Officially name: Republic of Côte d'Ivoire
Capital: Yamoussoukro
Largest city: Abidjan
Official language: French
Government: Semi-presidential republic
During Medieval times, the region that is now Ivory Coast was at the centre of several major African trade routes, linking the empires which then existed in Ghana and Mali. European traders had been present in the region since the 15th century, but it was not until the 19th that the French undertook a determined penetration of the region.
The diverse culture of Ivory Coast, a coastal West African country bordered by Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.