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| Introduction | Cote d'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. 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. Junta leader Robert GUEI held elections in late 2000, but excluded prominent opposition leader Alassane OUATTARA, blatantly rigged the polling results, and declared himself winner. Popular protest forced GUEI to step aside and brought runner-up Laurent GBAGBO into power. GBAGBO spent his first two years in office trying to consolidate power to strengthen his weak mandate, but he was unable to appease his opponents, who 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 ethnically-charged issues that sparked the civil war, such as land reform and grounds for nationality remain unresolved. The central government has yet to exert control over the northern regions and tensions remain high between GBAGBO and rebel leaders. Several thousand French and West African troops remain in Cote d'Ivoire to maintain peace and facilitate the disarmament, demobilization, and rehabilitation process. |
| People | Cote d'Ivoire |
| Population: | 17,327,724 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 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 45.1% (male 3,856,130; female 3,965,930) 15-64 years: 52.6% (male 4,651,921; female 4,468,085) 65 years and over: 2.2% (male 182,995; female 202,663) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 17 years male: 17.4 years female: 16.7 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.11% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 39.64 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 18.48 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 97.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 79.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 113.87 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 42.48 years male: 40.27 years female: 44.76 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 5.42 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 7% (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 570,000 (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 47,000 (2001 est.) |
| Major infectious diseases: | typhoid fever, malaria, yellow fever, schistosomiasis overall degree of risk: very high (2004) |
| 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: | 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.) |
| Government | Cote d'Ivoire |
| 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 commercial and administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan |
| Administrative divisions: | 19 regions; Agneby, Bafing, Bas-Sassandra, Denguele, 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 holiday: | Independence Day, 7 August (1960) |
| Constitution: | a new constitution was 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; 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 - seized 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 [leader NA]; over 20 smaller parties |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, 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 |
| Communications | Cote d'Ivoire |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 328,000 (2003) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 1.236 million (2003) |
| 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: country code - 225; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 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 hosts: | 3,795 (2004) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 5 (2001) |
| Internet users: | 90,000 (2002) |
| Transportation | Cote d'Ivoire |
| Railways: | total: 660 km narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-meter gauge note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso (2003) |
| Highways: | total: 50,400 km paved: 4,889 km unpaved: 45,511 km (1999 est.) |
| Waterways: | 980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons) (2003) |
| Pipelines: | condensate 107 km; gas 223 km; oil 104 km (2004) |
| Ports and harbors: | Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro |
| Airports: | 37 (2003 est.) |
| 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 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.) |
| Military | Cote d'Ivoire |
| Military branches: | Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie, Republican Guard (includes Presidential Guard) |
| Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004) |
| Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 4,135,309 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 2,164,014 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 204,434 (2004 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $173.6 million (2003) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1.2% (2003) |
| Transnational Issues | Cote d'Ivoire |
| Disputes - international: | continuing rebel fighting extends to neighboring states and has kept out foreign workers from nearby countries; the Ivorian Government accuses Burkina Faso and Liberia of supporting Ivorian rebels |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons: | refugees (country of origin): 71,711 (Liberia) IDPs: 500,000 (2002 coup; most IDPs are in western regions) (2004) |
| 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 |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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