todd

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 cleared by the timber industry);
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

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

Capital:
Yamoussoukro
Note: although Yamoussoukro has been the 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

Executive branch:
Chief of state: President Henri Konan BEDIE (since 12/7/93);
note—succeeded to the presidency following the death
of President Felix HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY,
who had served continuously since November 1960
Head of government: Prime Minister Daniel Kablan DUNCAN (since 12/10/93)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 22 Oct 1995 (next to be held Oct 2000);
Prime Minister appointed by the president
Election results:
Henri Konan BEDIE elected president;
% of vote—Henri Konan BEDIE 96%

Legislative branch:
Unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
(175 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve 5-year terms)
Elections: elections last held 11/27/95 (next to be held NA Nov 2000)
Election results: percent of vote by party—NA;
Seats by party—PDCI 150, RDR 13, FPI 12
Note: a Senate will be created in 2000

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party of the Cote d'Ivoire or PDCI [Henri Konan BEDIE];
Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Henriette DAGRI-DIABATE];
Ivorian Popular Front or FPI [Laurent GBAGBO];
Ivorian Worker's Party or PIT [Francis WODIE];
Ivorian Socialist Party or PSI [Morifere BAMBA];
over 20 smaller parties

International organization participation:
ACCT, 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, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
MINURCA, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Koffi Moise KOUMOUE-KOFFI
chancery: 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300

Diplomatic representation from the US:
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

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 attempts by the government 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 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.

12/12/94
A 50% devaluation of Franc Zone currencies on caused a one-time
jump in the inflation rate to 26%, but the rate fell sharply in 1996-98.
Moreover, government adherence to donor-mandated
reforms led to a jump in growth to 6% annually in 1996-98.
Growth may slow in 1999-2000 because of the difficulty of meeting the
conditions of international donors and continued low prices of key exports.

Communications

Telephone system:
Well-developed by African standards but operating well below capacity
Domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay
International: satellite earth stations—
2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 coaxial submarine cables

Military

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

Transnational Issues

Disputes—International:
None

Illicit Drugs:
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

Environment

Natural resources:
Petroleum, diamonds, manganese,
iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper

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

Irrigated land:
680 sq km (1993 est.)

Transport

Railways:
Total: 660 km
Narrow gauge: 660 km
1.000-m gauge; 25 km double track
(1995 est.)

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

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

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

Merchant marine:
Total: 1 oil tanker
(1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 1,200 GRT/1,500 DWT
(1998 est.)

Airports:
36 (1998 est.)

Airports—Paved:
Total: 7
Over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

Airports—Unpaved:
Total: 29
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 12
Under 914 m: 9

People

Population:
15,818,068

Age structure:
0-14 years: 47%
(m 3,702,051; fe 3,664,672)
15-64 years: 51%
(m 4,154,440; fe 3,952,999)
65 years and over: 2%
(m 174,065; f 169,841)

Population growth rate:
2.35%

Birth rate:
41.76 births/1,000 population

Death rate:
16.17 deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate: -
2.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Note: after Liberia's civil war
started in 1990, more than 350,000
refugees fled to Cote d'Ivoire and,
by Sept. 1998, according to the
UNHCR, about 85,000 remain

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 m/fe
under 15 years: 1.01 m/fe
15-64 years: 1.05 m/fe
65 years and over: 1.02 m/fe
total population: 1.03 m/fe

Infant mortality rate:
94.17 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 46.05 years
male: 44.48 yrs fe: 47.67 yrs

Total fertility rate:
5.89 children born/woman

Nationality:
noun: Ivorian(s)
adjective: Ivorian

Ethnic groups:
Baoule 23%, Bete 18%,
Senoufou 15%, Malinke 11%,
Agni, Africans from other countries
(mostly Burkinabe and Malians,
about 3 million),
non-Africans 130,000 to 330,000
(French 30,000 and
Lebanese 100,000 to 300,000)

Religions:
Muslim 60%, Christian 22%,
indigenous 18% (some mix w/
Christianity and Islam)

Languages:
French (official), 60 native dialects
w/ Dioula the most widely spoken

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and up read/write
total population: 48.5%
male: 57% female: 40%

Govt.

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Independence:
7 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
National Day, 7 August

Constitution:
11/3/60; has been amended
numerous times, last time 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

Data code:
IV

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Government type:
Republic; multiparty presidential
regime established 1960

Military

Manpower—military age:
18 years of age

Manpower—availability:
males age 15-49: 3,677,627 (1999 est.)

Manpower—fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,917,433 (1999 est.)

Reach military age annually:
males: 178,860 (1999 est.)

Expenditures—$ figure:
$94 million (1998)

Expenditures—% of GDP:
0.9% (1996)

Geography

Geographic coordinates:
8 00 N, 5 00 W

Climate:
Tropical along coast, semiarid
in far north; three seasons—
warm and dry (Nov. to March),
hot and dry (March to May),
hot and wet (June to Oct.)

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

Area:
Total: 322,460 sq km
Land: 318,000 sq km
Water: 4,460 sq km

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

Economy

GDP: Purchasing power parity--
$24.2 billion
(1998 est.)

GDP—real growth rate:
6% (1998 est.)

GDP—per capita:
Purchasing power parity—$1,680
(1998 est.)

GDP—composition by sector:
agriculture: 31%
industry: 20%
services: 49%
(1995)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or
consumption by % share:
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 28.5%
(1988)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6%
(1998 est.)

Labor force:
NA

Unemployment rate:
NA%

Budget:
Revenues: $2.3 billion
Expenditures: $2.6 billion,
including capital expenditures
of $640 million
(1997 est.)

Industries:
Foodstuffs, beverages; wood
products, oil refining, automobile
assembly, textiles, fertilizer,
construction materials, electricity

Industrial production growth rate:
15% (annual rate, 1st 1/2 1998)

Electricity—production:
1.88 billion kWh
(1996)

Electricity—source:
fossil fuel: 22%
hydro: 47%
nuclear: 0%
other: 31%
(1996)

Electricity—consumption:
1.88 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—exports:
0 kWh (1996)

Electricity—imports:
0 kWh (1996)

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

Exports:
$4.3 billion
(f.o.b., 1998)

Exports—commodities:
Cocoa 36%, coffee, tropical
woods, petroleum, cotton, bananas,
pineapples, palm oil, cotton, fish

Exports—partners:
Netherlands 17%, France 15%,
Germany 7%, US 6%, Italy 5%
(1997)

Imports:
$2.5 billion
(f.o.b., 1998)

Imports—commodities:
Food, consumer goods; capital
goods, fuel, transport equipment

Imports—partners:
France 28%, Nigeria 20%,
US 6%, Italy 5%, Germany 4%
(1997)

Debt—external:
$16.8 billion (1998 est.)

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

Currency:
1 Communaute Financiere Africaine
franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates:
CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1
560.01 (January 1999),
589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997),
511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995),
555.20 (1994)

Fiscal year:
Calendar year

Communications

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 71, FM 4, shortwave 13

Radios:
NA

Television broadcast stations:
14 (1997)

Televisions:
810,000 (1993 est.)

Telephones:
200,000 (1988 est.)