Ivory Coast

Côte d’Ivoire is the economic hub of francophone West Africa: Abidjan with its lagoon, towers and visible business life. Local produce is inexpensive, while expatriate housing, schools and imports in Abidjan cost a great deal. The climate is tropical: a long rainy season from May to July, a short one in October, and heat and humidity the rest of the time. French is essential, healthcare is confined to private clinics in the capital, and roads and power outside the big cities are unreliable.