Cote d'Ivoire

§1. Cote d'Ivoire Introduction

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.

§2. Cote d'Ivoire Geography

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

Geographic coordinates:
  8 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 322,460 kmē
  land: 318,000 kmē
  water: 4,460 kmē

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than New Mexico

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

Land use:
  arable land: 8%
  permanent crops: 4%
  permanent pastures: 41%
  forests and woodland: 22%
  other: 25% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:
  680 kmē (1993 est.)

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 heavily logged); 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

§3. Cote d'Ivoire People

Population:
  16,393,221
  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 2001 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 46.21% (male 3,802,397; female 3,773,455)
  15-64 years: 51.57% (male 4,343,518; female 4,110,805)
  65 years and over: 2.22% (male 180,463; female 182,583) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.51% (2001 est.)

Birth rate:
  40.38 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate:
  16.65 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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 most Liberian refugees were assumed to have returned

Sex ratio:
  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: 0.99 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  93.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 44.93 years male: 43.58 years
  female: 46.33 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.7 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  10.76% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  760,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  72,000 (1999 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% (1998)

Religions:
  Christian 34%, Muslim 27%, no religion 21%, animist 15%, other 3% (1998)
  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: 48.5%
  male: 57%
  female: 40%

§4. Cote d'Ivoire 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

Capital:
  Yamoussoukro; note - although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital
  since 1983, Abidjan remains the administrative center; the US, like other
  countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan

Administrative divisions:
  50 departments (departements, singular - departement); Abengourou, Abidjan,
  Aboisso, Adzope, Agboville, Agnibilekrou, 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, Tingrela, Tiassale, Touba, Toumodi, Vavoua,
  Yamoussoukro, Zuenoula
  note: Cote d'Ivoire may have a new administrative structure consisting of
    58 departments; the following additional departments have been reported
    but not yet confirmed by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN); Adiake',
    Ale'pe', Dabon, Grand Bassam, Jacqueville, Tiebissou, Toulepleu, Bocanda

Independence:
  7 August (1960) (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 7 August (1960)

Constitution:
  3 November 1960; has been amended numerous times, last time 27 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) appointed by the president
  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 is scheduled 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 [Henriette DAGRI-DIABATE]; Union for Democracy and Peace [Gen. Robert
  GUEI]; over 20 smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC (observer),
  OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WADB (regional), WAEMU,
  WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Youssouf BAMBA chancery: 3421 Massachusetts
    Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador George MU 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

§5. Cote d'Ivoire Economy

Economy - overview:
  Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers and exporters of
  coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly
  sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products and to
  weather conditions. Despite government attempts to diversify the economy,
  it is still largely dependent on agriculture and related activities, which
  engage roughly 68% of the population. After several years of lagging
  performance, the Ivorian economy began a comeback in 1994, due to the 50%
  devaluation of the CFA franc and improved prices for cocoa and coffee,
  growth in nontraditional primary exports such as pineapples and rubber,
  limited trade and banking liberalization, offshore oil and gas discoveries,
  and generous external financing and debt rescheduling by multilateral
  lenders and France. Moreover, government adherence to donor-mandated
  reforms led to a jump in growth to 5% annually in 1996-99. Growth was
  negative in 2000 because of the difficulty of meeting the conditions of
  international donors, continued low prices of key exports, and post-coup
  instability. In 2001-02, a moderate rebound in the cocoa market could boost
  growth back above 3%; however, political instability could impede growth
  again.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $26.2 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -0.3% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 32% industry: 18%
  services: 50% (1998)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.8% (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.5% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  68% agricultural (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  13% in urban areas (1998 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.5 billion
  expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $420 million
    (2000 est.)

Industries:
  foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and bus assembly,
  textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity

Industrial production growth rate:
  15% (1998 est.)

Electricity - production:
  4.06 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source:
  fossil fuel: 75.37% hydro: 24.63%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption:
  3.183 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports:
  593 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (1999)

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

Exports:
  $3.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cocoa 33%, coffee, tropical woods, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples,
  palm oil, cotton, fish (1999)

Exports - partners:
  France 15%, US 8%, Netherlands 7%, Germany 6%, Italy 6% (1999)

Imports:
  $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food, consumer goods; capital goods, fuel, transport equipment

Imports - partners:
  France 26%, Nigeria 10%, China 7%, Italy 5%, Germany 4% (1999)

Debt - external:
  $13.9 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA, $1 billion (1996 est.)

Currency:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority
  is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
  XOF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 699.21
  (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997),
  511.55 (1996); note - from 1 January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at
  a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Cote d'Ivoire Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  219,283 (31 December 1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  322,500 (May 2000)

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: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and
    1 Indian Ocean); 2 coaxial submarine cables (June 1999)

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

Radios:
  2.26 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  14 (1999)

Televisions:
  900,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ci

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2001)

Internet users:
  20,000 (2000)

§7. Cote d'Ivoire Transportation

Railways:
  total: 660 km
  narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-meter gauge; 25 km double track
  note: an additional 600 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso,
    ending at Kaya, north of Ouagadougou (2000)

Highways:
  total: 50,400 km
  paved: 4,889 km
  unpaved: 45,511 km (1996)

Waterways:
  980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons)

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

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,200 GRT/1,500 DWT
  ships by type: petroleum tanker 1 (2000 est.)

Airports:
  36 (2000 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 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
  914 to 1,523 m: 12
  under 914 m: 9 (2000 est.)

§8. Cote d'Ivoire Military

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie, Republican Guard (includes
  Presidential Guard), Sapeur-Pompier (Military Fire Group)

Military manpower - military age:
  18 years of age

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 3,851,432 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 2,010,862 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 188,411 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $94 million (FY96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1% (FY96)

§9. Cote d'Ivoire Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  none

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
