pride of Ivory Coast This title is pretty self-explanatory. In fact, the elephants, the name of the country's soccer team or football team, are truly a pride of the nation. It can be said without a doubt that there are a few things as popular as football among the Ivorian people. Moreover, since alcohol is always used to accompany the festive atmosphere conveyed by football, a drink has been specially dedicated to it. It's normally called Boc Solibra which means big beer. It is a one-liter lager that even ended up taking the name Drogba, a player of Ivorian origin that you are surely familiar with. The slogan of this alcohol is therefore the beer of the strong man in reference to Didier Drogba who is truly a football icon in the country. An exemplary country and a driving force for the region. For fact number 6, let's discuss things that are all in all quite serious. The dynamics of the country Maybe you didn't know it, but the Ivorian economy is the most dynamic in the entire geographic area of West Africa and with the establishment of UEMOA, West African Monetary and Economic Union, Cote d'Ivoire can benefit the whole region because the country's wealth actually represents 35% of the income of all of Africa. Founded in 1994, this organization aimed to promote cooperation and especially the integration of states among themselves throughout West Africa. We can say that the mission is accomplished because it is on the basis of mutual aid and economic interdependence that many conflicts have been avoided. If the states have things in common, it is impossible for them to declare themselves in conflict. Ivorian productions A fact about savings is rarely followed by anything other than production and for good reason, Ivory Coast has enjoyed very good returns which allow it to act on the international market as an exporter with nearly 9.5 billion euros in profits thanks to exports. Now, you're probably wondering what are the foodstuffs that are such as success in Cote d'Ivoire? Well, first is the cocoa. Ivory Coast is in fact the largest producer of cocoa in the world with approximately 1 million tons produced annually. The country is also a major producer of coffee and 7th in the world with around 200,000 tons per year. These productions are mostly from the hottest area of the country but where the climate is tropical in the northern part, other productions other than food are very recognized and profitable such as cotton which mainly supplies European products. More than a bridge Built from September 2012 to December 2014, the Henri Conan Bedier Bridge or also renamed HKB to make a little more acronyms is the most important infrastructure built in Sub-Saharan Africa. This project even received private funding from the Bouguier company which provided just over 152 billion CFA francs or 232 million euros. The HKB bridge takes its name from the former Ivorian president yet it was not he who inaugurated but the head of state Alassane Ouattara. After 27 months of work, this 1,500-meter bridge overhangs the Ebrier Lagoon and links the communes of Kokodi and Markhori to Abidjan. This work not only resulted in this bridge but also in the creation of 13 interchanges as well as 21 toll stations. It might not sound like that but the completion of the bridge is a real achievement for the country of Cote d'Ivoire. More than a bridge, this project could possibly draw a little more attention from foreign manufacturers to the successes of the country in order to be able to emerge more generally on the international market. The wax More than a fabric, the Ivorian wax is truly an integral part of Ivorian culture and customs. Basically, the fabric is Dutch but ended up being forced or willingly into the country because of its colonial past. It is over time that the country has completely appropriated giving a meaning to each pattern and a story to each fabric. For example, a woman who wears a wax fabric with a pattern called okra leaf highlights the fact that she has put a lot of money aside to afford it and therefore that she is someone who is making an effort and is determined to get what she wants. Another pretty famous pattern has been named My Husband is Capable and as you can imagine, by wearing it, the woman is showing her pride in her very caring husband. A very rich cultural part of the country, the wax fabric is very often offered at African weddings. It is also used to strengthen bonds with the same group. During a baptism, for example, other guests will wear the same fabric to promote unity and move forward in the same state of mind. Traditional Fishing Didn't you find it strange that we did not talk for a second about tourism when Ivory Coast is literally on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean? Well, we touched on the subject with the flowers of sand but in reality, if the subject of tourism has not been addressed in this video, it is because we want to make sure you discover the unusual things first. Still, the ocean is part of Ivorian culture and that is why we dedicate this last fact to fishing. Indeed, traditional fishing, to be distinguished from the industrial sector, which is also very active in the country, is a very specific cultural element. Practiced aboard canoes, it is often as a team that Ivorians make the best catches. It is a moment of sharing and teaching and which is at the origin of recipes known in Ivory Coast such as fish with clear sauce which is enjoyed for special occasions with the family for example. And that's all for these 10 unusual facts about Ivory Coast. Would you like to visit this country? Tell us all in the comments just below the video. If you liked it and learned something new, feel free to show it to us with a like and by subscribing to our channel. Thanks for watching and again we hope to see you soon in our new video. Bless.