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Communications

Airports [time series]

49 total, 42 usable; 7 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 16 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

12 major transport aircraft, including multinationally owned Air Afrique fleet

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

46,600 km total; 3,600 km bituminous and bituminous-treated surface; 32,000 km gravel, crushed stone, laterite, and improved earth; 11,000 km unimproved

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

980 km navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons

Merchant marine [time series]

7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 71,945 GRT/ 90,684 DWT; includes 5 cargo, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 chemical tanker

Ports [time series]

Abidjan, San-Pedro

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

660 km (Burkina border to Abidjan, 1.00-meter gauge, single track, except 25 km Abidjan-Anyama section is double track)

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

system above African average; consists of open-wire lines and radio relay links; 87,700 telephones; stations--3 AM, 17 FM, 11 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations; 2 coaxial submarine cables

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

1.9% of GDP (1987)

Military manpower [time series]

males 15-49, 2,874,925; 1,487,909 fit for military service; 141,193 males reach military age (18) annually

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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 selfsufficient in bread grain and dairy products

Aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $344 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $4.6 billion

Budget [time series]

revenues $1.6 billion (1986); expenditures $2.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $504 million (1988 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural--francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Electricity [time series]

1,081,000 kW capacity; 2,440 million kWh produced, 210 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--287.99 (January 1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)

Exports [time series]

$2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--cocoa 30%, coffee 20%, tropical woods 11%, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, cotton; partners--France, FRG, Netherlands, US, Belgium, Spain (1985)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$14.7 billion (1989 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$10.0 billion, per capita $900; real growth rate - 6.4% (1988)

Illicit drugs [time series]

illicit producer of cannabis on a small scale for the international drug trade

Imports [time series]

$1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--manufactured goods and semifinished products 50%, consumer goods 40%, raw materials and fuels 10%; partners--France, other EC, Nigeria, US, Japan (1985)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 0% (1987)

Industries [time series]

foodstuffs, wood processing, oil refinery, automobile assembly, textiles, fertilizer, beverage

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

7.5% (1988)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The Ivory Coast 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. The agricultural sector accounts for over one-third of GDP and about 80% of export earnings and employs about 85% of the labor force. A collapse of world cocoa and coffee prices in 1986 threw the economy into a recession, from which the country had not recovered by 1989.

Unemployment rate [time series]

14% (1985)

Geography

Climate [time series]

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 [time series]

515 km

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly larger than New Mexico

Continental shelf [time series]

200 m;

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; severe deforestation

Extended economic zone [time series]

200 nm;

Land boundaries [time series]

3,110 km total; Burkina 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km, Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km

Land use [time series]

9% arable land; 4% permanent crops; 9% meadows and pastures; 26% forest and woodland; 52% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Natural resources [time series]

crude oil, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper

Terrain [time series]

mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest

Maritime claims (Territorial sea) [time series]

12 nm

Area (Total area) [time series]

322,460 km2; land area: 318,000 km2

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

49 departments (departements, singular--(departement); Abengourou, Abidjan, Aboisso, Adzope, Agboville, 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, Tengrela, Tiassale, Touba, Toumodi, Vavoua, Yamoussoukro, Zuenoula

Capital [time series]

Abidjan (capital city changed to Yamoussoukro in March 1983 but not recognized by US)

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

no Communist party; possibly some sympathizers

Constitution [time series]

3 November 1960

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Charles GOMIS; Chancery at 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 797-0300; US--Ambassador Kenneth BROWN; Embassy at 5 Rue Jesse Owens, Abidjan (mailing address is B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01); telephone [225] 32-09-79

Executive branch [time series]

president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Flag [time series]

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 [time series]

7 August 1960 (from France)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) Chief of State and Head of Government--President Dr. Felix HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY (since 27 November 1960)

Legal system [time series]

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 [time series]

unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Republic of the Ivory Coast; note--the local official name is Republique de Cote d'Ivoire

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, EAMA, ECA, ECOWAS, EIB (associate), Entente, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, Niger River Commission, NAM, OAU, OCAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

National holiday [time series]

National Day, 7 December

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

only party--Democratic Party of the Ivory Coast (PDCI), Dr. Felix Houphouet-Boigny

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 21 President--last held 27 October 1985 (next to be held October 1990); results--President Felix Houphouet-Boigny was reelected without opposition to his fifth consecutive five-year term; National Assembly--last held 10 November 1985 (next to be held 10 November 1990); results--PDCI is the only party; seats--(175 total) PDCI 175

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic; one-party presidential regime established 1960

People

Birth rate [time series]

48 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate [time series]

13 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

over 60 ethnic groups; most important are the Baoule 23%, Bete 18%, Senoufou 15%, Malinke 11%, and Agni; about 2 million foreign Africans, mostly Burkinabe; about 130,000 to 330,000 non-Africans (30,000 French and 100,000 to 300,000 Lebanese)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

100 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force [time series]

5,718,000; over 85% of population engaged in agriculture, for estry, livestock raising; about 11% of labor force are wage earners, nearly half in agriculture and the remainder in government, industry, commerce, and professions; 54% of population of working age (1985)

Languages (Language) [time series]

French (official), over 60 native dialects; Dioula most widely spoken

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

52 years male, 56 years female (1990)

Literacy [time series]

42.7%

Nationality [time series]

noun--Ivorian(s); adjective--Ivorian

Net migration rate [time series]

4 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor [time series]

20% of wage labor force

Population [time series]

12,478,024 (July 1990), growth rate 4.0% (1990)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

63% indigenous, 25% Muslim, 12% Christian

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.9 children born/woman (1990)