The city lies along a lagoon. A canal connects the lagoon with the Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean. But it also has areas of overcrowded slums, especially in the suburbs. Its port is a center of West African import and export activities.
Products made in the city include automobile parts, beer, and soap.
Businesses in Abidjan also process cacao beans, coffee beans, and palm and vegetable oils. In the late 1800's, France took control of Abidjan and the rest of Ivory Coast. In 1934, Abidjan became the capital. Ivory Coast gained independence from France in 1960. In 1983, the country's legislature approved a proposal allowing the capital to be moved from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro.