Cote d'Ivoire

republicIndependence 7 August 1960 (from France)

Cote d'Ivoire as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 71 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalAbidjan (capital city changed to Yamoussoukro in March 1983 but not recognized by US)

Area322,460 km2

Populationas each edition published it

12.48 million July 1990 · 31.86m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 3.5% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 17 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 48.97 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.9 children per woman 1990 · 3.85 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

100 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 52.3 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $800 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition -0.6% in 1993

Geography

12 fields

Land useshare of 322,460 km2

arable land 9%permanent crops 4%meadows and pastures 9%forest and woodland 26%other 52%includes NEGL% irrigated

Total area

322,460km2

land area: 318,000 km2Comparative area: slightly larger than New Mexico

Coastline

515km

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

3,110km total

Burkina 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km, Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km

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

Natural resources

crude oil, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper

Environment

coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; severe deforestation

People

14 fields

Population

12,478,024

(July 1990), growth rate 4.0% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

48Death

13Net migration

Religion

indigenous 63%Muslim 25%Christian 12%

Literacy

42.7%

Ethnic divisions

over 60 ethnic groups;
most important are the Baoule 23%, Bete 18%, Senoufou 15%, Malinke 11%, and Agni;
about 2 million foreign Africans, mostly Burkinabe;
about 130,000 to 330,000 non-Africans (30,000 French and 100,000 to 300,000 Lebanese)

Language

French (official), over 60 native dialects; Dioula most widely spoken

Labor force

5,718,000;
over 85% of population engaged in agriculture, for estry, livestock raising;
about 11% of labor force are wage earners, nearly half in agriculture and the remainder in government, industry, commerce, and professions;
54% of population of working age (1985)

Government

Republic

17 fields

National Assembly, 175 seats, elected 10 November 1985one dot, one seat

PDCI 175

Long-form name

Republic of the Ivory Coast; note--the local official name is Republique de Cote d'Ivoire

Type

republic; one-party presidential regime established 1960

Capital

Abidjan (capital city changed to Yamoussoukro in March 1983 but not recognized by US)

49 departments (departements, singular--(departement); Abengourou, Abidjan, Aboisso, Adzope, Agboville, Bangolo, Beoumi, Biankouma, Bondoukou, Bongouanou, Bouafle, Bouake, Bouna, Boundiali, Dabakala, Daloa, Danane, Daoukro, Dimbokro, Divo, Duekoue, Ferkessedougou, Gagnoa, Grand-Lahou, Guiglo, Issia, Katiola, Korhogo, Lakota, Man, Mankono, Mbahiakro, Odienne, Oume, Sakassou, San-Pedro, Sassandra, Seguela, Sinfra, Soubre, Tabou, Tanda, Tengrela, Tiassale, Touba, Toumodi, Vavoua, Yamoussoukro, Zuenoula

Independence

7 August 1960 (from France)

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

National holiday

National Day, 7 December

Executive branch

president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) Chief of State and Head of Government--President Dr. Felix HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY (since 27 November 1960)

Political parties and leaders

only party--Democratic Party of the Ivory Coast (PDCI), Dr. Felix Houphouet-Boigny

Suffrage

universal at age 21 President--last held 27 October 1985 (next to be held October 1990);
results--President Felix Houphouet-Boigny was reelected without opposition to his fifth consecutive five-year term;
National Assembly--last held 10 November 1985 (next to be held 10 November 1990);
results--PDCI is the only party;
seats--(175 total) PDCI 175

Communists

no Communist party; possibly some sympathizers

Member of

ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, EAMA, ECA, ECOWAS, EIB (associate), Entente, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, Niger River Commission, NAM, OAU, OCAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Charles GOMIS;
Chancery at 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 797-0300;
US--Ambassador Kenneth BROWN;
Embassy at 5 Rue Jesse Owens, Abidjan (mailing address is B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01);
telephone [225] 32-09-79

Flag

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

Economy

The Ivory Coast is among the world's largest producers and exporters of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm-kernel oil.

17 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$10.0billion

per capita $900; real growth rate - 6.4% (1988)

Inflation, consumer prices

7.5%

(1988)

Unemployment rate

14%

(1985)

External debt

$14.7billion

(1989 est.)

Exports $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1988)commodities, where a share is given

cocoa

30%coffee

20%tropical woods

11%

also cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, cotton; partners--France, FRG, Netherlands, US, Belgium, Spain (1985)

Imports $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1988)

manufactured goods and semifinished products

50%consumer goods

40%raw materials and fuels

10%

; partners--France, other EC, Nigeria, US, Japan (1985)

Overview

The Ivory Coast 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 1989.

Budget

revenues $1.6 billion (1986); expenditures $2.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $504 million (1988 est.)

Industrial production

growth rate 0% (1987)

Electricity

1,081,000 kW capacity; 2,440 million kWh produced, 210 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

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

Agriculture

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 selfsufficient in bread grain and dairy products

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis on a small scale for the international drug trade

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $344 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $4.6 billion

Currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural--francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--287.99 (January 1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Merchant marine, 7 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 5petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker 1chemical tanker 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 71,945 GRT/ 90,684 DWT

Airports, 49 total, 42 usable

permanent-surface runways

7runways over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

3runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Highways

46,600Railroads

660Inland waterways

980

Highways: ; 3,600 km bituminous and bituminous-treated surface; 32,000 km gravel, crushed stone, laterite, and improved earth; 11,000 km unimproved · Railroads: (Burkina border to Abidjan, 1.00-meter gauge, single track, except 25 km Abidjan-Anyama section is double track) · Inland waterways: , canals, and numerous coastal lagoons