Map of Côte d'Ivoire | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Close ties to France since independence in 1960 diversification of agriculture for export and encouragement of foreign investment have made Cote d'Ivoire the most prosperous of the tropical African states. About 20% of the population are workers from neighboring countries.


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

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total: 322,460 km²
Land: 318,000 km²

Land boundaries: total 3,110 km, Burkina 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km, Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km

Coastline: 515 km
Continental shelf: 200 m depth
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Maritime claims

Climate:

Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest

Elevation

Natural resources: petroleum, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper

Land use
Arable land: 9%
Permanent crops: 4%
Meadows and pastures: 9%
Forest and woodland: 26%
Other: 52%

Irrigated land: 620 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population: 13,808,447 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 3.5% (1993 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Ivorian(s)
Adjective: Ivorian

Ethnic groups: Baoule 23%, Bete 18%, Senoufou 15%, Malinke 11%, Agni, foreign Africans (mostly Burkinabe about 2 million), non-Africans 130,000 to 330,000 (French 30,000 and Lebanese 100,000 to 300,000)

Languages: French (official), 60 native dialects Dioula is the most widely spoken

Religions: indigenous 63%, Muslim 25%, Christian 12%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 3.5% (1993 est.)

Birth rate

Death rate: 15.07 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.15 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; severe deforestation

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 97 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 48.97 years
Male: 46.98 years
Female: 51.03 years (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.73 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
Total population: 54%
Male: 67%
Female: 40%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
Conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire
Local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire
Local short form: Cote d'Ivoire

Government type: republic multiparty presidential regime established 1960

Capital: Yamoussoukro

Administrative divisions:

Dependent areas

Independence: 7 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: National Day, 7 December

Constitution: 3 November 1960

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation:

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Charles GOMIS
In the us chancery: 2,424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: (202) 797-0300
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Hume A. HORAN
From the us embassy: 5 Rue Jesse Owens, Abidjan
From the us mailing address: 01 B. P. 1712, Abidjan
From the us telephone: 225 21-09-79 or 21-46-72
From the us fax: 225 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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers and exporters of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm-kernel oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for coffee and cocoa and to weather conditions. Despite attempts by the government to diversify, the economy is still largely dependent on agriculture and related industries. The agricultural sector accounts for over one-third of GDP and about 80% of export earnings and employs about 85% of the labor force. A collapse of world cocoa and coffee prices in 1986 threw the economy into a recession, from which the country had not recovered by 1990. Continuing low prices for commodity exports, an overvalued exchange rate, a bloated public-sector wage bill, and a large foreign debt hindered economic recovery in 1991. The government, which has sponsored various economic reform programs, especially in agriculture, projected an increase of 1.6% in GNP in 1992.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: -0.6% (1991)

Real gdp per capita: $800 (1991)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: most important sector, contributing one-third to GDP and 80% to exports; cash crops include coffee, cocoa beans, timber, bananas, palm kernels, rubber; food crops - corn, rice, manioc, sweet potatoes; not self-sufficient in bread grain and dairy products

Industries: foodstuffs, wood processing, oil refinery, automobile assembly, textiles, fertilizer, beverage

Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 6% (1990; accounts for 11% of GDP

Labor force: 5.718 million
By occupation agriculture: over 85% of population engaged in agriculture
By occupation forestry livestock raising:
By occupation industry commerce and professions: NA
Note: 54% of population of working age (1985)