Abidjan is Ivory Coast’s most populous city, although Yamoussoukro is the country’s political capital.
The 2021 census recorded 6,321,017 people in the Abidjan Autonomous District. Abidjan is the country’s largest urban and economic centre, while Yamoussoukro became the official political capital in 1983. Many government institutions, embassies, and major economic activities nevertheless remain in Abidjan.
Abidjan grew rapidly after a new wharf was built in 1931 and the Vridi Canal opened in 1951, creating a stronger port connection to the Atlantic. It remained the capital after Ivory Coast gained independence from France in 1960, before the formal political-capital designation shifted to Yamoussoukro.
The wording can cause confusion because “capital” and “largest city” are not the same category. Abidjan is often described as Ivory Coast’s economic capital, while Yamoussoukro is the constitutional or political capital. Abidjan’s district includes several communes and outlying areas, so its population figure is larger than that of the historical city proper.