Cote d'Ivoire

Country Summary

2022 population pyramid

Introduction

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. A military coup in 1999 led to two civil wars and UN troops remain to support a democratic transition process.

Geography

Area

total: 322,463 sq km

land: 318,003 sq km

water: 4,460 sq km

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)

Natural resources

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

People and Society

Population

28,713,423 (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

Akan 28.9%, Voltaique or Gur 16.1%, Northern Mande 14.5%, Kru 8.5%, Southern Mande 6.9%, unspecified 0.9%, non-Ivoirian 24.2% (2014 est.)

Languages

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

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% (2014 est.)

Population growth rate

2.19% (2022 est.)

Government

Government type

presidential republic

Capital

name: Yamoussoukro (legislative capital), Abidjan (administrative capital); note - although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the administrative capital as well as the officially designated economic capital; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan

Executive branch

chief of state: President Alassane Dramane OUATTARA (since 4 December 2010); Vice President Tiémoko Meyliet KONE (since 19 April 2022); note - Vice President Tiémoko Meyliet KONE was appointed by President Alassane Dramane OUATTARA before a Congressional meeting on 19 April 2022

head of government: Prime Minister Patrick ACHI (since 19 April 2022); note - Prime Minister ACHI resigned on 13 April 2022 and was reappointed by President Alassane Dramane OUATTARA before a Congressional meeting on 19 April 2022

Legislative branch

description: bicameral Parliament consists of:
Senate or Senat (99 seats; 66 members indirectly elected by the National Assembly and members of municipal, autonomous districts, and regional councils, and 33 members appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms)
National Assembly (255 seats - 254 for 2021-2026 term; members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)

Economy

Economic overview

one of West Africa’s most influential, stable, and rapidly developing economies; poverty declines in urban but increases in rural areas; strong construction sector and increasingly diverse economic portfolio; increasing but manageable public debt; large labor force in agriculture

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$136.48 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita

$5,200 (2020 est.)

Agricultural products

yams, cassava, cocoa, oil palm fruit, sugar cane, rice, plantains, maize, cashew nuts, rubber

Industries

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

Exports

$13.79 billion (2019 est.)

Exports - partners

Netherlands 10%, United States 6%, France 6%, Spain 5%, Malaysia 5%, Switzerland 5%, Germany 5%, Vietnam 5% (2019)

Exports - commodities

cocoa beans, gold, rubber, refined petroleum, crude petroleum (2019)

Imports

$12.88 billion (2019 est.)

Imports - partners

China 18%, Nigeria 13%, France 11% (2019)

Imports - commodities

crude petroleum, rice, frozen fish, refined petroleum, packaged medicines (2019)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -


Page last updated: Wednesday, November 16, 2022