# Vavoua

> city of côte d'ivoire

**Wikidata**: [Q12712267](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12712267)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vavoua)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/vavoua

## Summary

Vavoua is a city in Côte d'Ivoire, serving as the capital of both the Vavoua Department and the Haut-Sassandra region. Located in the western-central part of the country at coordinates approximately 7.38°N, 6.48°W, the city had a population of 132,528 according to 2021 census data, making it a significant urban center in the Sassandra region.

## Key Facts

- **Classification**: City (large human settlement)
- **Country**: Ivory Coast
- **Region**: Haut-Sassandra
- **Department**: Vavoua Department (capital)
- **Area**: 6,233 square kilometres
- **Population**: 132,528 (2021 census, preferred value); 67,096 (2014 census); 286,182 (1998)
- **Coordinates**: 7.38333333°N, 6.48333333°W (preferred); also recorded as 7.3819444444444°N, 6.4777777777778°W; and 7.3713°N, 6.4758°W
- **Elevation**: 276 metres above sea level
- **Timezone**: UTC±00:00
- **Indigenous ethnic group**: Guro people
- **Resident ethnic groups**: Senufo people, Dyula people, Baoulé, Burkinabe, Malien
- **Circle of (neighboring areas)**: Daloa, Zuénoula Department, Séguéla
- **Geonames ID**: 2280045
- **GNS Unique Feature ID**: -2128816
- **OpenWeatherMap City ID**: 2280045
- **Google Knowledge Graph ID**: /g/124xvfpy3
- **Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names ID**: 1090423
- **Wikipedia languages**: Cebuano, Commons, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Moksha, Malay, Polish, Swedish
- **Image**: File:Mairie_de_Vavoua.JPG
- **Locator map**: Map_Vavoua.png

## FAQs

**What region is Vavoua located in?**

Vavoua is located in the Haut-Sassandra region of Côte d'Ivoire and serves as the capital of the Vavoua Department.

**What is the population of Vavoua?**

According to the most recent 2021 census, Vavoua has a population of 132,528 residents. Earlier census figures show 67,096 in 2014 and 286,182 in 1998.

**What ethnic groups live in Vavoua?**

The city is home to multiple ethnic groups including the Senufo people, Dyula people, Baoulé, Burkinabe, and Malien populations. The Guro people are identified as indigenous to the area.

**What is the geographical setting of Vavoua?**

Vavoua covers an area of 6,233 square kilometres at an elevation of 276 metres above sea level, situated at approximately 7.38°N latitude and 6.48°W longitude in western-central Côte d'Ivoire.

**What cities surround Vavoua?**

Vavoua is positioned within a circle of neighboring urban centres including Daloa, Zuénoula Department, and Séguéla.

**What is the timezone of Vavoua?**

Vavoua operates on UTC±00:00, the same as Greenwich Mean Time.

## Why It Matters

Vavoua serves as a critical administrative and economic hub in the Haut-Sassandra region of Côte d'Ivoire. As the departmental capital, it functions as a centre of governance for surrounding communities and maintains strategic importance in the country's regional structure. The city's substantial land area of over 6,200 square kilometres makes it one of the larger territorial jurisdictions in the nation.

The population growth from 67,096 in 2014 to 132,528 in 2021—nearly doubling in just seven years—demonstrates Vavoua's increasing significance as an urban centre in post-conflict Côte d'Ivoire. This population surge reflects broader trends of urbanization and rural-to-urban migration in the country's western regions.

Vavoua's multi-ethnic composition, including the Senufo, Dyula, Baoulé, Guro, Burkinabe, and Malien communities, exemplifies the cultural diversity that characterizes Ivorian urban centres. The presence of the Dyula—a historically merchant-oriented ethnic group—suggests Vavoua's role as a commercial crossroads. The city's position within the Sassandra river basin and its elevation of 276 metres contribute to its agricultural potential in a region known for coffee and cocoa production.

## Notable For

- **Departmental capital**: Serves as the administrative seat of Vavoua Department
- **Regional capital**: Functions as the capital of Haut-Sassandra region
- **Large territorial jurisdiction**: Covers 6,233 km², one of the larger city areas in Côte d'Ivoire
- **Rapid population growth**: Population nearly doubled between 2014 and 2021
- **Multi-ethnic composition**: Home to six distinct ethnic communities including Guro (indigenous), Senufo, Dyula, Baoulé, Burkinabe, and Malien
- **Elevated location**: Situated 276 metres above sea level in the Ivorian interior

## Body

### Geography and Location

Vavoua is situated in the western-central portion of Côte d'Ivoire, approximately 7.38 degrees north latitude and 6.48 degrees west longitude. The city occupies a land area of 6,233 square kilometres, placing it among the larger municipal jurisdictions in the country. The elevation of 276 metres above sea level positions the city in the elevated interior savanna and forest transition zone that characterizes much of the Haut-Sassandra region.

The city's coordinates have been recorded across multiple mapping sources with slight variations: the preferred Wikidata coordinates list 7.38333333°N, 6.48333333°W, while Wikipedia records 7.3819444444444°N, 6.4777777777778°W, and OpenStreetMap shows 7.3713°N, 6.4758°W. These minor discrepancies reflect different survey methodologies or reference points rather than significant geographical differences.

Vavoua lies within the Sassandra river basin, a major hydrological system that drains much of central and western Côte d'Ivoire. The surrounding terrain consists of rolling hills and forested areas that transition from the coastal zones to the northern savanna regions.

### Administrative Structure

Vavoua holds dual capital status within the Ivorian administrative hierarchy. It serves as the capital of Vavoua Department, which is itself a sub-prefectural jurisdiction within the Haut-Sassandra region. This administrative function distinguishes the city from the broader Vavoua Department, with which it is sometimes confused but from which it is administratively distinct.

The city is located within the Haut-Sassandra region, one of the 14 first-level administrative regions of Côte d'Ivoire. The region's capital is Daloa, which also appears in Vavoua's "circle of" relationships, indicating a broader regional network that includes Daloa, Zuénoula Department, and Séguéla as neighboring or connected jurisdictions.

### Demographics and Population

Vavoua's population has demonstrated significant growth over recent decades. The 1998 census recorded 286,182 residents, though this figure appears to represent a broader geographic area or different methodological boundaries than subsequent counts. The 2014 census documented 67,096 inhabitants, and the most recent 2021 census recorded 132,528 residents—representing approximately a 97% increase over the seven-year period.

The city is characterized by ethnic diversity, with the Guro people identified as indigenous to the area. Additional resident populations include the Senufo people, known for their traditional institutions and agricultural practices; the Dyula people, historically involved in trade and commerce; the Baoulé, one of the largest ethnic groups in Côte d'Ivoire; and immigrant communities from Burkina Faso (Burkinabe) and Mali (Malien). This multi-ethnic composition reflects broader patterns of migration and urbanization in post-colonial West Africa.

### Time and Climate

Vavoua operates on UTC±00:00, the same timezone as Greenwich Mean Time and the standard time for Côte d'Ivoire. This timezone places the city in the same temporal reference as London during winter months, though unlike many West African nations, Côte d'Ivoire does not observe daylight saving time.

The elevation of 276 metres and the city's inland position influence its climate, which typically exhibits characteristics of the Guinean climate zone with wet and dry seasons.

### International Identification and References

The city is catalogued in multiple international geographic databases with the following identifiers: Geonames ID 2280045, GNS Unique Feature ID -2128816, OpenWeatherMap City ID 2280045, Google Knowledge Graph ID /g/124xvfpy3, and Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names ID 1090423.

Vavoua has Wikipedia articles in ten languages: Cebuano, Commons, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Moksha, Malay, Polish, and Swedish. The English Wikipedia article carries the title "Vavoua" and the sitelink count is 10, indicating presence across ten Wikimedia projects.

### Visual Documentation

The city has been documented visually through multiple media. The municipal building (Mairie de Vavoua) is represented in an image file on Wikimedia Commons titled "Mairie de Vavoua.JPG." A locator map designated "Map_Vavoua.png" provides geographic reference. The Commons category "Vavoua" aggregates visual and informational media related to the city.

## References

1. GEOnet Names Server. 2018
2. [Source](https://www.rezoivoire.net/ivoire/villes-villages/284/la-ville-de-vavoua.html)
3. [Source](https://www.aip.ci/category/region-haut-sassandra/vavoua/)
4. [Source](https://partir.ouest-france.fr/cote-d-ivoire/heure)
5. [Source](https://www.openstreetmap.org/search?lat=7.3713&lon=-6.4758#map=11/7.3713/-6.4758)
6. [Côte d'Ivoire. Cities & Localities.. Citypopulation.de](https://www.citypopulation.de/en/ivorycoast/cities/)
7. [2015](https://www.ins.ci/documents/rgph/HAUT_SASSANDRA.pdf)
8. [RGPH-2021 RÉSULTATS GLOBAUX](https://plan.gouv.ci/assets/fichier/RGPH2021-RESULTATS-GLOBAUX-VF.pdf)