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___ Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)

Beach in San Pédro, Ivory Coast
Beach near San Pédro, a city in southwestern Ivory Coast and the country's second largest port.
Image: Axe (Junx)
 
Ivory Coast Flag
Flag of Côte d'Ivoire
Location map of Ivory Coast. Where in Africa is Côte d'Ivoire
Location map of Ivory Coast
A virtual guide to Côte d'Ivoire (also known as Ivory Coast), a tropical country in southern West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea (North Atlantic Ocean), bordered in north by Mali and Burkina Faso, in west by Liberia and Guinea, and in east by Ghana.

Ivory Coast covers an area of 322,463 km², compared it is slightly smaller than Poland, or slightly larger than the U.S. state of New Mexico.

Côte d'Ivoire has a population of 22.7 million inhabitants (in 2015). Capital city is Yamoussoukro. Largest city and the defacto capital is Abidjan. Spoken languages are French (official); and languages of five principal language groups, the Diula (Dioula), Baule (Baoulé), Dan, Anyin and Senari. About 40% of the population are Muslims, 34% are Christians, and 25% practice traditional (animist) religions.
 

Republic of Cote d'Ivoire - Republique du Côte d'Ivoire


Country Profile



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 West African states, but did not protect it from political turmoil. In December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history - overthrew the government. Junta leader Robert GUEI blatantly rigged elections held in late 2000 and declared himself the winner. Popular protest forced him to step aside and brought Laurent GBAGBO into power.

Ivorian dissidents and disaffected members of the military 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 issues that sparked the civil war, such as land reform and grounds for citizenship, remained unresolved. In March 2007 President GBAGBO and former New Force rebel leader Guillaume SORO signed the Ouagadougou Political Agreement. As a result of the agreement, SORO joined GBAGBO's government as Prime Minister and the two agreed to reunite the country by dismantling the zone of confidence separating North from South, integrate rebel forces into the national armed forces, and hold elections. Several thousand French and UN troops remain in Cote d'Ivoire to help the parties implement their commitments and to support the peace process.
(Source: CIA - The World Factbook)
 
 

Official Name:
Republique du Côte d'Ivoire
short form: Côte d'Ivoire
int'l long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
int'l short form: Cote d'Ivoire (or Ivory Coast)

ISO Country Code: ci, CIV

Time:
Local Time = UTC +0h
Actual Time: Tue-Mar-26  05:58

Country Calling Code: +225

Capital City: Yamoussoukro,
Abidjan (the economic capital and de facto political capital)

Other Cities: Bouaké, Daloa, Gagnoa, Korhogo, Man, San Pedro.

Government:
Type: Republic.
Independence: 7 August 1960.

Geography:
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia.
Area: 322,500 km² (124 500 sq. mi.)
Terrain: Forested, undulating, hilly in the west.

Climate: Tropical, semiarid in far north.

People:
Nationality: Ivoirian(s).
Population: 22.7 million (2015)
Ethnic groups: More than 60; main groups are Akan 40%, Voltaiques (Gur) 18%, Northern Mandes 17%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 3%.
Religions: Indigenous 10%-20%, Muslim 35%-40%, Christian 25%-35%.
Languages: French (official); five principal language groups, the main ones are Diula (Dioula), Baule (Baoulé), Dan, Anyin and Senari.
Literacy: 50%

Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower.

Agriculture products: main export goods are coffee and cocoa beans,
other products are: bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber and timber.

Industries: Foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity, ship construction and repair.

Exports - commodities: cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, fish.

Exports partners: USA 8.5%, Netherlands 6.2%, France 5.6%, Germany 5.6%, Nigeria 5.5%, Burkina Faso 5.5%, Belgium 5.3%, India 4.6%, Ghana 4.4%, Switzerland 4.1% (2015)

Imports - commodities: fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs.

Imports partners: Nigeria 21.9%, China 14.4%, France 11.4%, Bahamas, The 5% (2015)

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF)
Ivory Coast Parliament building in Abidjan
Parliament building in Abidjan
Image: Zenman

Official Sites of Côte d'Ivoire

Note: External links will open in a new browser window.

Portail officiel de Gouvernment de Côte d'Ivoire
Official website of the new Government of the Ivory Coast.

Présidence de la République de Côte d'Ivoire
Official site of the President of the Republic of Ivory Coast.

Autorité Nationale de Régulation des Marchés Publics (ANRMP)
National Public Procurement Regulatory Authority.

Ministère des Affaires Etrangères
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Côte d'Ivoire.

National Institute of Statistics of Cote d'Ivoire
Ivory Coast in figures.

Diplomatic Missions
Permanent Mission of Côte d'Ivoire to the UN
Côte d'Ivoire's permanent mission to the United Nations.
Ambassade de Côte d'Ivoire
Embassy of Ivory Coast, Ottawa - Canada.
Les Ambassades de Côte d'Ivoire à l'étranger
Embassies of Côte d'Ivoire abroad.
Ambassades étrangères en Côte d'Ivoire
Foreign Embassies in Ivory Coast.



Maps

Map of Côte d'Ivoire
Political map of Ivory Coast.
Administrative Map of Côte d'Ivoire
Map of Ivory Coast showing the country's administrative regions.

Google Earth Google Earth Côte d'Ivoire
Searchable map/satellite view of Côte d'Ivoire.
Google Earth Google Earth Yamoussoukro
Searchable map/satellite of Côte d'Ivoire's capital city.
Google Earth Google Earth Abidjan
Searchable map/satellite of Côte d'Ivoire's largest city.

Map of Africa
Political Map of Africa.
Relief Map of Africa

News


abidjan.net
With news from Côte d'Ivoire (in French)
Fraternité Matin
Côte d'Ivoire news (in French)
Le Patriote
More news from Côte d'Ivoire (in French)
Soir Info
Ivory Coast news (in French)

Other Newssources:
Côte d'Ivoire Top News
by allAfrica.com
Reuters AlertNet - Ivory Coast
The Washington Post: Ivory Coast
Article about a textbook case of army mutiny in Ivory Coast.
 

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Arts & Culture


africancraft.com
African Art, African Artists, Artisans, Designers.

Akan Cultural Symbols
Wikipedia article about Adinkra symbolism as a visual representation of social thought relating to the history, philosophy and religious beliefs of the Akan peoples of Ghana and the Gyaman people of Cote' d'lvoire.

Smithsonian National Museum of African Art
The Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives by countries including Ivory Coast.
 
 
Train station in Tafiré, northern Ivory Coast
Hawkers and passengers at the train station in Tafiré, a town in northern Ivory Coast.
Image: Zenman

Business & Economy


Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO)
Central Bank of Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo.

Union Économique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA)
West African Economic and Monetary Union (in French)

IZF.net, le portail de la Zone Franc CFA
Information about business and investment in the African countries within the monetary system of the Franc Zone - CFA. (in French)

Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de Côte d'Ivoire
Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Côte d'Ivoire.
Chambre de Commerce Belge en Côte d'Ivoire
The Belgium Chamber of Commerce in Côte d'Ivoire.

ivoireabidjan.com
Emerging Côte d'Ivoire Development Hub. (in French)
 
 
Mount Nimba, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Liberia
Mount Nimba (or Mount Richard-Molard) coverd with cloud forests. It is the highest peak for both countries, Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire.
Image: Yakoo1986

Travel and Tour Consumer Information


Destination Côte d'Ivoire - Travel and Tour Guides

Discover Ivory Coast:
Museums: Musée national du costume de Grand-Bassam (National Museum of Costume), Musée des Civilisations de Côte d'Ivoire (National museum)
National Parks: Abokouamekro Game Reserve, Comoé National Park, Îles Ehotilés National Park, Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve, Taï National Park.
Mountains: Mount Richard-Molard (highest peak for both countries, Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea)

Côte d'Ivoire Tourisme
Official tourism website of Ivory Coast with information about the country (in French).

Côte d'Ivoire Tourisme
Kind of outdated official website with tourist information about Ivory Coast (in French).


UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Ivory Coast
World Heritage Site Historic Town of Grand-Bassam
Grand-Bassam was the first capital of Côte d’Ivoire, the town is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
World Heritage Site Comoé National Park
One of the largest protected areas in West Africa.
World Heritage Site Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve
The Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve is dominated by a chain of mountains, it contains original and diverse species of the most remarkable animal and plant populations.
World Heritage Site Taï National Park
One of the last major remnants of primary tropical forest in West Africa.
 
 
University Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
University Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan.
Image: Serein

Education


University Félix Houphouët-Boigny
The university, formerly known as University of Cocody, is situated in Cocody, a suburb of Abidjan. It is one of the elite universities in the country.

Université des Sciences et Technologies de Côte d'Ivoire (UST-CI)
University of Science and Technology of Ivory Coast.

Université Catholique de l'Afrique de l'Ouest
Catholic University of West Africa is situated in Abidjan.
 
 
Kossou artificial lake
Fisher on Lake Kossou, Côte d'Ivoire's largest lake, the artificial body of water was created in 1973 by damming the Bandama River.
Image: Hanay

Environment & Nature


From rich to poor: Ivory Coast tragedy highlights hazardous waste trade on rise
International Herald Tribune article about waste trade to Ivory Coast.

Toxic waste adds to Ivory Coast's woes
BBC article about the toxic waste scandal in Ivory Coast.

 
 

History


History of Cote d'Ivoire
Overview about Ivoirian history (in French)
History of Ivory Coast
Very short summary of Ivory Coast's history.
History of Côte d'Ivoire
Wikipedia entry about History of Côte d'Ivoire.

 
 

Sources and additional Information on Côte d'Ivoire


Amnesty International: Côte d'Ivoire

BBC Country Profile: Côte d'Ivoire

FAO: Côte d'Ivoire

GlobalEDGE: Cote d'Ivoire

Human Rights Watch: Cote d'Ivoire

OEC: Cote d'Ivoire

Reporters Without Borders: Côte d'Ivoire

UNOCI: United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire

Wikipedia: Côte d'Ivoire

The World Factbook -- Côte d'Ivoire
 
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Major Cities in West Africa
Abidjan, Abuja, Accra, Bamako, Banjul, Bissau, Conakry, Cotonou, Dakar, Freetown, Lagos, Lomé, Monrovia,
Niamey, Nouakchott, Ouagadougou, Porto-Novo, Praia, Sao Tome City, Yamoussoukro

Other Countries in Western Africa
Benin | Burkina Faso | Cape Verde | Gambia | Ghana | Guinea | Guinea-Bissau | Liberia
Mali | Mauritania | Niger | Nigeria | Senegal | Sierra Leone | Togo
 
 
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