from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Cote d
Introduction'Ivoire
Background: 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, but did not
protect it from political turmoil. In December 1999, a
military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's
history - overthrew the government. Junta leader Robert
GUEI blatantly rigged elections held in late 2000 and
declared himself the winner. Popular protest forced him
to step aside and brought runner-up Laurent GBAGBO into
power. Ivorian dissidents and disaffected members of
the military launched a failed coup attempt in
September 2002. Rebel forces claimed the northern half
of the country, and in January 2003 were granted
ministerial positions in a unity government under the
auspices of the Linas-Marcoussis Peace Accord.
President GBAGBO and rebel forces resumed
implementation of the peace accord in December 2003
after a three-month stalemate, but issues that sparked
the civil war, such as land reform and grounds for
citizenship, remain unresolved. The central government
has yet to exert control over the northern regions and
tensions remain high between GBAGBO and opposition
leaders. Several thousand French and West African
troops remain in Cote d'Ivoire to maintain peace and
facilitate the disarmament, demobilization, and
rehabilitation process.
Geography'Ivoire
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between Ghana and Liberia
Geographic 8 00 N, 5 00 W
coordinates:
Map Africa
references:
Area: total: 322,460 sq km
land: 318,000 sq km
water: 4,460 sq km
Area - slightly larger than New Mexico
comparative:
Land total: 3,110 km
boundaries: border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km,
Guinea 610 km, Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km
Coastline: 515 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 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 lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m
extremes: highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m
Natural petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore,
resources: cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica
sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 10.23%
permanent crops: 11.16%
other: 78.61% (2005)
Irrigated 730 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the
hazards: rainy season torrential flooding is possible
Environment - deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the
current largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged);
issues: water pollution from sewage and industrial and
agricultural effluents
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
international Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
agreements: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements
Geography - most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal
note: region; apart from the capital area, the forested
interior is sparsely populated
People'Ivoire
Population: 17,654,843
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 2006
est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 40.8% (male 3,546,674/female 3,653,990)
15-64 years: 56.4% (male 5,024,575/female 4,939,677)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 238,793/female 251,134)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 19.2 years
male: 19.4 years
female: 18.9 years (2006 est.)
Population 2.03% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 35.11 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 14.84 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 89.11 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 105.73 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 71.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 48.82 years
expectancy at male: 46.24 years
birth: female: 51.48 years (2006 est.)
Total 4.5 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 7% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 570,000 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - 47,000 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Major degree of risk: very high
infectious food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea,
diseases: hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria, yellow fever, and others
are high risks in some locations
water contact: schistosomiasis (2005)
Nationality: noun: Ivoirian(s)
adjective: Ivoirian
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 14,000 French) (1998)
Religions: Muslim 35-40%, indigenous 25-40%, Christian 20-30%
(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: 50.9%
male: 57.9%
female: 43.6% (2003 est.)
Government'Ivoire
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
former: Ivory Coast
Government republic; multiparty presidential regime established
type: 1960
Capital: name: Yamoussoukro
geographic coordinates: 5 19 N, 4 02 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
note: although Yamoussoukro has been the official
capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and
administrative center; the US, like other countries,
maintains its Embassy in Abidjan
Administrative 19 regions; Agneby, Bafing, Bas-Sassandra, Denguele,
divisions: Dix-Huit Montagnes, Fromager, Haut-Sassandra, Lacs,
Lagunes, Marahoue, Moyen-Cavally, Moyen-Comoe,
N'zi-Comoe, Savanes, Sud-Bandama, Sud-Comoe, Vallee du
Bandama, Worodougou, Zanzan
Independence: 7 August 1960 (from France)
National Independence Day, 7 August (1960)
holiday:
Constitution: new constitution adopted 4 August 2000
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law;
judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the
Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26
branch: October 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Charles Konan BANNY
(since 7 December 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a
five-year term (no term limits); election last held 26
October 2000 (next to be held by October 2006, after
the government postponed the election); 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 unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
branch: (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 by 31
October 2006)
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
note: a Senate is scheduled to be created in the next
full election in 2006
Judicial Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four
branch: 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 Citizen's Democratic Union or UDCY [Eg Theodore MEL];
parties and Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire-African Democratic
leaders: Rally or PDCI-RDA [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 [Paul Akoto YAO]; over 20 smaller parties
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24,
organization G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM,
participation: IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional),
WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Daouda DIABATE
representation chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC
in the US: 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300
FAX: [1] (202) 244-3088
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Aubrey HOOKS
representation embassy: Riviera Golf 01, Abidjan
from the US: mailing address: B. P. 1866, Abidjan 01
telephone: [225] 20 21 09 79
FAX: [225] 20 22 32 59
Flag three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side),
description: 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'Ivoire
Economy - Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers
overview: and exporters of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil.
Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to
fluctuations in international prices for these products
and weather conditions. Despite government attempts to
diversify the economy, it is still heavily dependent on
agriculture and related activities, engaging roughly
68% of the population. Growth was negative in 2000-03
because of the difficulty of meeting the conditions of
international donors, continued low prices of key
exports, and severe civil war. In November 2004, the
situation deteriorated when President GBAGBO's troops
attacked and killed nine French peacekeeping forces,
and the UN imposed an arms embargo. Political turmoil
damaged the economy in 2005, with fear among Ivorians
spreading, foreign investment shriveling, French
businesses and expats fleeing, travel within the
country falling, and criminal elements that traffic in
weapons and diamonds gaining ground. The government
will continue to survive financially off of the sale of
cocoa, which represents 90% of foreign exchange
earnings. Though the 2005 harvest was largely
unaffected by past fighting, the government will likely
lose between 10% and 20% of its cocoa harvest to
northern rebels, who smuggle the cocoa they control to
neighboring countries where cocoa prices are higher.
The government remains hopeful that ongoing exploration
of Cote d'Ivoire's offshore oil reserves will result in
significant production that could boost daily crude
output from roughly 33,000 barrels per day (b/d) to
over 200,000 b/d by the end of the decade.
GDP $27.58 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $16.57 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 1% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $1,600 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 27.9%
composition by industry: 17.1%
sector: services: 55% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 6.95 million (68% agricultural) (2005 est.)
Unemployment 13% in urban areas (1998)
rate:
Population 37% (1995)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 3.1%
income or highest 10%: 28.8% (1995)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 45.2 (1998)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 3.9% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 8.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $2.434 billion
expenditures: $2.83 billion; including capital
expenditures of $420 million (2005 est.)
Public debt: 64.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice,
products: manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton,
rubber; timber
Industries: foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining,
truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building
materials, electricity, ship construction and repair
Industrial 15% (1998 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 5.127 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 61.9%
production by hydro: 38.1%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 3.418 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 1.35 billion kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 32,900 bbl/day (2005 est.)
production:
Oil - 20,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Oil - proved 220 million bbl (2005 est.)
reserves:
Natural gas - 1.3 billion cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 1.3 billion cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
imports:
Natural gas - 29.73 billion cu m (2005)
proved
reserves:
Current $-193 million (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $6.49 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas,
commodities: pineapples, palm oil, fish
Exports - France 18.3%, US 14.1%, Netherlands 11%, Nigeria 8%,
partners: Panama 4.4% (2005)
Imports: $4.759 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs
commodities:
Imports - France 27.7%, Nigeria 24.5%, Singapore 6.6% (2005)
partners:
Reserves of $1.42 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $13.43 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - ODA, $1 billion (1996 est.)
recipient:
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
(code): responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West
African States
Currency code: XOF
Exchange Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US
rates: dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003),
696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications'Ivoire
Telephones - 257,900 (2004)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 2.19 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: well developed by African standards
system: but operating well below capacity
domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay;
90% digitalized
international: country code - 225; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian
Ocean); 2 submarine cables (June 1999)
Radio AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 2.26 million (1997)
Television 14 (1999)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 1.09 million (2000)
Internet .ci
country code:
Internet 2,534 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 5 (2001)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 160,000 (2005)
users:
Transportation'Ivoire
Airports: 35 (2006)
Airports - total: 7
with paved over 3,047 m: 1
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2006)
Airports - total: 28
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 5 (2006)
Pipelines: condensate 109 km; gas 240 km; oil 112 km (2006)
Railways: total: 660 km
narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000 meter gauge
note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends
into Burkina Faso (2005)
Roadways: total: 80,000 km
paved: 6,500 km
unpaved: 73,500 km
note: includes intercity and urban roads; another
20,000 km of dirt roads are in poor condition and
150,000 km of dirt roads are impassable (2006)
Waterways: 980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal
lagoons) (2005)
Ports and Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro
terminals:
Military'Ivoire
Military Cote d'Ivoire Defense and Security Forces (FDSC): Army,
branches: Navy, Air Force (2006)
Military 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service age service; conscript service obligation - 18 months
and (2004)
obligation:
Manpower males age 18-49: 3,696,106
available for females age 18-49: 3,569,967 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 1,973,265
for military females age 18-49: 1,911,777 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 189,354
reaching females age 18-49: 192,600 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $246.6 million (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 1.6% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational'Ivoire
Issues
Disputes - rebel and ethnic fighting against the central
international: government in 2002 has spilled into neighboring states,
driven out foreign cocoa workers from nearby countries,
and, in 2004, resulted in 6,000 peacekeepers deployed
as part of UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI)
assisting 4,000 French troops already in-country; the
Ivorian Government accuses Burkina Faso and Liberia of
supporting Ivorian rebels
Refugees and refugees (country of origin): 70,402 (Liberia)
internally IDPs: 500,000-800,000 (2002 coup; most IDPs are in
displaced western regions) (2005)
persons:
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