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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.

Location

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

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

21058798
French (official), 60 native dialects of which Dioula is the most widely spoken
YAMOUSSOUKRO (capital) 259,000 (2014); ABIDJAN (seat of government) 4.86 million; Bouake 762,000 (2015)
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
presidential republic
Name
Yamoussoukro
Geographic coordinates
6 49 N, 5 16 W
Time difference
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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.
Inflation
0.726%
External debt stocks
US$ 10,028,149,000
Total tax rate (% of commercial profits)
51.3%
Real Interest Rate
3.97%
Manufacturing, value added (% of GDP)
15.178%
Current Account Balance
US$ -632,724,104
Labor Force, Total
9,115,565
Employment in Agriculture
48.30%
Employment in Industry
6.19%
Employment in Services
45.51%
Unemployment Rate
9.32%
Imports of goods and services
US$ 10,694,772,532
Exports of goods and services
US$ 11,780,941,590
Total Merchandise Trade
59.46%
FDI, net inflows
US$ 430,157,849
Commercial Service Exports
US$ 789,634,924
coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, cassava (manioc, tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber
foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, gold mining, truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity
Commodities
cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, fish
Partners
US 8.6%, Netherlands 6.2%, France 5.7%, Germany 5.6%, Nigeria 5.6%, Burkina Faso 5.5%, Belgium 5.3%, India 4.7%, Ghana 4.4%, Switzerland 4.1% (2015)
Commodities
fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs
Partners
Nigeria 21.8%, China 14.3%, France 11.3%, Bahamas, The 5% (2015)
Country Risk Rating
B
Political and economic uncertainties and an occasionally difficult business environment can affect corporate payment behavior. Corporate default probability is appreciable.
Business Climate Rating
C
The business environment is difficult. Corporate financial information is often unavailable and when available often unreliable. Debt collection is unpredictable. The institutional framework has many troublesome weaknesses. Intercompany transactions run major risks in the difficult environments rated C.
  • Diversification: hydrocarbons, ores, and agricultural wealth (world's leading cocoa producer)
  • Port, road, and energy infrastructure undergoing modernization
  • Significant improvement in business climate and governance
  • Normalization of the political situation
  • Economy dependent on climatic conditions and movements in the prices of cocoa, the country’s main export product
  • Gaps to be filled in the management of public finances, infrastructure and governance, despite progress recorded in recent years
  • Slow progress on national reconciliation

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