Ivory Coast is the English name for Côte d'Ivoire, the official name of this country in Western Africa.

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Côte d'Ivoire has an area of 322,460 sq. km. (124,502 sq. mi.), and borders the Atlantic Ocean to the south, Liberia and Guinea to the west and Ghana to the east. The total population is around 18,5 million. The official capital is Yamoussoukro, located approximately 240 km. (150 mi.) inland from the coast. The population of Yamoussoukro is about 200,000. The largest city and former capital is Abidjan with an estimated population of 4 million. Abidjan is located on the coast, and is still the commercial and banking center of Côte d'Ivoire as well as the de facto capital.

In 2002 an armed rebellion split the nation, and although a peace deal between the rebels and the was brokered in 2003 it still remains to be implemented. Tensions are high and most foreign nationals have left. Côte d'Ivoire is blaklisted as a "no go" destination by most Western governments. Before this instability Côte d'Ivoire was a rather popular tourist destination, withe some 300,000 tourist visiting in 1998. The tourist attractions are the beaches, the Tai National Park, the last remaining untouched rain forest in Western Africa, and Abidjan, a city that had a vibrant nightlife and a bustling atmosphere, as well as museums and the lagoon on which the town is set.

The Felix-Houphout Boigny International Airport (ABJ) in Abidjan is a large international airport able to accommodate most large aircrafts. The airport has daily flights to and from Paris and Amsterdam. There are also regular flights to other Western African capitals. All visitors require a passport to enter, and a visa is necessary is furthermore required by all, except nationals of USA and ECOWAS countries. It is advisable to check the latest vise requirements with your local embassy or consulate prior to your departure.

The climate is tropical along the coast. In general there are three seasons, warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), and hot and wet (June to October). The coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torential flooding is possible.