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Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment made Cote d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical African states. Falling cocoa prices and political turmoil, however, sparked an economic downturn in 1999 and 2000. On 25 December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history - overthrew the government led by President Henri Konan BEDIE. Presidential and legislative elections held in October and December 2000 provoked violence due to the exclusion of opposition leader Alassane OUATTARA. In October 2000, Laurent GBAGBO replaced junta leader Robert GUEI as president, ending 10 months of military rule. In October 2001, President GBAGBO initiated a two-month-long National Reconciliation Forum, but its ability to conciliate Ivorians with one another remains unclear.

Contents 1 Geography 2 People 3 Government 4 Economy 5 Communications 6 Transportation 7 Military 8 Transnational Issues

Geography

Location 

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia

Geographic coordinates 

8 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references 

Africa

Area 

total: 322,460 sq km
water: 4,460 sq km
land: 318,000 sq km

Area - comparative 

slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries 

total: 3,110 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km, Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km

Coastline 

515 km

Maritime claims 

continental shelf: 200 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate 

tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October)

Terrain 

mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest

Elevation extremes 

lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m
highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources 

petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, hydropower

Land use 

arable land: 9.28%
permanent crops: 13.84%
other: 76.88% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 

730 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards 

coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible

Environment - current issues 

deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewage and industrial and agricultural effluents

Environment - international agreements 

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note 

most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated

People

Population 

16,804,784
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure 

0-14 years: 46% (male 3,874,651; female 3,847,080)
15-64 years: 51.8% (male 4,468,242; female 4,238,998)
65 years and over: 2.2% (male 185,306; female 190,507) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate 

2.45% (2002 est.)

Birth rate 

39.99 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate 

16.74 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate 

1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: after Liberia's civil war started in 1990, more than 350,000 refugees fled to Cote d'Ivoire; by the end of 1999 most Liberian refugees were assumed to have returned (2002 est.)

Sex ratio 

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate 

92.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth 

total population: 44.72 years
female: 46.03 years (2002 est.)
male: 43.45 years

Total fertility rate 

5.61 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 

10.76% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 

1 million (2000)

HIV/AIDS - deaths 

72,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality 

noun: Ivorian(s)
adjective: Ivorian

Ethnic groups 

Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 16.5%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000 Lebanese and 20,000 French) (1998)

Religions 

Christian 20-30%, Muslim 35-40%, indigenous 25-40% (2001)
note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim (70%) and Christian (20%)

Languages 

French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely spoken

Literacy 

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48.5%
male: 57%
female: 40%

Government

Country name 

conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire
local short form: Cote d'Ivoire
former: Ivory Coast
local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire

Government type 

republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960

Capital 

Yamoussoukro; note - although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan

Administrative divisions 

58 departments (departements, singular - departement); Abengourou, Abidjan, Aboisso, Adiake, Adzope, Agboville, Agnibilekrou, Alepe, Bocanda, Bangolo, Beoumi, Biankouma, Bondoukou, Bongouanou, Bouafle, Bouake, Bouna, Boundiali, Dabakala, Dabou, Daloa, Danane, Daoukro, Dimbokro, Divo, Duekoue, Ferkessedougou, Gagnoa, Grand-Bassam, Grand-Lahou, Guiglo, Issia, Jacqueville, Katiola, Korhogo, Lakota, Man, Mankono, Mbahiakro, Odienne, Oume, Sakassou, San-Pedro, Sassandra, Seguela, Sinfra, Soubre, Tabou, Tanda, Tiebissou, Tingrela, Tiassale, Touba, Toulepleu, Toumodi, Vavoua, Yamoussoukro, Zuenoula

Independence 

7 August (1960) (from France)

National holiday 

Independence Day, 7 August (1960)

Constitution 

3 November 1960; has been amended numerous times, last time 27 July 1998

Legal system 

based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage 

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch 

chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26 October 2000); note - took power following a popular overthrow of the interim leader Gen. Robert GUEI who had claimed a dubious victory in presidential elections; Gen. GUEI himself had assumed power on 25 December 1999, following a military coup against the government of former President Henri Konan BEDIE
head of government: Prime Minister Seydou DIARRA (since 25 January 2003) note - appointed as transitional Prime Minister by President GBAGBO as part of a French brokered peace plan
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 26 October 2000 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Laurent GBAGBO elected president; percent of vote - Laurent GBAGBO 59.4%, Robert GUEI 32.7%, Francis WODIE 5.7%, other 2.2%

Legislative branch 

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (225 seats; members are elected in single- and multi-district elections by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: elections last held 10 December 2000 with by-elections on 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)
note: a Senate is scheduled to be created in the next full election in 2005
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2

Judicial branch 

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four chambers: Judicial Chamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for financial cases, Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases, and Administrative Chamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit to the number of members

Political parties and leaders 

Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally or PDCI-RDA [Aime Henri Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian Popular Front or FPI [Laurent GBAGBO]; Ivorian Worker's Party or PIT [Francis WODIE]; Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Alassane OUATTARA]; Union for Democracy and Peace or UDPCI [Gen. Robert GUEI]; over 20 smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders 

NA

International organization participation 

ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US 

chief of mission: Ambassador Pascal Dago KOKORA
chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
FAX: [1] (202) 462-9444
telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300

Diplomatic representation from the US 

chief of mission: Ambassador Arlene RENDER
embassy: 5 Rue Jesse Owens, Abidjan
mailing address: B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01
telephone: [225] 20 21 09 79
FAX: [225] 20 22 32 59

Flag description 

three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white, and red; design was based on the flag of France

Economy

Economy - overview 

Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers and exporters of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products and to weather conditions. Despite government attempts to diversify the economy, it is still largely dependent on agriculture and related activities, which engage roughly 68% of the population. After several years of lagging performance, the Ivorian economy began a comeback in 1994, due to the 50% devaluation of the CFA franc and improved prices for cocoa and coffee, growth in nontraditional primary exports such as pineapples and rubber, limited trade and banking liberalization, offshore oil and gas discoveries, and generous external financing and debt rescheduling by multilateral lenders and France. Moreover, government adherence to donor-mandated reforms led to a jump in growth to 5% annually during 1996-99. Growth was negative in 2000 and 2001 because of the difficulty of meeting the conditions of international donors, continued low prices of key exports, and post-coup instability. Political instability continues to impede growth.

GDP 

purchasing power parity - $25.5 billion (2001)

GDP - real growth rate 

-1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita 

purchasing power parity - $1,550 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector 

agriculture: 28%
industry: 29%
services: 43% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line 

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share 

lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 29% (1995) (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index 

37 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 

2.5% (2000 est.)

Labor force 

68% agricultural (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate 

13% in urban areas (1998 est.) (1998)

Budget 

revenues: $1.72 billion
expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $420 million (2001 est.)

Industries 

foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity

Industrial production growth rate 

15% (1998 est.)

Electricity - production 

4.08 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source 

fossil fuel: 75%
hydro: 25%
other: 0% (1999)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption 

2.57 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports 

1.2 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports 

0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products 

coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber

Exports 

$3.6 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities 

cocoa 33%, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, cotton, fish (1999)

Exports - partners 

France 13%, US 8%, Netherlands 7%, Germany 7%, Italy 6% (1999)

Imports 

$2.4 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities 

food, consumer goods; capital goods, fuel, transport equipment, raw materials

Imports - partners 

France 26%, Nigeria 10%, China 7%, Italy 5%, Germany 4% (1999)

Debt - external 

$13.3 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient 

ODA, $1 billion (1996 est.)

Currency 

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code 

XOF

Exchange rates 

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro

Fiscal year 

calendar year

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use 

263,700 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular 

450,000 (2000)

Telephone system 

general assessment: well developed by African standards but operating well below capacity
domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 coaxial submarine cables (June 1999)

Radio broadcast stations 

AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios 

2.26 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations 

14 (1999)

Televisions 

1.09 million (2000)

Internet country code 

.ci

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

5 (2001)

Internet users 

70,000 (2002)

Transportation

Railways 

total: 660 km
narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-meter gauge; 25 km double-track
note: an additional 600 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso, ending at Kaya, north of Ouagadougou (2000 est.)

Highways 

total: 50,400 km
paved: 4,889 km
unpaved: 45,511 km (1996)

Waterways 

980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons)

Ports and harbors 

Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro

Airports 

36 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways 

total: 7
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways 

total: 29
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Military

Military branches 

Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie, Republican Guard (includes Presidential Guard)

Military manpower - military age 

18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability 

males age 15-49: 3,963,166 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service 

males age 15-49: 2,071,011 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually 

males: 188,411 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure 

$127.7 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP 

1.3% (FY01)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international 

none

Illicit drugs 

illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption; transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin to Europe and occasionally to the US, and for Latin American cocaine destined for Europe and South Africa; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leave the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center