Autonomous District of Abidjan

Located in the south of the country, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, in the Gulf of Guinea to be precise, the Autonomous District of Abidjan covers an area of 2,119 km2. The megalopolis is surrounded by bodies of water that account for around 15% of its total surface area. It has an equatorial climate, with two dry seasons and two rainy seasons, and an average temperature of 27°C. The Autonomous District of Abidjan comprises thirteen (13) communes and three (03) sub-prefectures. Its population is cosmopolitan, with a large foreign community, mainly from countries belonging to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Virtually all nationalities are represented in Abidjan. Economically, Abidjan is home to almost all the country’s industrial and banking facilities. Its port, airport, road and rail networks serve as gateways to the country and the entire sub-region. The volume of traffic in the Autonomous District of Abidjan makes it the undisputed hub of West Africa. All national and international institutions are represented in the Autonomous District of Abidjan.

The city, which was Côte d’Ivoire’s third capital from 1933, before giving way to Yamoussoukro in 1983, is the country’s most populous city and its economic capital. With its airport, railway station and deep-water port, it is one of the main gateways to and from West Africa. A sprawling, cosmopolitan city, its ten communes are home to more than six million people.