Le Plateau, Abidjan

Le Plateau
Urban commune and central business district of Abidjan
View of Le Plateau in January 2025
Location in Abidjan
Le Plateau
Location in Ivory Coast
Coordinates: 5°19′N 4°1′W / 5.317°N 4.017°W / 5.317; -4.017
Country Ivory Coast
DistrictAbidjan
Area
  Total
6.151 km2 (2.375 sq mi)
Elevation
20 m (70 ft)
Population
 (2021)
  Total
7,186
  Density1,200/km2 (3,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+0 (GMT)

The Plateau is the central business district of Abidjan, the economic capital of Côte d'Ivoire. It is one of the 10 urban communes of the city. The Plateau is surrounded by the municipality of Yopougon to the west, to the south by the Ébrié Lagoon. As a central business district, it brings together most of the city's administrative and commercial activities. Most of the large Ivorian firms have their headquarters in Plateau. It also has a very lively market.

Nicknamed by some the "Little Paris" or "Little Manhattan", the Plateau with its towers and buildings overlooks the Ébrié Lagoon. Since the creation of the railway district, to accommodate the terminus of the Abidjan-Niger railway line, the Plateau has rapidly developed to become the administrative, commercial and financial center of Côte d'Ivoire, and holds an important place in West Africa.

The area is also home to Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium and the cathédrale Saint-Paul.

A notable feature is the population of thousands of bats after dark, which gather above the lagoon to hunt mosquitoes and other insects.