2017 Edition

Background

Close ties to France following independence in 1960, the development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment all 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 an election brought Laurent GBAGBO into power. Ivoirian dissidents and disaffected members of the military launched a failed coup attempt in September 2002 that developed into a rebellion and then a civil war. In 2003, a cease-fire resulted in the country being divided with the rebels holding the north, the government the south, and peacekeeping forces a buffer zone between the two. In March 2007, President GBAGBO and former New Forces rebel leader Guillaume SORO signed an agreement in which SORO joined GBAGBO's government as prime minister and the two agreed to reunite the country by dismantling the buffer zone, integrating rebel forces into the national armed forces, and holding elections. Difficulties in preparing electoral registers delayed balloting until 2010. In November 2010, Alassane Dramane OUATTARA won the presidential election over GBAGBO, but GBAGBO refused to hand over power, resulting in a five-month resumption of violent conflict. In April 2011, after widespread fighting, GBAGBO was formally forced from office by armed OUATTARA supporters with the help of UN and French forces. The UN peacekeeping mission is drawing down and is scheduled to depart in June 2017. OUATTARA is focused on rebuilding the country's economy and infrastructure while rebuilding the security forces. GBAGBO is in The Hague on trial for crimes against humanity.

Area

322,463 sq km 318,003 sq km 4,460 sq km

land

318,003 sq km

total

322,463 sq km

water

4,460 sq km

Area - comparative

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

Elevation

250 m lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m highest point: Monts Nimba 1,752 m

elevation extremes

lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m

highest point

Monts Nimba 1,752 m

mean elevation

250 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewage and industrial and agricultural effluents

Environment - international agreements

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling none of the selected agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 5 00 W

Geography - note

most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated

Irrigated land

730 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

3,458 km Burkina Faso 545 km, Ghana 720 km, Guinea 816 km, Liberia 778 km, Mali 599 km

border countries (5)

Burkina Faso 545 km, Ghana 720 km, Guinea 816 km, Liberia 778 km, Mali 599 km

total

3,458 km

Land use

64.8% arable land 9.1%; permanent crops 14.2%; permanent pasture 41.5% 32.7% 2.5% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

64.8%

forest

32.7%

other

2.5% (2011 est.)

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

12 nm 200 nm 200 nm

continental shelf

200 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower

Population - distribution

the population is primarily located in the forested south, with the highest concentration of people residing in and around the cities on the Atlantic coast; most of the northern savanna remains sparsely populated with higher concentrations located along transportation corridors

Terrain

mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest

Age structure

36.97% (male 4,508,541/female 4,431,979) 20.91% (male 2,549,588/female 2,508,317) 34.58% (male 4,272,294/female 4,090,997) 4.04% (male 490,918/female 486,702) 3.5% (male 403,757/female 441,717) (2017 est.)

0-14 years

36.97% (male 4,508,541/female 4,431,979)

15-24 years

20.91% (male 2,549,588/female 2,508,317)

25-54 years

34.58% (male 4,272,294/female 4,090,997)

55-64 years

4.04% (male 490,918/female 486,702)

65 years and over

3.5% (male 403,757/female 441,717) (2017 est.)

Birth rate

27.7 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

15.7% (2012)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

18.2% (2011/12)

Death rate

9.4 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Demographic profile

Cote d’Ivoire’s population is likely to continue growing for the foreseeable future because almost 60% of the populace is younger than 25, the total fertility rate is holding steady at about 3.5 children per woman, and contraceptive use is under 20%. The country will need to improve education, health care, and gender equality in order to turn its large and growing youth cohort into human capital. Even prior to 2010 unrest that shuttered schools for months, access to education was poor, especially for women. As of 2015, only 53% of men and 33% of women were literate. The lack of educational attainment contributes to Cote d’Ivoire’s high rates of unskilled labor, adolescent pregnancy, and HIV/AIDS prevalence. Following its independence in 1960, Cote d’Ivoire’s stability and the blossoming of its labor-intensive cocoa and coffee industries in the southwest made it an attractive destination for migrants from other parts of the country and its neighbors, particularly Burkina Faso. The HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY administration continued the French colonial policy of encouraging labor immigration by offering liberal land ownership laws. Foreigners from West Africa, Europe (mainly France), and Lebanon composed about 25% of the population by 1998. Ongoing economic decline since the 1980s and the power struggle after HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY’s death in 1993 ushered in the politics of “Ivoirite,” institutionalizing an Ivoirian identity that further marginalized northern Ivoirians and scapegoated immigrants. The hostile Muslim north-Christian south divide snowballed into a 2002 civil war, pushing tens of thousands of foreign migrants, Liberian refugees, and Ivoirians to flee to war-torn Liberia or other regional countries and more than a million people to be internally displaced. Subsequently, violence following the contested 2010 presidential election prompted some 250,000 people to seek refuge in Liberia and other neighboring countries and again internally displaced as many as a million people. By July 2012, the majority had returned home, but ongoing inter-communal tension and armed conflict continue to force people from their homes.

Dependency ratios

83.8 78.5 5.3 18.9 (2015 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

5.3

potential support ratio

18.9 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

83.8

youth dependency ratio

78.5

Drinking water source

urban: 93.1% of population rural: 68.8% of population total: 81.9% of population urban: 6.9% of population rural: 31.2% of population total: 18.1% of population (2015 est.)

rural

31.2% of population

total

18.1% of population (2015 est.)

urban

6.9% of population

Education expenditures

4.7% of GDP (2014)

Ethnic groups

Akan 28.8%, Voltaique or Gur 16.1%, Northern Mande 14.5%, Kru 8.5%, Southern Mande 6.9%, unspecified 0.9%, non-Ivoirian 42.3% (2014 est.)

Health expenditures

5.7% of GDP (2014)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

2.7% (2016 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

25,000 (2016 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

460,000 (2016 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.4 beds/1,000 population (2006)

Infant mortality rate

55.8 deaths/1,000 live births 61.5 deaths/1,000 live births 49.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

female

49.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

male

61.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total

55.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

French (official), 60 native dialects of which Dioula is the most widely spoken

Life expectancy at birth

59 years 57.8 years 60.2 years (2017 est.)

female

60.2 years (2017 est.)

male

57.8 years

total population

59 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write 43.1% 53.1% 32.5% (2015 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

32.5% (2015 est.)

male

53.1%

total population

43.1%

Major infectious diseases

very high bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever schistosomiasis rabies meningococcal meningitis (2016)

animal contact disease

rabies

degree of risk

very high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

respiratory disease

meningococcal meningitis (2016)

vectorborne diseases

malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever

water contact disease

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

YAMOUSSOUKRO (capital) 259,000 (2014); ABIDJAN (seat of government) 4.86 million; Bouake 762,000 (2015)

Maternal mortality rate

645 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median age

20.9 years 21 years 20.9 years (2017 est.)

female

20.9 years (2017 est.)

male

21 years

total

20.9 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.8 years median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2011/12 est.)

note

median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2011/12 est.)

Nationality

Ivoirian(s) Ivoirian

adjective

Ivoirian

noun

Ivoirian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

10.3% (2016)

Physicians density

0.14 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Population

24,184,810 estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2017 est.)

note

estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2017 est.)

Population distribution

the population is primarily located in the forested south, with the highest concentration of people residing in and around the cities on the Atlantic coast; most of the northern savanna remains sparsely populated with higher concentrations located along transportation corridors

Population growth rate

1.84% (2017 est.)

Religions

Muslim 42.9%, Catholic 17.2%, Evangelical 11.8%, Methodist 1.7%, other Christian 3.2%, animist 3.6%, other religion 0.5%, none 19.1% the majority of foreign migrant workers are Muslim (72.7%) and Christian (17.7%) (2014 est.)

note

the majority of foreign migrant workers are Muslim (72.7%) and Christian (17.7%) (2014 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 32.8% of population rural: 10.3% of population total: 22.5% of population urban: 67.2% of population rural: 89.7% of population total: 77.5% of population (2015 est.)

rural

89.7% of population

total

77.5% of population (2015 est.)

urban

67.2% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

9 years 10 years 8 years (2015)

female

8 years (2015)

male

10 years

total

9 years

Sex ratio

1.03 male(s)/female 1.02 male(s)/female 1.02 male(s)/female 1.05 male(s)/female 1.01 male(s)/female 0.93 male(s)/female 1.02 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.02 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.05 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.93 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.38 children born/woman (2017 est.)

Urbanization

55.5% of total population (2017) 3.39% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

rate of urbanization

3.39% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

55.5% of total population (2017)

Administrative divisions

12 districts and 2 autonomous districts*; Abidjan*, Bas-Sassandra, Comoe, Denguele, Goh-Djiboua, Lacs, Lagunes, Montagnes, Sassandra-Marahoue, Savanes, Vallee du Bandama, Woroba, Yamoussoukro*, Zanzan

Capital

Yamoussoukro; note - although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan 6 49 N, 5 16 W UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

geographic coordinates

6 49 N, 5 16 W

name

Yamoussoukro; note - although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan

time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

no at least one parent must be a citizen of Cote d'Ivoire no 5 years

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Cote d'Ivoire

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

previous 1960, 2000; latest draft completed 24 September 2016, approved by the National Assembly 11 October 2016, approved by referendum 30 October 2016, promulgated 8 November 2016 proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; consideration of drafts or proposals requires an absolute majority vote by the parliamentary membership; passage of amendments affecting presidential elections, presidential term of office and vacancies, and amendment procedures requires approval by absolute majority in a referendum; passage of other proposals by the president requires at least four-fifths majority vote by Parliament; constitutional articles on the sovereignty of the state and its republican and secular form of government cannot be amended (2017)

amendments

proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; consideration of drafts or proposals requires an absolute majority vote by the parliamentary membership; passage of amendments affecting presidential elections, presidential term of office and vacancies, and amendment procedures requires approval by absolute majority in a referendum; passage of other proposals by the president requires at least four-fifths majority vote by Parliament; constitutional articles on the sovereignty of the state and its republican and secular form of government cannot be amended (2017)

history

previous 1960, 2000; latest draft completed 24 September 2016, approved by the National Assembly 11 October 2016, approved by referendum 30 October 2016, promulgated 8 November 2016

Country name

Republic of Cote d'Ivoire Cote d'Ivoire Republique de Cote d'Ivoire Cote d'Ivoire pronounced coat-div-whar Ivory Coast name reflects the intense ivory trade that took place in the region from the 15th to 17th centuries

conventional long form

Republic of Cote d'Ivoire

conventional short form

Cote d'Ivoire

etymology

name reflects the intense ivory trade that took place in the region from the 15th to 17th centuries

former

Ivory Coast

local long form

Republique de Cote d'Ivoire

local short form

Cote d'Ivoire

note

pronounced coat-div-whar

Diplomatic representation from the US

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Katherine BRUCKER (since 28 August 2017) Cocody Riviera Golf 01, Abidjan B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01 [225] 22 49 40 00 [225] 22 49 43 23

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Katherine BRUCKER (since 28 August 2017)

embassy

Cocody Riviera Golf 01, Abidjan

FAX

[225] 22 49 43 23

mailing address

B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01

telephone

[225] 22 49 40 00

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Daouda DIABATE (since 11 February 2011) 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 [1] (202) 797-0300 [1] (202) 462-9444

chancery

2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Daouda DIABATE (since 11 February 2011)

FAX

[1] (202) 462-9444

telephone

[1] (202) 797-0300

Executive branch

President Alassane Dramane OUATTARA (since 4 December 2010); Vice President Daniel Kablan DUNCAN (since 16 January 2017); note - the constitution of 2016 calls for the position of a vice-president Prime Minister Amadou Gon COULIBALY (since 11 January 2017) Council of Ministers appointed by the president president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 25 October 2015 (next to be held in 2020); prime minister appointed by the president; note - the 2016 constitution limits the presidential tenure to 2 terms beginning with the 2020 election; the vice president is named by the president Alassane OUATTARA reelected president; percent of vote - Alassane OUATTARA (RDR) 83.7%, Pascal Affi N'GUESSAN (FPI) 9.3%, Konan Bertin KOUADIO (independent) 3.9%, other 3.1%

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President Alassane Dramane OUATTARA (since 4 December 2010); Vice President Daniel Kablan DUNCAN (since 16 January 2017); note - the constitution of 2016 calls for the position of a vice-president

election results

Alassane OUATTARA reelected president; percent of vote - Alassane OUATTARA (RDR) 83.7%, Pascal Affi N'GUESSAN (FPI) 9.3%, Konan Bertin KOUADIO (independent) 3.9%, other 3.1%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 25 October 2015 (next to be held in 2020); prime minister appointed by the president; note - the 2016 constitution limits the presidential tenure to 2 terms beginning with the 2020 election; the vice president is named by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Amadou Gon COULIBALY (since 11 January 2017)

Flag description

three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green; orange symbolizes the land (savannah) of the north and fertility, white stands for peace and unity, green represents the forests of the south and the hope for a bright future 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

note

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

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

7 August 1960 (from France)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (organized into Judicial, Audit, Constitutional, and Administrative Chambers; consists of the court president, 3 vice-presidents for the Judicial, Audit, and Administrative chambers, and 9 associate justices or magistrates) judges nominated by the Superior Council of the Magistrature, a 7-member body consisting of the national president (chairman), 3 "bench" judges, and 3 public prosecutors; judges appointed for life Courts of Appeal (organized into civil, criminal, and social chambers); first instance courts; peace courts

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (organized into Judicial, Audit, Constitutional, and Administrative Chambers; consists of the court president, 3 vice-presidents for the Judicial, Audit, and Administrative chambers, and 9 associate justices or magistrates)

judge selection and term of office

judges nominated by the Superior Council of the Magistrature, a 7-member body consisting of the national president (chairman), 3 "bench" judges, and 3 public prosecutors; judges appointed for life

subordinate courts

Courts of Appeal (organized into civil, criminal, and social chambers); first instance courts; peace courts

Legal system

civil law system based on the French civil code; judicial review of legislation held in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament consists of the National Assembly (255 seats; members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms); note - the new constitution of November 2016 calls for a bicameral legislature with the addition of a Senate, with one-third of members appointed by the president and two-thirds indirectly appointed by municipal and regional councils last held on 18 December 2016 (next to be held on December 2021) percent of vote by party - RHDP 50.3%, FPI 5.8%, UDPCI 3.0%, UPCI 1.0%, independent 38.5%, other 1.39%; seats by party - RHDP 167, UDPCI 6, FPI 3, UPCI 3, independent 76

description

unicameral Parliament consists of the National Assembly (255 seats; members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms); note - the new constitution of November 2016 calls for a bicameral legislature with the addition of a Senate, with one-third of members appointed by the president and two-thirds indirectly appointed by municipal and regional councils

election results

percent of vote by party - RHDP 50.3%, FPI 5.8%, UDPCI 3.0%, UPCI 1.0%, independent 38.5%, other 1.39%; seats by party - RHDP 167, UDPCI 6, FPI 3, UPCI 3, independent 76

elections

last held on 18 December 2016 (next to be held on December 2021)

National anthem

"L'Abidjanaise" (Song of Abidjan) Mathieu EKRA, Joachim BONY, and Pierre Marie COTY/Pierre Marie COTY and Pierre Michel PANGO adopted 1960; although the nation's capital city moved from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro in 1983, the anthem still owes its name to the former capital

lyrics/music

Mathieu EKRA, Joachim BONY, and Pierre Marie COTY/Pierre Marie COTY and Pierre Michel PANGO

name

"L'Abidjanaise" (Song of Abidjan)

note

adopted 1960; although the nation's capital city moved from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro in 1983, the anthem still owes its name to the former capital

National holiday

Independence Day, 7 August (1960)

National symbol(s)

elephant; national colors: orange, white, green

elephant; national colors

orange, white, green

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire or PDCI [Henri Konan BEDIE] Ivorian Popular Front or FPI [Pascal Affi N'GUESSAN] Liberty and Democracy for the Republic or LIDER [Mamadou KOULIBALY] Movement of the Future Forces or MFA [Innocent Augustin ANAKY KOBENA] Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Alassane Dramane OUATTARA] Union for Cote d'Ivoire or UPCI [Gnamien KONA] Union for Democracy and Peace in Cote d'Ivoire or UDPCI [Albert Toikeuse MABRI] more than 144 smaller registered parties

other

more than 144 smaller registered parties

Political pressure groups and leaders

Federation of University and High School Students of Cote d'Ivoire or FESCI [Fulgene ASSI] National Congress for the Resistance and Democracy or CNRD [Bernard DADIE] Panafrican Congress for Justice and Peoples Equality or COJEP [Roselin BLY]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, cassava (manioc, tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber

Budget

$6.776 billion $8.17 billion (2016 est.)

expenditures

$8.17 billion (2016 est.)

revenues

$6.776 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

Central bank discount rate

4.25% (31 December 2010) 4.25% (31 December 2009)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

5.3% (31 December 2016 est.) 5.15% (31 December 2015 est.)

Current account balance

$-397 million (2016 est.) $-150.6 million (2015 est.)

Debt - external

$11.02 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $10.03 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

41.5 (2008) 36.7 (1995)

Economy - overview

Cote d'Ivoire is heavily dependent on agriculture and related activities, which engage roughly two-thirds of the population. Cote d'Ivoire is the world's largest producer and exporter of cocoa beans and a significant producer and exporter of coffee and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products and to climatic conditions. Cocoa, oil, and coffee are the country's top export revenue earners, but the country has targeted agricultural processing of cocoa, cashews, mangoes, and other commodities as a high priority. Mining gold and exporting electricity are growing industries outside agriculture. Following the end of more than a decade of civil conflict in 2011, Cote d’Ivoire has experienced a boom in foreign investment and economic growth. In June 2012, the IMF and the World Bank announced $4.4 billion in debt relief for Cote d'Ivoire under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative. For the last 5 years Cote d'Ivoire's growth rate has been among the highest in the world.

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 593.01 (2016 est.) 593.01 (2015 est.) 591.45 (2014 est.) 494.42 (2013 est.) 510.53 (2012 est.)

Exports

$11.77 billion (2016 est.) $11.73 billion (2015 est.)

Exports - commodities

cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, fish

Exports - partners

Netherlands 11.3%, US 7.4%, France 6.8%, Belgium 6.1%, Germany 5.2%, India 5.1%, Burkina Faso 4.6%, Mali 4.5%, Switzerland 4.1% (2016)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

62% 14.2% 20.5% 0.3% 32.6% -29.6% (2016 est.)

exports of goods and services

32.6%

government consumption

14.2%

household consumption

62%

imports of goods and services

-29.6% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital

20.5%

investment in inventories

0.3%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

19.5% 28.3% 52.2% (2016 est.)

agriculture

19.5%

industry

28.3%

services

52.2% (2016 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$3,600 (2016 est.) $3,400 (2015 est.) $3,200 (2014 est.) data are in 2016 dollars

note

data are in 2016 dollars

GDP - real growth rate

7.7% (2016 est.) 8.9% (2015 est.) 8.8% (2014 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$35.67 billion (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$87.91 billion (2016 est.) $80.59 billion (2015 est.) $73.18 billion (2014 est.) data are in 2016 dollars

note

data are in 2016 dollars

Gross national saving

18.5% of GDP (2016 est.) 17.5% of GDP (2015 est.) 18.1% of GDP (2014 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

2.2% 31.8% (2008)

highest 10%

31.8% (2008)

lowest 10%

2.2%

Imports

$8.524 billion (2016 est.) $8.562 billion (2015 est.)

Imports - commodities

fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

France 13.5%, Nigeria 13.3%, China 11.8%, US 4.2% (2016)

Industrial production growth rate

15.2% (2016 est.)

Industries

foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, gold mining, truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.7% (2016 est.) 1.3% (2015 est.)

Labor force

8.542 million (2016 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

68% NA% (2007 est.)

agriculture

68%

industry and services

NA% (2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$12.49 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $11.71 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $11.82 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Population below poverty line

46.3% (2015 est.)

Public debt

47.4% of GDP (2016 est.) 47.7% of GDP (2015 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$4.935 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $5.516 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of broad money

$13.88 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $12.55 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

Stock of domestic credit

$10.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $9.812 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$9.438 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $8.516 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

19.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate

9.4% (2013 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

8.995 million Mt (2013 est.)

Crude oil - exports

34,720 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - imports

65,540 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - production

30,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

100 million bbl (1 January 2017 es)

Electricity - consumption

5.669 billion kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - exports

872 million kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

66.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

33.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - imports

23 million kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

1.9 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

8.262 billion kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity access

15,000,000 26% 42% 8% (2013)

electrification - rural areas

8% (2013)

electrification - total population

26%

electrification - urban areas

42%

population without electricity

15,000,000

Natural gas - consumption

2.897 billion cu m (2015 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - production

2.063 billion cu m (2015 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2017 es)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

43,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

31,550 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

5,975 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

67,260 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Broadcast media

2 state-owned TV stations; no private terrestrial TV stations, but satellite TV subscription service is available; 2 state-owned radio stations; some private radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet country code

.ci

Internet users

6,297,676 26.5% (July 2016 est.)

percent of population

26.5% (July 2016 est.)

total

6,297,676

Telephone system

well-developed by African standards; telecommunications sector privatized in late 1990s and operational fixed lines have increased since that time with 2 fixed-line providers operating over open-wire lines, microwave radio relay, and fiber-optics; 90% digitalized with multiple mobile-cellular service providers competing in the market, usage has increased sharply to about 115 per 100 persons country code - 225; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2016)

domestic

with multiple mobile-cellular service providers competing in the market, usage has increased sharply to about 115 per 100 persons

general assessment

well-developed by African standards; telecommunications sector privatized in late 1990s and operational fixed lines have increased since that time with 2 fixed-line providers operating over open-wire lines, microwave radio relay, and fiber-optics; 90% digitalized

international

country code - 225; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines

289,108 1 (July 2016 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (July 2016 est.)

total subscriptions

289,108

Telephones - mobile cellular

27,451,250 116 (July 2016 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

116 (July 2016 est.)

total

27,451,250

Airports

27 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

4 (2017)

1,524 to 2,437 m

4 (2017)

2,438 to 3,047 m

2

over 3,047 m

1

total

7

Airports - with unpaved runways

3 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

6

914 to 1,523 m

11

total

20

under 914 m

3 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

TU (2016)

Heliports

1 (2013)

National air transport system

359,260 4,719,120 mt-km (2015)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

4,719,120 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

359,260

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

10

number of registered air carriers

1

Pipelines

condensate 101 km; gas 256 km; oil 118 km; oil/gas/water 5 km; water 7 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

Abidjan, San-Pedro Espoir Offshore Terminal

major seaport(s)

Abidjan, San-Pedro

oil terminal(s)

Espoir Offshore Terminal

Railways

660 km 660 km 1.000-m gauge an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso (2008)

narrow gauge

660 km 1.000-m gauge

note

an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso (2008)

total

660 km

Roadways

81,996 km 6,502 km 75,494 km includes intercity and urban roads; another 20,000 km of dirt roads are in poor condition and 150,000 km of dirt roads are impassable (2007)

note

includes intercity and urban roads; another 20,000 km of dirt roads are in poor condition and 150,000 km of dirt roads are impassable (2007)

paved

6,502 km

total

81,996 km

unpaved

75,494 km

Waterways

980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons) (2011)

Military branches

Republican Forces of Cote d'Ivoire (Force Republiques de Cote d'Ivoire, FRCI): Army, Navy, Cote d'Ivoire Air Force (Force Aerienne de la Cote d'Ivoire) (2015)

Republican Forces of Cote d'Ivoire (Force Republiques de Cote d'Ivoire, FRCI)

Army, Navy, Cote d'Ivoire Air Force (Force Aerienne de la Cote d'Ivoire) (2015)

Military expenditures

1.18% of GDP (2016) 1.74% of GDP (2015) 1.48% of GDP (2014) 1.38% of GDP (2013) 1.51% of GDP (2012)

Military service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary male and female military service; conscription is not enforced; voluntary recruitment of former rebels into the new national army is restricted to ages 22-29 (2012)

Disputes - international

disputed maritime border between Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption; utility as a narcotic transshipment point to Europe reduced by ongoing political instability; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leave the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center

Refugees and internally displaced persons

301,000 (post-election conflict in 2010-11, as well as civil war from 2002-04; most pronounced in western and southwestern regions) (2016) 692,800 (2017); note - many Ivoirians lack documentation proving their nationality, which prevent them from accessing education and healthcare; birth on Ivorian soil does not automatically result in citizenship; disputes over citizenship and the associated rights of the large population descended from migrants from neighboring countries is an ongoing source of tension and contributed to the country's 2002 civil war; some observers believe the government's mass naturalizations of thousands of people over the last couple of years is intended to boost its electoral support base; the government in October 2013 acceded to international conventions on statelessness and in August 2013 reformed its nationality law, key steps to clarify the nationality of thousands of residents; since the adoption of the Abidjan Declaration to eradicate statelessness in West Africa in February 2015, 6,400 people have received nationality papers

IDPs

301,000 (post-election conflict in 2010-11, as well as civil war from 2002-04; most pronounced in western and southwestern regions) (2016)

stateless persons

692,800 (2017); note - many Ivoirians lack documentation proving their nationality, which prevent them from accessing education and healthcare; birth on Ivorian soil does not automatically result in citizenship; disputes over citizenship and the associated rights of the large population descended from migrants from neighboring countries is an ongoing source of tension and contributed to the country's 2002 civil war; some observers believe the government's mass naturalizations of thousands of people over the last couple of years is intended to boost its electoral support base; the government in October 2013 acceded to international conventions on statelessness and in August 2013 reformed its nationality law, key steps to clarify the nationality of thousands of residents; since the adoption of the Abidjan Declaration to eradicate statelessness in West Africa in February 2015, 6,400 people have received nationality papers