Ivory Coast

This Page was last updated on the 13th April, 2007.

Country News	Peacekeepers to be reduced by half every two months from April 16th. The division of the Ivory Coast into two halves had become one of the few stable realities of Ivorian politics. Now it appears that a breakthrough has been achieved. A peace accord was signed in Ouagadougou (in Burkina Faso) between the Ivory Coast government and the rebels who control the north of this once stable West African nation. Guillaume Soro signed for the rebels and President Gbagbo for the government. Soro has now become the prime minister. The accord was brokered by the President of Burkina Faso and facilitated by the Catholic organization Sant'Egidio which played a major part in the peace-accords in Mozambique. Millions of Ivorians who have no documents will see their situation regularized and the army is to be reunited. The accord had several major agreements: a power-sharing administration was to be set up within five weeks to govern the nation. The buffer zone between government controlled areas and rebel held territory is to be abolished. Currently UN and French troops patrol the zone. The latest agreement is that the number of foreign peacekeeping troops will be reduced by half every two months, starting on April 16th 2007.
Official Name	République de Côte d'Ivoire
Former Name & background	Ivory Coast: first French contact in 1637; invaded by two Akan groups, the Agnes and the Bales, in the 18th century; local treaties signed put territories under a French protectorate in 1843-44; became French colony in 1893; was part of the Federation of French West Africa in 1904-1958; pacification accomplished by 1915; independence.
Capital	Yamoussoukro (has been the official capital since 1983, but Abidjan remains the commercial and administrative centre)
Main Towns	Abidjan, Bouake, Daloa, Divo, Gagnoa, Korhogo, Man, Yamoussoukro (pop. 110,000)
Subdivisions	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 58 departments: Abengourou, Abidjan, Aboisso, Adiake, Adzope, Agboville, Agnibilekrou, Alepe, Bocanda, Bangolo, Beoumi, Biankouma, Bondoukou, Bongouanou, Bouafle, Bouake, Bouna, Boundiali, Dabakala, Dabou, Daloa, Danane, Daoukro, Dimbokro, Divo, Duekoue, Ferkessedougou, Gagnoa, Grand-Bassam, Grand-Lahou, Guiglo, Issia, Jacqueville, Katiola, Korhogo, Lakota, Man, Mankono, Mbahiakro, Odienne, Oume, Sakassou, San-Pedro, Sassandra, Seguela, Sinfra, Soubre, Tabou, Tanda, Tiebissou, Tingrela, Tiassale, Touba, Toulepleu, Toumodi, Vavoua, Yamoussoukro, Zuenoula
Independence	7 August 1960 (autonomous republic within the French community in December 1958)
Constitution	a new constitution was adopted 4 August 2000
National Holiday	Independence Day, 7 August (1960)
UN Membership	20 September 1960
OAU Membership	25 May 1963 – now African Union (AU)
Commonwealth	n/a
Other Organisations	In alphabetical order according to abbreviation/acronym: Africa-Caribbean-Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU), African Development Bank (AfDB or AFDB), Agency for the French-Speaking Community (ACCT), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Council of the Entente (Entente), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Franc Zone (FZ), Intergovernmental Group of 24 (G-24), Group of 77 at the United Nations (G-77), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), International Criminal Court (ICCt - signatory), International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM), International Development Association (IDA), Islamic Development Bank (IDB), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Maritime Organisation (IMO), International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), International Telecommunications Union (ITU), United Nations Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), Non Aligned Movement (NAM), Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF), Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Universal Postal Union (UPU), West African Development Bank (WADB), West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), World Confederation of Labour (WCL), World Customs Organization (WCO, former Customs Cooperation Council [CCC]), World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), World Health Organisation (WHO), World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), World Tourism Organisation (WToO), World Trade Organisation (WTrO).
Population	World Bank Figures: 15,465,460 (1999), 15,827,000 (2000), 16,176,605 (2001), 16,513,120 (2002), 16,835,416 (2003) Other Sources: 14,791,257 (July 1995), 16,393,221 (July 2001 est.), 16,962,491 (July 2003 est.) 17,298,040 (July 2005 est.)
Area	124,518 sq. mls. (322,500 sq. kms.)
Density	37 per sq.km. (1995)
Highest Point	Mont Nimba 5,748 ft. (1,752 m.)
Lowest Point	Atlantic Ocean (Gulf of Guinea) - sea level
Neighbours	Burkina Faso (N), Guinea (W), Ghana (E), Liberia (SW), Mali (N)
Life Expectancy	55 years (1995), total population: 44.93 years, male: 43.58 years, female: 46.33 years (2001 est.) total population: 42.65 years, male: 40.34 years, female: 45.04 years (2003 est.) total population: 48.62 years male: 46.05 years female: 51.27 years (2005 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate	total: 98.33 deaths/1,000 live births, female: 80.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.), male: 115.29 deaths/1,000 live births total: 90.83 deaths/1,000 live births male: 107.64 deaths/1,000 live births female: 73.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS	adult prevalence rate: 9.7% (2001 est.) 7% (2003 est.) people living with HIV/AIDS: 770,000 (2001 est.) 570,000 (2003 est.) deaths: 75,000 (2001 est.) 47,000 (2003 est.) IRIN Plus News - HIV/AIDS Treatment Map: Ivory Coast - Updated: Oct 2005 Population: 16.9 million HIV Prevalence Rate (%) 2003 End: 7.1 No. Of People living with HIV/AIDS: 580,000 No. Of People in need of ART: 80,000 No. Of People Currently on ART (August 2005): 12,000 No. Of People on ART Public Sector: Not Defined No. Of People on ART in Non Govt Programmes: Not Defined No. Of People Exptd to be on ART (2005 End): 40,000 Front Line Drug Regimen: Zidovudine+Lamivudine+Nevirapine and Zidovudine+Lamivudine+Efavirenz HIV/AIDS Treatment Sites: 13 Global Fund 2 Year Approved Funding (Round 2: April 2004): US$1,032,534.00 Total Funds Disbursed By The Global Fund: US$897,616.00 Total Funds Disbursed By The World Bank Multi-Country HIV/AIDS Programme (MAP): US$16,300,000.00 Total Funds Disbursed By PEPFAR: US$42 million Source: WHO, UNAIDS, Ministry of Health
Adult Literacy Rate	63% (1995), total population: 48.5%, male: 57%, female: 40% (2001 est.) total population: 50.9%, male: 57.9%, female: 43.6% (2003 est.)
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 20,000 French)(1998)
Languages	French (official), Dioula the most widely spoken of 60 local languages
Religions	Christian 34%, Muslim 27%, no religion 21%, animist 15%, other 3% (1998) Muslim 23%, Protestant 6%, Catholic 6%, Traditional Religion (Animist) 65% Christian 20-30%, Muslim 35-40%, indigenous 25-40% (2001) Indigenous 10%-20%, Muslim 35%-40%, and Christian (Catholic, Protestant and other denominations) 25%-35%
Type of Government	Republic, multiparty presidential republic established in 1960. U.N. Security Council renewed President's mandate for twelve months in 2005, his five year mandate having lapsed without elections being held to find a successor. Government controls south of country. U.N. troops provide a buffer zone between the south and the rebel held north.
President	Laurent Gbagbo (since 26 October 2000)
Prime Minister	Guillaume Soro since April 2007. He replaced Charles Konan Banny (Prime Minister since December 2005)
Political Parties	Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally (PDCI-RDA); Ivorian Popular Front (FPI); Ivorian Worker's Party (PIT); Rally of the Republicans (RDR); Union for Democracy and Peace (UDPCI); over 20 smaller parties.
Ruling Party	Democratic Party (PDCI)
Currency	Communaute Financiere Africaine (CFA, XOF) Franc (100 centimes) Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)
GDP	US$655 (1992) US$10,069m (1995) GDP: US$14.2 (2003) GDP: US$17.4 billion (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - US$24.78 billion (2004 est.) per capita purchasing power parity - US$1,500 (2002 est.) per capita purchasing power parity - US$1,500 (2004 est.)
GNP	US$690 (1992) US$580 (1994) US$660 (1995)
Per Capita Income	GDP per head: US$ 587 (projected 2002)
Population Below Poverty Line	37% (1995)
Land Use	arable land: 9.75% permanent crops: 13.84% other: 76.41% (2001) Irrigated land: 730 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural Resources	petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower
Oil and Natural Gas	Petroleum (offshore) discovered in 1977, production began in 1980; output in 2004 was 22,000 barrels per day. Oil production: 11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) 29,300 bbl/day (2004 est.) consumption: 32,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) exports: NA (2001) imports: NA (2001) proved reserves: 50 million bbl (January 2002 est.) 220 million bbl (2004 est.) Natural gas - production: 1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.) consumption: 1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.) proved reserves: 14.87 billion cu m (January 2002 est.) 14.87 billion cu m (2004) Pipelines: condensate 107 km; gas 223 km; oil 104 km (2004)
Military	Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie, Republican Guard (includes Presidential Guard) Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 4,035,462 (2003 est.) males age 18-49: 3,696,106 (2005 est.) Military expenditures - dollar figure: US$143.5 million, 1.4% of GDP (FY02) $180.2 million, 1.2% of GDP (2004)
Economic Aid Received	US$1 billion (ODA,1996 est.) Aid per Capita: US$29 (World Bank, 1999), US$22 (2000), US$10 (2001), US$65 (2002), US$15 (2003)
Debt	Severely indebted (HIPC) World Bank Figures: US$11,537,699,840 (2000), US$10,647,100,416 (2001), US$9,424,799,744 (2002), US$10,225,099,776 (2003) Other Sources: US$20bn (1994) US$18,952m (1995) US$13.9 bn (2000 est.) US$10.3 bn (2002 est.) US$11.81 billion (2004 est.)
Major Imports	fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs
Imports from	Nigeria 23.0%, France 22.6%, China 5.5%, Italy 3.8%, US 3.4%, Germany (2001) France 24.7%, Nigeria 18.5%, Italy 4% (2004) US$3.36 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Major Exports	cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, cotton, fish
Exports to	France 13.3%, Netherlands 9.4%, US 8.3%, Mali 5.8%, Germany 5.4%, Italy (2001) US 11.3%, Netherlands 10.1%, France 9.4%, Italy 5.3%, Belgium 4.7%, Germany 4.3% (2004) US$5.124 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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The White Fathers, Sutton Coldfield, 13th April, 2007

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