The Republic of the Ivory Coast, known officially by its French name République de Côte d'Ivoire, is a former French colony on the south shore of West Africa between Liberia and Ghana. Independent since 1960, the country was one of the most prosperous in West Africa until it began to be troubled by political turmoil in 1999. Abidjan, the major port and economic center of the country, is a large city with a population or more than six million. The coast is mostly quite low; much of it consists of barrier islands enclosing large lagoons. Only in the west, in the Bas-Sassandra region, are there hills close to the coast. The country has few natural harbors; Abidjan became a deepwater port only after extensive harbor improvements following World War II. Ivory Coast is divided into 12 districts plus two district-level autonomous cities. French is the official language of government and commerce in Ivory Coast. The French word for a lighthouse is phare, although a smaller light or harbor light is called a feu (literally "fire," but here meaning "light") or a balise (beacon). In French île is an island, cap is a cape, pointe is a promontory or point of land, roche is a rock, récife is a reef, baie is a bay, estuaire is an estuary or inlet, détroit is a strait, rivière is a river, and havre is a harbor. Lighthouses in Ivory Coast are maintained by harbor authorities including the Port Autonome d'Abidjan and Port Autonome de San Pedro. Travel outside Abidjan has been dangerous in recent years, so there is a lack of current photos and visitor reports. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume D of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 113.
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Information available on lost lighthouses:
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Adjoining pages: East: Ghana | West: Liberia
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Posted September 13, 2005. Checked and revised April 13, 2024. Lighthouses: 16. Site copyright 2024 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.