Background
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[ Geography ] [ People ] [ Government ] [ Economy ] [ Communications ] [ Transportation ] [ Military ]

Geography

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. 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.

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

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 N, 5 00 W

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

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, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 10.23%
permanent crops: 11.16%
other: 78.61% (2005)

Irrigated land: 680 sq km (1993 est.); 730 sq km (1998 est.); 730 sq km (2003)

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 cleared by the timber industry); 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

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People

Population: 15,980,950 (July 2000 est.); 16,804,784 (July 2002 est.); 18,373,060 (July 2008 est.)
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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected

Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.4% (male 3,660,057/female 3,767,893)
15-64 years: 56.7% (male 5,233,772/female 5,180,841)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 253,573/female 276,924) (2008 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.58% (2000 est.); 2.45% (2002 est.); 1.96% (2008 est.)

Birth rate: 40.78 births/1,000 population (2000 est.); 39.99 births/1,000 population (2002 est.); 34.26 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 16.57 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.); 16.74 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.); 14.65 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.); 1.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
note: after Liberia's civil war started in 1990, more than 350,000 refugees fled to Cote d'Ivoire; by the end of 1999 all Liberian refugees were assumed to have returned; the 2000 rate reflects labor in migration

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 95.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.); 92.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.); 85.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49.18 years
male: 46.62 years
female: 51.82 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.8 children born/woman (2000 est.); 5.61 children born/woman (2002 est.); 4.35 children born/woman (2008 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: 50.9%
male: 57.9%
female: 43.6% (2003 est.)

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Government

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 type: republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960

National capital: Yamoussoukro
note: although Yamoussoukro has been the 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: National Day, 7 August

Constitution: 3 November 1960; has been amended numerous times,last time 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 and Minister of Planning and Development Affi N'GUESSAN (since 27 October 2000)
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)
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 2005

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

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

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

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Economy

Economy - overview: Cote d'Ivoire is the world's largest producer and exporter of cocoa beans and a significant producer and exporter of coffee and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products, and, to a lesser extent, in climatic conditions. Despite government attempts to diversify the economy, it is still heavily dependent on agriculture and related activities, engaging roughly 68% of the population. Since 2006, oil and gas production have become more important engines of economic activity than cocoa. According to IMF statistics, earnings from oil and refined products were $1.3 billion in 2006, while cocoa-related revenues were $1 billion during the same period. Cote d'Ivoire's offshore oil and gas production has resulted in substantial crude oil exports and provides sufficient natural gas to fuel electricity exports to Ghana, Togo, Benin, Mali and Burkina Faso. Oil exploration by a number of consortiums of private companies continues offshore, and President GBAGBO has expressed hope that daily crude output could reach 200,000 barrels per day (b/d) by the end of the decade. Since the end of the civil war in 2003, political turmoil has continued to damage the economy, resulting in the loss of foreign investment and slow economic growth. GDP grew by 1.8% in 2006 and 1.7% in 2007. Per capita income has declined by 15% since 1999.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $25.7 billion (1999 est.); $25.5 billion (2001); $32.86 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - 5% (1999 est.); -1% (2001 est.); 1.7% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,600 (1999 est.); $1,550 (2001 est.); $1,800 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 22.7%
industry: 26.3%
services: 51% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line: 42% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 34% (2002)

Inflation rate - consumer prices: 2.5% (1999 est.); 2.5% (2000 est.); 1.8% (2007 est.)

Labor force:
68% agricultural (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: unemployment may have climbed to 40-50% as a result of the civil war

Budget:
revenues: $3.196 billion
expenditures: $3.806 billion (2007 est.)

Industries: foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, automobile assembly, textiles, fertilizer, construction materials, electricity

Industrial production growth rate: 1% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production: 1.86 billion kWh (1994), 3.36 billion kWh (1998); 4.08 billion kWh (2000); 5.305 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - consumption: 3.165 billion kWh (1998); 2.57 billion kWh (2000); 2.9 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998); 1.2 billion kWh (2000); 1.397 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports: 40 million kWh (1998); 0 kWh (1999)

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

Exports:
total value: $3.9 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.); $3.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.); $18.5 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
commodities: cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, fish
partners: France 18.3%, Netherlands 9.7%, US 9.1%, Nigeria 7.2%, Germany 4.2% (2006)

Imports:
total value : $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.); $2.4 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.); $5.2 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
commodities: food, consumer goods; capital goods, fuel, transport equipment
partners: Nigeria 27.6%, France 25.4%, China 4.3% (2006)

Debt - external: $10.91 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Economic aid: ODA, $60 million (2007 est.) ;

Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFA) per US dollar - 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)
note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

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Communications

Telephones: 87,700 (1987 est.); 182,000 (1998); 263,700 (2000); 260,900 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular: more than 60,000 (December 1998); 450,000 (2000); 4.065 million (2006)

Telephone system: well developed by African standards; telecommunications sector privatized in late 1990s; mobile cellular usage has increased to 23 per 100 persons; fixed-line connections stand at about 2 per 100 persons
domestic:open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized
international: country code - 225; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2007)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 8, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios: 2.26 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 14 (1999)

Televisions: 810,000 (1993 est.), 900,000 (1997); 1.09 million (2000)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2001)

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Transportation

Railways: total : total : 660 km
total: 660 km
narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000 meter gauge
note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso (2006)

Highways:
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) (2006)

Ports and harbors: Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro

Airports: 34 (2007)

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 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 27
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 5 (2007)

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Military

Military branches: Cote d'Ivoire Defense and Security Forces (FDSC): Army, Navy, Air Force (2006)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 16-49: 4,369,735
females age 16-49: 4,287,042 (2008 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,393,104
females age 16-49: 2,381,607 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.6% (2005 est)

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