Bouaké is the second-largest city in Ivory Coast, with a population of approximately 740,000 residents. It serves as the administrative seat for three levels of subdivision: the Vallée du Bandama District, the Gbêkê Region, and the Bouaké Department.
The city is situated in the central part of Ivory Coast, located about 50 kilometres northeast of Lake Kossou, which is the country's largest lake. It sits roughly 100 kilometres northeast of the national capital, Yamoussoukro, and is positioned approximately 350 kilometres north of Abidjan along the Abidjan-Niger Railway.