The New Student's Reference Work/Ivory Coast, French

I′vory Coast, French.  A dependency of France in Africa, acquired in 1843, but not actively and continuously occupied till 1883.  It lies between Liberia and the Gold Coast colony of Great Britain in French West Africa.  Area 12,000 square miles, with a population estimated at two millions.  It extends inland from the coast to the military territory in French Sudan.  The chief exports are palm oil, india-rubber and gold.  Coffee and rice are also cultivated.  The capital and chief port is Grand Bassam, while the seat of administration is now Bingerville.  This place was formerly called Adjame, and is being improved by extensive building operations, and gold mining is assuming importance.  The harbor works at Port Bouet, formerly Petit Bassam, are begun, and the railway from Abijean on the other side of the lagoon will have its first stretch of no miles to Eryman Konguié finished in 1908.  Telegraph lines run between the principal towns, and the telephone is in operation from Bassam to Bingerville and elsewhere.  The colony is self-supporting, income and outgo in 1911 being about 5,474,000 francs.