Why does the Ivory Coast have two capitals?
It is not uncommon for countries to have two capitals simultaneously. Holding multiple capitals helps legislation and administration of the country. Ivory Coast, a West African country, has two capitals: Yamoussoukro and Abidjan.
The Ivory Coast was under French rule for hundreds of years. Abidjan was declared the capital of the country in 1933, when the country was still under the French rule and it continued to be the capital for a long time. Felix Houphouet-Boigny, the first President of Ivory Coast, however, felt that the central part of the country was still underdeveloped and moving the capital from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro would help this situation. However, even today, most of the embassies and government institutions continue to exist in Abidjan.
Abidjan is a beautiful city, and has many nicknames such as the “Manhattan of the tropics”, “Small Manhattan” or “Pearl of the lagoons”. The city has one of the largest wood processing plants. Yamoussoukro, on the other hand, is claimed to be home of the largest Christian place of worship. The town’s economy is sustained by fishing, forestry, and perfume industries.
The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace and the National Museum are some of the places of interest in these cities.
Picture Credit: Google
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