What country is Cote d’Ivoire in?
Ivory Coast is a country in the west of Africa. “Ivory Coast” is the German translation of the French name Côte d’Ivoire. That’s what they say: Koot diwuar. In the Ivory Coast itself, only this official name is allowed to be used. It must not be translated. In Germany, however, we usually use the German name.



The country got its name from the French colonial rulers, because they used to hunt elephants there. The ivory that makes up their tusks is very valuable and many elephants lost their lives because of it.
The neighboring countries also had similar names: Pepper Coast (Liberia), Gold Coast (Ghana) or slave coast (Togo). However, these countries renamed themselves with their independence – the Ivory Coast retained the old name.
On the map you can see where the Ivory Coast is located. The country has an almost quadrangular outline. In the south it borders on the Atlantic Ocean. It has a coastline with a length of 520 kilometers. The neighboring countries are (clockwise): Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana.
Four major rivers run through the country from north to south. They are called Cavally, Sassandra, Bandama and Comoé.
Is Cote d’Ivoire a poor country?
Is Cote d’Ivoire in France?
Is Ivory Coast still part of France?