1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 322,460 sq km land area: 318,000 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than New Mexico
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)
Coastline
515 km
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 natural hazards: coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83; signed, but not ratified - Desertification
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
620 sq km (1989 est.)
Land boundaries
total 3,110 km, Burkina 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km, Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km
Land use
arable land: 9% permanent crops: 4% meadows and pastures: 9% forest and woodland: 26% other: 52%
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia
Map references
Africa
Maritime claims
continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
petroleum, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper
Terrain
mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 48% (female 3,506,147; male 3,534,751) 15-64 years: 50% (female 3,619,759; male 3,820,999) 65 years and over: 2% (female 142,366; male 167,235) (July 1995 est.)
Birth rate
46.17 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
14.95 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Baoule 23%, Bete 18%, Senoufou 15%, Malinke 11%, Agni, foreign Africans (mostly Burkinabe and Malians, about 3 million), non-Africans 130,000 to 330,000 (French 30,000 and Lebanese 100,000 to 300,000)
Infant mortality rate
93.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
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
Languages
French (official), 60 native dialects; Dioula is the most widely spoken
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 48.87 years male: 46.52 years female: 51.29 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1988) total population: 34% male: 44% female: 23%
Nationality
noun: Ivorian(s) adjective: Ivorian
Net migration rate
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) note: since 1989, over 350,000 refugees have fled to Cote d'Ivoire to escape the civil war in Liberia; if a lasting peace is achieved in Liberia in 1995, large numbers of refugees can be expected to return to their homes
Population
14,791,257 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
3.38% (1995 est.)
Religions
indigenous 25%, Muslim 60%, Christian 12%
Total fertility rate
6.61 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Government
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
Capital
Yamoussoukro note: although Yamoussoukro has been the capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the administrative center; foreign governments, including the United States, maintain presence in Abidjan
Constitution
3 November 1960; has been amended numerous times, last time November 1990
Digraph
IV
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Moise KOUMOUE-KOFFI chancery: 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300
Executive branch
chief of state: President Henri Konan BEDIE (since 7 December 1993) constitutional successor who will serve during the remainder of the term of former President Felix HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY who died in office after continuous service from November 1960 (next election October 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Daniel Kablan DUNCAN (since 10 December 1993) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister
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
Independence
7 August 1960 (from France)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
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
Legislative branch
unicameral
Member of
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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
National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
elections 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
National holiday
National Day, 7 December
Political parties and leaders
Democratic Party of the Cote d'Ivoire (PDCI), Henri Konan BEDIE; Rally of the Republicans (RDR), Djeny KOBINA; 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
Type
republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960
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, 21 46 72
Economy
Agriculture
most important sector, contributing one-third to GDP and 80% to exports; cash crops include coffee, cocoa beans, timber, bananas, palm kernels, rubber; food crops - corn, rice, manioc, sweet potatoes; not self-sufficient in bread grain and dairy products
Budget
revenues: $1.9 billion expenditures: $3.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $408 million (1993)
Currency
1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Economic aid
recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $356 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $5.2 billion
Electricity
capacity: 1,170,000 kW production: 1.8 billion kWh consumption per capita: 123 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 529.43 (January 1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948
Exports
$2.7 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: cocoa 30%, coffee 20%, tropical woods 11%, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, cotton partners: France, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Burkina, US, Belgium, UK (1992)
External debt
$17.3 billion (1993 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Illicit drugs
illicit producer of cannabis; mostly for local consumption; some international drug trade; transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin to Europe and occasionally to the US
Imports
$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: food, capital goods, consumer goods, fuel partners: France, Nigeria, Japan, Netherlands, US (1992)
Industrial production
growth rate 0% (1993 est.); accounts for 20% of GDP, including petroleum
Industries
foodstuffs, wood processing, oil refining, automobile assembly, textiles, fertilizer, beverages
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA%
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $20.5 billion (1994 est.)
National product per capita
$1,430 (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate
1.5% (1994 est.)
Overview
Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers and exporters of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm-kernel oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for coffee and cocoa and to weather conditions. Despite attempts by the government to diversify, the economy is still largely dependent on agriculture and related industries. After several years of lagging performance, the Ivorian economy began a comeback in 1994, due to improved prices for cocoa and coffee, growth in non-traditional primary exports such as pineapples and rubber, trade and banking liberalization, offshore oil and gas discoveries, and generous external financing and debt rescheduling by multilateral lenders and France. The 50% devaluation in January 1994 caused a one time jump in the inflation rate. Government adherence to a renewed structural adjustment program has led to a budget surplus for the first time in several years, a smaller personnel budget, and an increase in public investment. While real growth in 1994 was only 1.5%, the IMF and World Bank expect it will surpass 6% in 1995.
Unemployment rate
14% (1985)
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 71, FM 0, shortwave 13 radios: NA
Telephone system
87,700 telephones; well-developed by African standards but operating well below capacity; consists of open-wire lines and radio relay microwave links local: NA intercity: NA microwave radio relay international: 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) earth stations; 2 coaxial submarine cables
Television
broadcast stations: 18 televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 40 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 with paved runways under 914 m: 11 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 6 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 16
Highways
total: 46,600 km paved: 3,600 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone, improved earth 32,000 km; unimproved earth 11,000 km
Inland waterways
980 km navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons
Merchant marine
total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 49,671 GRT/69,216 DWT ships by type: chemical tanker 1, container 2, oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1
Ports
Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro
Railroads
total: 660 km (25 km double track) narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-meter gauge
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard, Military Fire Group
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $140 million, 1.4% of GDP (1993) ________________________________________________________________________ CROATIA
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 3,318,314; males fit for military service 1,724,020; males reach military age (18) annually 154,120 (1995 est.)