Cote d'Ivoire

Close ties to France since independence in 1960, diversification of agriculture for export, and encouragement of foreign investment have made Cote d'Ivoire the most prosperous of the tropical African states. About 20% of the population are workers from neighboring countries. On 25 December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history - overthrew the government. The new regime has promised to return the country to democratic rule in 2000.

• 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

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

0-14 years:

46.45% (male 3,726,388; female 3,696,462)

15-64 years:

51.36% (male 4,222,333; female 3,985,249)

65 years and over:

2.19% (male 175,606; female 174,912) (2000 est.)

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

1 male(s)/female

total population:

1.03 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

noun:

Ivorian(s)

adjective:

Ivorian

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

• 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

chief of state:

Gen. Robert GUEI (since 25 December 1999); note - took power following a military coup against the government of former President Henri Konan BEDIE; president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government:

Gen. Robert GUEI (since 25 December 1999); note - took power following a military coup against the government of former President Henri Konan BEDIE; president is both chief of state and head of government

cabinet:

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections:

• prior to the coup, president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
• election last held 22 October 1995 (next was scheduled to be held by October 2000);
• prime minister appointed by the president

election results:

results of the last election prior to the coup were: Henri Konan BEDIE elected president; percent of vote - Henri Konan BEDIE 95.25%

• Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire or PDCI [Jean Konan BANNY, acting head];
• Ivorian Popular Front or FPI [Laurent GBAGBO];
• Ivorian Worker's Party or PIT [Francis WODIE];
• Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Henriette DAGRI-DIABATE];
• over 20 smaller parties

chief of mission:

Ambassador Koffi Moise KOUMOUE-KOFFI

chancery:

3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone:

[1] (202) 797-0300

chief of mission:

Ambassador George MU

embassy:

5 Rue Jesse Owens, Abidjan

mailing address:

01 B. P. 1712, Abidjan

telephone:

[225] 21 09 79, 21 46 72

FAX:

[225] 22 32 59

• 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

lowest 10%:

2.8%

highest 10%:

28.5% (1988)

total:

660 km

narrow gauge:

660 km 1.000-meter gauge; 25 km double track (1995 est.)

total:

50,400 km

paved:

4,889 km

unpaved:

45,511 km (1996 est.)

total:

1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,200 GRT/1,500 DWT

ships by type:

petroleum tanker 1 (1999 est.)

• illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption;
• minor transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin to Europe and occasionally to the US, and for Latin American cocaine destined for Europe [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]