▁world ▁were ▁filtered ▁through ▁long - distance ▁trad ers . ▁Vill agers ▁subs isted ▁on ▁agricult ure ▁and ▁hunting . ▁ ▁Pre - Europe an ▁modern ▁period ▁ ▁Five ▁important ▁states ▁fl our ished ▁in ▁I v ory ▁Coast ▁during ▁the ▁pre - Europe an ▁early ▁modern ▁period . ▁The ▁Muslim ▁Kong ▁Empire ▁was ▁established ▁by ▁the ▁J ola ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 th ▁century ▁in ▁the ▁north - central ▁region ▁inhab ited ▁by ▁the ▁S én ou fo , ▁who ▁had ▁fled ▁Islam ization ▁under ▁the ▁M ali ▁Empire . ▁Although ▁Kong ▁became ▁a ▁prosper ous ▁center ▁of ▁agricult ure , ▁trade , ▁and ▁craft s , ▁eth nic ▁divers ity ▁and ▁religious ▁disc ord ▁gradually ▁weak ened ▁the ▁kingdom . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Kong ▁would ▁be ▁s ack ed ▁and ▁conquer ed ▁by ▁Sam ori ▁T ure ▁of ▁the ▁Wass oul ou ▁Empire . ▁ ▁The ▁Abr on ▁kingdom ▁of ▁G ya aman ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century ▁by ▁an ▁Ak an ▁group , ▁the ▁Abr on , ▁who ▁had ▁fled ▁the ▁developing ▁Ash anti ▁conf eder ation ▁of ▁As ant eman ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁present - day ▁Gh ana . ▁From ▁their ▁settlement ▁south ▁of ▁Bond ou kou , ▁the ▁Abr on ▁gradually ▁extended ▁their ▁h eg em ony ▁over ▁the ▁Dy ula ▁people ▁in ▁Bond ou kou , ▁who ▁were ▁recent ▁arrival s ▁from ▁the ▁market ▁city ▁of ▁Beg ho . ▁Bond ou kou ▁developed ▁into ▁a