> ABIDJAN, Côte d'Ivoire (West Africa) <

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Abidjan is the largest city, the economic and former official capital of Côte d'Ivoire (Yamoussoukro is the official capital.) The city characterized by a high level of industrialization and urbanization. The population of Abidjan proper was 3,796,677. It the third-largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris and Kinshasa.
Abidjan flourished along with the country under the ideologically moderate leadership of Félix Houphouët-Boigny. With its gleaming skyscrapers,elegant casinos, world-class hotels, chic boutiques and outdoor cafes, the city billed itself as the safest and most desirable tourist destination in West Africa. However political infighting following Houphouët-Boigny's death in 1993 have taken their toll on the city. Since 1999, the city has suffered from the chaos and economic dislocation caused by civil war in the north Ivory Coast , political tumult, and flight of capital. The war , since September 2002, brought an influx of people seeking employment and safer lodgings. Slum dwellers represent more than one third of the Abidjan population ( in 1988 only 13.6 per cent of Abidjan residents lived in slums)
In late 2011, Cote D'Ivoire's economy was recovering from a severe downturn. Abidjan accounts for 60 per cent of the gross domestic profit in the country as a whole. The city is the main financial center of French West Africa. Sixteen national banks (SGBCI, BICI, etc.) maintaining a network of 170 branches, stock exchange, seven financial institutions and more than thirty insurance companies make a financial competitive Abidjan that animates the entire West Africa. Abidjan Transport Company has announced the start of work for the use of light rail to Abidjan. The project has three phases at a cost of $0.25 billion for a long loop of 32 km.
Abidjan is considered the cultural cross roads of Western Africa , and hosts various art and music festivals, including the International Jazz Festival of Abidjan, the Festival of Urban Dances, the International Comics Festival, International Comedy Festival and the The RTI Music Awards, among others. The night life in Abidjan is considered to be one of the liveliest in the whole of West Africa. Even after everything that's happened, it still boasts a large selection of restaurants, hotels, shopping malls, sites. In Abidjan there is also several scientific research institutes and universities.




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[aceone]

Great pics!!!

[Greg95100]

Great pics!

Trés belle ville!

[dwdwone]

Have they actually started building the light rail?

[Enzo]

Great pics!
I've always had a pre concept image of this city/country in my mind, I must admit it was good surprise to see that Abidjan is an interesting beautiful place and apparently on the way to a much better future.

Thanks for sharing.