Côte d'Ivoire

The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire (French for Ivory Coast, by which it is often rendered in English) is a country in West Africa. It borders Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ghana to the west, north, and east, and borders the Gulf of Guinea to its south. One of the most prosperous of the tropical West African states, its economic development has been undermined by political turmoil spawned by official corruption and refusal to adopt needed reforms.

République de Côte d'Ivoire

(In Detail) (Full size)
National motto: Unity Discipline and Labor
Official language	French
Capital	Yamoussoukro (official), Abidjan (de facto)
Capital's coordinates	6° 51' N, 5° 18' W
Largest City	Abidjan
President	Laurent Gbagbo
Prime Minister	Seydou Diarra
Area  - Total  - % water	Ranked 67th 322,460 km² 1.4%
Population  - Total (2003)  - Density	Ranked 57th 16,962,491 53/km²
Independence  - Declared  - Recognised	From France August 7, 1960 (Year)
Currency	CFA franc
Time zone	UTC
National anthem	L'Abidjanaise (Song of Abidjan)
Internet TLD	.CI
Calling Code	225

History

Main article: History of Côte d'Ivoire See also: Civil war in Côte d'Ivoire

In the 19th century, Côte d'Ivoire was seized by Louis Gustave Binger, (1856-1936) as a colony for France. It became independent in 1960 and was ruled by Félix Houphouët-Boigny and his party PDCI until 1993.

The government of Henri Konan Bédié was replaced in 1999 by a military coup d'état of Robert Guéï. After ten months in which Côte d'Ivoire experienced an economic downturn, failed elections, and public protest, it eventually returned to democratic rule in 2000 under Laurent Gbagbo.

In 2002 a rebellion in the North and the West came up and the country is now divided in three parts. A reconciliation process under international auspices started in 2003. Several thousand French and West African troops remain in Côte d'Ivoire to maintain peace and help implement the peace accords.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Côte d'Ivoire

The official capital since 1983 is Yamoussoukro; however, Abidjan remains the administrative center. Most countries maintain their embassies in Abidjan. The population continues to suffer because of an on-going civil war. International human rights organizations have noted problems with the treatment of captive non-combatants by both sides and the reemergence of child slavery among workers in cocoa production.

Départements

Main article: Départements of Côte d'Ivoire

Côte d'Ivoire is divided into 58 départements: See the list at the foot of the page.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Côte d'Ivoire

Côte d'Ivoire is a country of western Sub-Saharan Africa. It borders Liberia and Guinea in the west, Mali and Burkina Faso in the north, Ghana in the east, and the Gulf of Guinea (Atlantic Ocean) in the south.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Côte d'Ivoire

Maintaining close ties to France since independence in 1960, diversification of agriculture for export, and encouragement of foreign investment has made Côte d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical African states.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Côte d'Ivoire

76% of the population are Ivorians and are the French speaking majority. Since Cote d'Ivoire has established itself as one of the most succesful west African nations, about 20% of the population consists of workers from neighboring Liberia, Burkina Faso and Guinea. This fact has created steadily increasing tension in recent years, especially since most of these workers are Muslims while the native-born population is largely Christian, primarily Roman Catholic, and animist. Although not entirely white, there is a 4% of the population that is of non-African ancestry. Many are French, British, and Spanish citizens. There is also an American and Canadian minority of protestant missionaries.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Côte d'Ivoire

• Music of Côte d'Ivoire: Alpha Blondy, Gyil, Djun-djun

See also: List of writers from Côte d'Ivoire

The name

History

The country was originally known in English as Ivory Coast, and corresponding translations in other languages: Elfenbeinküste in German, Costa de Marfil in Spanish, and so on. Because of the disorder this could allegedly produce in international fora, in October 1985 the government requested that the country be known as Côte d'Ivoire in every language. In fact, according to national law, the name of the country cannot be translated from French.

Usage

Speakers of most languages ignore the Ivorian government's ruling. English speakers are unusual in often respecting it. However, "Ivory Coast" (sometimes with "the") is still the most commonly-used name in English. Style guides and official use vary, the tendency being for governments to use the French form for diplomatic reasons, and journalistic style guides to use the English form for reasons of clarity or correctness:

• The Guardian newspaper's Style Guide (http://www.guardian.co.uk/styleguide) says: "Ivory Coast, not "the Ivory Coast" or Côte D'Ivoire; its nationals are Ivorians"
• The BBC uses "Ivory Coast".
• The United States Department of State uses "Côte d'Ivoire".

Miscellaneous topics

• Communications in Côte d'Ivoire
• Transportation in Côte d'Ivoire
• Military of Côte d'Ivoire
• Foreign relations of Côte d'Ivoire
• Civil war in Ivory Coast

References

• Much of the material in these articles comes from the CIA World Factbook 2000 and the 2003 U.S. Department of State website.

External links

• Lonely Planet country profile (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/africa/cote_divoire/)
• BBC country profile (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1043014.stm)
• AfricaST country profile (http://www.africast.com/country.php?strCountry=Ivory%20Coast)

Départements of Côte d'Ivoire

Abengourou | Abidjan | Aboisso | Adiaké | Adzopé | Agboville | Agnibilékrou | Alépé | Bocanda | Bangolo | Béoumi | Biankouma | Bondoukou | Bongouanou | Bouaflé | Bouaké | Bouna | Boundiali | Dabakala | Dabou | Daloa | Danané | Daoukro | Dimbokro | Divo | Duékoué | Ferkessédougou | Gagnoa | Grand-Bassam | Grand-Lahou | Guiglo | Issia | Jacqueville | Katiola | Korhogo | Lakota | Man | Mankono | Mbahiakro | Odienné | Oumé | Sakassou | San-Pedro | Sassandra | Séguéla | Sinfra | Soubré | Tabou | Tanda | Tiébissou | Tingréla | Tiassalé | Touba | Toulépleu | Toumodi | Vavoua | Yamoussoukro | Zuénoula

cy:Côte d'Ivoire da:Côte d'Ivoire de:Côte d'Ivoire es:Costa de Marfil eo:Ebur-Bordo fr:Côte d'Ivoire ia:Costa de Ebore he:חוף השנהב nds:Elfenbeenküst nl:Ivoorkust ja:コートジボワール no:Elfenbenskysten pl:Wybrzeże Kości Słoniowej pt:Costa do Marfim ru:Кот-д'Ивуар simple:Côte d'Ivoire sl:Slonokoščena obala fi:Norsunluurannikko sv:Elfenbenskusten zh:科特迪瓦 zh-min-nan:Chhiūⁿ-gê-hái-hoāⁿ