Côte d'Ivoire National Day
Côte d'Ivoire National Day, celebrated annually on December 7, is a significant public holiday in the West African nation of Côte d'Ivoire, also known as the Ivory Coast. This day, formally referred to as Félix Houphouët-Boigny Remembrance Day, pays tribute to the country’s first president and founder, Félix Houphouët-Boigny, who passed away on this date in 1993. The observance of National Day serves to honor his contributions to the nation’s independence and development following its liberation from French colonial rule in 1960.
Côte d'Ivoire, located along Africa's equatorial coast, has a diverse population exceeding 16 million, with a substantial portion residing in its largest city, Abidjan. While Yamoussoukro is the official capital, Abidjan remains the central hub for government activities. Houphouët-Boigny, who transitioned from a successful career as a doctor and landowner to politics, formed the Côte d'Ivoire Democratic Party in the 1940s and helped shape the nation’s post-colonial trajectory. His leadership was characterized by stability and economic growth, although later years of his presidency faced criticism for local project funding. Côte d'Ivoire National Day thus not only commemorates a pivotal historical figure but also reflects the nation’s journey towards self-determination and governance.
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Côte d'Ivoire National Day
Côte d'Ivoire National Day
December 7 of every year is a public holiday in the West African nation of Côte d'Ivoire, also known as the Ivory Coast. It is the country's National Day or, more formally, Félix Houphouët-Boigny Remembrance Day, because it honors former president Félix Houphouët-Boigny, the founder of modern Côte d'Ivoire, who died December 7, 1993.
Côte d'Ivoire is located along the equatorial coast of western Africa. The country has a population of more than 16 million, approximately 2 million of whom live in Abidjan, the largest city. The official capital is Yamoussoukro, which has just over 100,000 people, but the real capital and center of governmental activity is still Abidjan.
Côte d'Ivoire was colonized by the French in 1893, despite bitter resistance by the native population, and became part of France's vast domains in western Africa. Houphouët-Boigny, born in Yamoussoukro in 1905, was a prosperous doctor and plantation owner who turned to politics in the 1940s. He organized the Côte d'Ivoire Democratic Party in 1945 and became the first president of the nation when it gained independence in 1960. Houphouët-Boigny was reelected every five years through 1990, and his regime was noted for its stability and moderate pro-growth policies. He has been praised as one of postcolonial Africa's better leaders, although toward the end of his lengthy rule he was criticized for instituting pork-barrel construction projects in his home town of Yamoussoukro.