Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), republic in western Africa, bordered on the north by Mali and Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta), on the east by Ghana, on the south by the Gulf of Guinea, and on the west by Liberia and Guinea. A former French colony, Côte d'Ivoire became independent on August 7, 1960. The country was initially officially known as either Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast; from January 1, 1986, Côte d'Ivoire became the sole official name. The country has an area of 322,462 sq km (124,503 sq mi). The capital of Côte d'Ivoire is Yamoussoukro.
Official Name -Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
formerly the Ivory Coast
58 departments; 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 . Cote d'Ivoire may have a new administrative structure consisting of 58 departments; the following additional departments have been reported but not yet confirmed by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN); Adiake', Ale'pe', Dabon, Grand Bassam, Jacqueville, Tiebissou, Toulepleu, Bocanda
There are more than 60 tribes, traditionally independent from each other, though larger groups among them may be recognized on the basis of cultural unity. Each one of these groups has tribal affiliations with larger groups living outside the borders of the republic. Thus the Baule, as well as other peoples living east of the Bandama River, are affiliated with the Akan group of Ghana. The lagoon fishermen farther south also have tribal brothers belonging to the same Akan group. The forest people west of the Bandama belong to the same group as the Kru boatmen of Liberia. In the interior, the Kru group is subdivided into tribes tiny in number but scattered over large areas of the forest and kept together by secret societies.
The population of Côte d’Ivoire is diverse, comprising more than 60 ethnic groups. The principal groups include the Akan-speaking peoples of the southeast, the Kru of the southwest, the Voltaic groups of the northeast, and the Mandinka (also known as Mandingo or Malinke) and southern Mande peoples found in the northwest. A significant Lebanese community also exists.
Ancestors of most of the present population of Côte d’Ivoire seem to have moved into the area relatively late (18th to 19th century), mostly from the northeast and east. The Kru, however, came from the west across the Cavally River. Portuguese explorers reached the coast in the 15th century and began trading in slaves and ivory. Strong tribal kingdoms flourished in the northeastern and eastern parts of the country. Europeans did not penetrate inland until the 1830s, when the French signed treaties with coastal rulers. As part of the French expansion in West Africa, Côte d’Ivoire was made a colony in 1893. The French were bitterly resisted, however, and frequent revolts occurred. In 1904 Côte d’Ivoire became a constituent territory of the Federation of French West Africa. Faced with dissidence, the French resorted increasingly to direct rule, undermining traditional rulers.
In 1919 the northern part of the colony was detached to form part of the new colony of Upper Volta, which was dissolved in 1932, only to be reconstituted in 1948. In 1944 Félix Houphouët-Boigny, a Baule chief, farmer, and doctor, founded a union of African farmers. From this organization emerged the first major African political party, the interterritorial African Democratic Rally, and its constituent section, the PDCI, both led by Houphouët-Boigny. The party was opposed by the French administration, and the tension flared into violence in 1949. In 1950 Houphouët-Boigny reversed his policy and began to cooperate with the French.
Bédié’s suppression of political opposition, as well as charges of corruption in his government, led to growing unrest. In December 1999 his government was overthrown in a bloodless military coup, the first coup in the nation’s history. General Robert Gueï, a former military chief, assumed the presidency following the coup. Bédié, whose administration was charged with illegally diverting millions of dollars of aid money, fled to France.
The modernized sector of Côte d’Ivoire’s population has been greatly influenced by French culture. The indigenous culture of the country remains strong, however, and is well known for its artistic creations, especially masks. The French language is almost universally used in the written literature of Côte d’Ivoire, to the exclusion of the African languages.
The cultural milieu has remained split rather more completely than in other African countries between a maze of tribal cultures and a foreign intrusion that was sudden and almost exclusively French. Traditional arts continue to flourish, and the Abidjan museum offers a rich storehouse. The Senufo carve masks, decorate doors with esoteric signs, and dance to the slow, majestic rhythms of drums supported by xylophones. The mountaineers of the Man forest wear masks showing horrifying faces, and they dance at a quick pace governed by the sound of drums and led by stilt-walkers. Versatile Baule artists make fine gold jewelry and wooden sculptures.
An Ivoirian literature in French was born in colonial times at the Ponty High School in Dakar, Senegal. One of its graduates, Bernard B. Dadié, became world-famous for autobiographical reminiscences in novel form. His schoolmates Goffi Jadeau and Amon d'Aby won a large local audience and many followers through their plays for a national theatre. A younger playwright, Zadi Zaourou, launched a chair in African literature at Abidjan University, and Ahmadou Kourouma, a Muslim, inaugurated a new era of the Ivoirian novel
The old colonial subdivisions of the country were renamed départements and sous-préfectures (subprefectures) as in France. The number of the former has increased from 6 to 34. Though all have elected assemblies known as general councils, they are headed by prefects who have extensive powers and the help of 163 subprefects at as many stations in the interior. Towns have elected municipal councils. In general, tribal authorities do not fit within such a regime, which is of French inspiration. Nevertheless, some chiefs, especially among the Akan group, have won elective positions.
The ground rises constantly as it recedes from the coast, and the northern half of the country consists of high savanna lying mostly 1,000 feet (300 metres) above sea level. Most of the western border with Liberia and Guinea is shaped by mountain ranges, whose highest point is Mount Nimba (5,748 feet [1,752 metres]), which is situated where the borders of the three countries meet.
One of four natural regions, the coastal fringe consists of a strip of land, no more than 40 miles wide, studded with lagoons on its eastern half. Access from the sea is made difficult by the surf and by a long submarine sandbar.
The central band of Côte d’Ivoire is covered by forest with more than 225 species of trees, among which are such valuable hardwood trees as obeche, mahogany, iroko, makore, and sipo. Animals of the country include the jackal, hyena, panther, elephant, chimpanzee, crocodile, and various lizards and venomous snakes.
The economy of Côte d’Ivoire is primarily agricultural, with 60 percent of the total labor force employed in farming and forestry. However, the government is attempting to diversify the economy to avoid dependence on a small number of export crops. Annual budget figures show approximately $2.4 billion in revenues and $2.6 billion in expenditures.
Côte d'Ivoire has a good financial reputation, which it maintained in the 1980s when the government agreed to reschedule its debt over a period from 1993 to 2002, including sums that had benefited from earlier agreements. Ivoirian policy is fundamentally liberal, and investments are welcomed through tax exemptions and legal protection against nationalization. Increased privatization became government policy in the mid-1980s, mainly owing to the fact that the government had participated in too many specialized undertakings in trying to diversify the economy. Previous plans have been revised with the aim of securing self-sufficiency in food and obtaining equipment in exchange for exports rather than by borrowing. In the long run, success will depend on avoiding luxuries and expanding the local market.
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 in 1996-99. Growth was negative in 2000 because of the difficulty of meeting the conditions of international donors, continued low prices of key exports, and post-coup instability. In 2001-02, a moderate rebound in the cocoa market could boost growth back above 3%; however, political instability could impede growth again.
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
An estimated 35 percent of Côte d’Ivoire’s people follow traditional religions; 39 percent are Muslim, and 26 percent are Christian, mainly Roman Catholic. French is the official national language; numerous African languages are also spoken.
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 [Henriette DAGRI-DIABATE]; Union for Democracy and Peace [Gen. Robert GUEI]; over 20 smaller parties
Côte d’Ivoire is governed under a constitution that was adopted by public referendum in July 2000. The head of state is an elected president and the head of government is a prime minister, who is appointed by the president. The president and prime minister are advised by a council of ministers that is selected by the prime minister. The president and the 225 members of the unicameral National Assembly are all elected for five-year terms by universal adult suffrage. The Parti Démocratique de la Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI; Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire) was the nation’s only legal political party from 1960 to 1990, when a multiparty system was adopted. The other major parties are the social-democratic Front Populaire Ivoirien.
International organization Member
ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC (observer), OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO.
Education in Côte d’Ivoire is free, and primary education is compulsory. A vast television education program was begun in the early 1970s. In 1996 only 71 percent of primary-school aged children and 25 percent of secondary-school aged children were enrolled in school. The National University of Côte d’Ivoire (1958), in Abidjan, has a yearly attendance of about 21,000. A substantial number of advanced Côte d’Ivoire students study abroad. An estimated 66.3 percent of the adult population is literate.
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie, Republican Guard (includes Presidential Guard), Sapeur-Pompier (Military Fire Group)
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 3,851,432 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,010,862 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 188,411 (2001 est.)
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