*Cote d'Ivoire, Header
Affiliation: (also known as Ivory Coast)
*Cote d'Ivoire, Geography
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Ghana and Liberia
Map references:
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
322,460 km2
land area:
318,000 km2
comparative area:
slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total 3,110 km, Burkina 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km, Liberia 716 km,
Mali 532 km
Coastline:
515 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
200 m depth
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
none
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:
petroleum, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper
Land use:
arable land:
9%
permanent crops:
4%
meadows and pastures:
9%
forest and woodland:
26%
other:
52%
Irrigated land:
620 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; severe deforestation
*Cote d'Ivoire, People
Population: 13,808,447 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.5% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
46.88 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
15.07 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
3.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
97 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
48.97 years
male:
46.98 years
female:
51.03 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.73 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Ivorian(s)
adjective:
Ivorian
Ethnic divisions:
Baoule 23%, Bete 18%, Senoufou 15%, Malinke 11%, Agni, foreign Africans
(mostly Burkinabe about 2 million), non-Africans 130,000 to 330,000 (French
30,000 and Lebanese 100,000 to 300,000)
Religions:
indigenous 63%, Muslim 25%, Christian 12%
Languages:
French (official), 60 native dialects Dioula is the most widely spoken
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
54%
male:
67%
female:
40%
Labor force:
5.718 million
by occupation:
over 85% of population engaged in agriculture, forestry, livestock raising;
about 11% of labor force are wage earners, nearly half in agriculture and
the remainder in government, industry, commerce, and professions
note:
54% of population of working age (1985)
*Cote d'Ivoire, Government
Names:
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
Digraph:
IV
Type:
republic multiparty presidential regime established 1960
Capital:
Yamoussoukro
note:
although Yamoussoukro has been the capital since 1983, Adibjan remains the
administrative center; foreign governments, including the United States,
maintain presence in Abidjan
Administrative divisions:
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,
Tingrela, 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
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party of the Cote d'Ivoire (PDCI), Dr. Felix HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY;
Ivorian Popular Front (FPI), Laurent GBAGBO; Ivorian Worker's Party (PIT),
Francis WODIE; Ivorian Socialist Party (PSI), Morifere BAMBA; over 20
smaller parties
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Elections:
President:
last held 28 October 1990 (next to be held October 1995); results -
President Felix HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY received 81% of the vote in his first
contested election; he is currently serving his seventh consecutive
five-year term
National Assembly:
last held 25 November 1990 (next to be held November 1995); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (175 total) PDCI 163, FPI 9, PIT 1,
independents 2
Executive branch:
president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
*Cote d'Ivoire, Government
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Dr. Felix HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY (since 27 November 1960)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Alassane OUATTARA (since 7 November 1990)
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, GATT,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL,
IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Charles GOMIS
chancery:
2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 797-0300
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Hume A. HORAN
embassy:
5 Rue Jesse Owens, Abidjan
mailing address:
01 B. P. 1712, Abidjan
telephone:
[225] 21-09-79 or 21-46-72
FAX:
[225] 22-32-59
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