Forest Elephant
Smaller than their savanna cousins, forest elephants live in the dense rainforests of Ivory Coast and use their straighter tusks to navigate through thick undergrowth.
Flag of Ivory Coast
Field Report
Ivory Coast sits on the southern bulge of West Africa, tucked along the Atlantic Ocean between Ghana to the east and Liberia to the west. It is a lush, tropical country about the size of the state of New Mexico, filled with rainforests, cocoa farms, and dozens of different people groups who speak their own languages. More than 27 million people call it home, and God loves every one of them.
From the Field Notebook
Forest Elephant
Smaller than their savanna cousins, forest elephants live in the dense rainforests of Ivory Coast and use their straighter tusks to navigate through thick undergrowth.
Chimpanzee
Ivory Coast's Taï Forest is home to some of the world's most studied wild chimpanzees, known for using stone tools to crack open nuts — a skill they pass down to their young.
African Pygmy Hippopotamus
This rare, shy relative of the common hippo is roughly the size of a large pig and spends more time on land than in water, hiding in the forest undergrowth.
Attiéké
Made from fermented cassava that is grated and steamed into light, grainy couscous-like mounds, attiéké is served at nearly every meal and has a mild, slightly tangy flavor.
Fufu
A smooth, dense dough pounded from boiled yam or plantain, fufu is eaten by hand and dipped into rich soups and stews that carry deep, earthy flavors of tomato and palm oil.
Kedjenou
A slow-cooked stew of chicken or guinea fowl with vegetables sealed and cooked in a clay pot called a canari, kedjenou develops tender meat and a deeply savory broth from steam alone.
Ivory Coast produces more cacao beans than any other country in the world — nearly half of all the chocolate you have ever eaten likely started as a pod on a tree there.
The country's official French name is Côte d'Ivoire, and the government formally asked the entire world to stop translating it into other languages and use only that name.
Ivory Coast has more than 60 distinct ethnic groups, which means children growing up in one region may speak a completely different language from children just a few hours away.
The city of Yamoussoukro, not Abidjan, is the official capital — it is home to one of the largest church buildings in the world, the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, which can hold 18,000 people.
The Atlantic Ocean coastline of Ivory Coast stretches for about 515 kilometers and features powerful surf that makes swimming dangerous in many spots along the shore.
Daily Life
62
Years life expectancy
50%
Can read and write
90%
Kids go to school
Missions Field Report
Ivory Coast is home to 105 distinct people groups — 32 of them haven’t yet heard about Jesus.
A significant share of Ivory Coast's people follow Islam (38.4%). Evangelical Christians make up about 12.7% of the population.
What People Believe
Unreached People Groups
These are communities of people who haven’t had the chance to hear about Jesus yet. They need missionaries — and they need kids like you to pray for them.
Jula
2,229,000 people
Hausa
1,360,000 people
Fulani, Maasina
625,000 people
Mau
473,000 people
Kulango, Bouna
327,000 people
Prayer Journal
Tick each one as you pray. God hears every word.