Abidjan is the largest city and economic capital of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), a sprawling metropolis on the Gulf of Guinea whose 2021 census recorded a population of approximately 6.3 million — making it the sixth most populous city proper in Africa and the most populous French-speaking city in West Africa. Though the political capital was officially transferred to Yamoussoukro in 1983, Abidjan retains the designation of 'economic capital,' and most foreign embassies and major institutions remain here. The city's modern prominence traces to the construction of a new wharf in 1931, its elevation to colonial capital in 1933, and the completion of the Vridi Canal in 1951, which transformed it into a major seaport. Côte d'Ivoire is the world's largest exporter of cacao, and Abidjan serves as the commercial hub of that industry. In Season 13 of Expedition Unknown, Gates used the city as his entry point into West Africa, sampling local chocolate and exploring the Marché de Treichville before embarking on a six-hour coastal drive toward a suspected WWII-era aircraft crash site.
Construction of a new wharf accelerates Abidjan's rapid urban expansion.
Abidjan is designated the capital of French Ivory Coast.
Completion of the Vridi Canal establishes Abidjan as a major seaport.
Ivory Coast gains independence from France; Abidjan remains the capital.
Yamoussoukro is designated the official political capital; Abidjan retains status as the economic capital.
Census records Abidjan's population at approximately 6.3 million, sixth largest city proper in Africa.
Josh Gates arrives in Abidjan during filming of Expedition Unknown S13E06, 'America's MIA Heroines.'
Abidjan's role in Gates' investigation was primarily logistical — a gateway city rather than an archaeological site — but it offers genuine historical and economic context for the episode. The city's name is rooted in a history of colonial trade dating back to French and Portuguese merchants, as Gates notes on camera, though the modern economy has shifted dramatically from the ivory trade that gave the country its name to the cacao industry that now dominates global chocolate supply chains.
Mainstream historians and economists point to Côte d'Ivoire's position as the world's largest cacao exporter as one of the defining facts of West African commerce. Abidjan, as the country's economic nerve center, is where that industry's financial and logistical infrastructure is concentrated. The city's rapid 20th-century growth — propelled by colonial infrastructure investment and the opening of the Vridi Canal — made it one of the most industrialized cities in sub-Saharan Africa, a status it has maintained despite political turbulence in the country over the decades.
The Marché de Treichville, which Gates briefly visits in the episode, is a well-known hub of everyday commerce in Abidjan, reflecting the city's character as a cultural crossroads of West Africa. Wikipedia describes Abidjan as characterized by 'a high level of industrialisation and urbanisation,' and the market exemplifies the informal yet vital economic layer that operates alongside that industrial base.
Gates' episode does not investigate Abidjan itself as a mystery — the city functions as the starting point for a search for a missing WWII aircraft further up the coast. The episode's contribution is largely one of atmosphere and context, grounding the audience in the geography and culture of Côte d'Ivoire before the main investigation begins. The real investigative work, conducted alongside Project Recover co-founder Mark Moline, takes place well outside the city.
Abidjan is the most populous French-speaking city in West Africa, with a population of approximately 6.3 million recorded in the 2021 census.
Despite Yamoussoukro being designated the official political capital of Côte d'Ivoire in 1983, Abidjan retains the title of 'economic capital' and continues to host most foreign embassies.
The Vridi Canal, completed in 1951, was the engineering project that transformed Abidjan from a colonial administrative center into a major seaport.
Côte d'Ivoire — Ivory Coast — takes its name from the ivory trade conducted by French and Portuguese merchants along its shores, a trade Gates references on camera as having shipped 'untold tons of ivory from Africa's western shores.'
Abidjan is generally accessible to international visitors, with Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport serving the city. The Marché de Treichville is a popular destination for travelers interested in local culture, food, and commerce, though visitors should check current travel advisories before planning a trip, as conditions in Côte d'Ivoire have varied historically.
Abidjan is itself the nearest major city; the next significant urban center along the coast is San Pedro, approximately 200 miles to the west — the staging point Gates drove to in the episode.
The drier months between November and March are generally considered more comfortable for travel in the Abidjan region, as the city's tropical climate brings significant rainfall during the main wet seasons. Crowds at major markets tend to be consistent year-round.
Tsavo, Kenya
Tsavo, Kenya is another African investigation site visited by Gates, reflecting the show's recurring interest in historical mysteries and wartime events across the continent.
Normandy Beaches, France
The Normandy Beaches episode shares thematic DNA with S13E06 — both center on WWII-era military losses and the search for missing personnel or aircraft.
Ecuador Cloud Forests
The Ecuador Cloud Forests represent another remote, jungle-heavy Gates expedition where a distant gateway city serves as the launch point before the team pushes into difficult terrain.
Historical data sourced from Wikipedia