About Côte d'Ivoire

Sweet smell of cocoa

Cocoa, coffee, beans and palm oil 'made' Côte d’Ivoire, propelling this tropical country to the ranks of Africa’s economic success stories.

Geography & climate

Côte d'Ivoire is a country in West Africa that borders Liberia and Guinea to the west, Mali and Burkina Faso to the north, Ghana to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south.

The climate is tropical along the coast, and semi-arid in far north, with 3 seasons marking each calendar year; warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), and hot and wet (June to October).


Nature

Côte d’Ivoire's landscape varies between grass and shrub ecosystems, interrupted woods and major forest ecosystems. The country includes parts of the Guinean-Congolian Coast Mangroves ecoregion, and the Guinean Moist Forests ecoregion, which is greatly influenced by the dry winds from the Sahara and the cool currents of the Atlantic.

Of the 3,660 plants identified in the country, 101 are considered to be threatened. Some of the threatened animal species found in Côte d'Ivoire are the African elephant and wild dog, the African golden cat and the West African manatee.

The Tai National Park in Côte d'Ivoire, a World Heritage Site, is the single-largest tract of undisturbed tropical rainforest in West Africa.


Population & religion

At three-quarters of the population, Ivorians represent several different ethnic and language groups. The remainder of the population consists of immigrants from the surrounding countries. A small percentage is of non-African ancestry, such as French, Vietnamese and Spanish citizens.

One of the most common of the estimated 65 languages spoken in the country is Dyula, which is used for trade and is commonly spoken by the Muslim population. The official language is French, which is still taught in schools.

The native-born population of Côte d'Ivoire is mostly Christian (primarily Roman Catholic) and animist.


Economy & development

Côte d'Ivoire has a recent history of strong economic performance, with agriculture and smallholder cash crop production leading the economy. Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the diversification of agricultural products for export and foreign investment have also helped in this regard. However, the country has found out several times that it is not immune to the mood swings of markets and political instability.

In 2004, life expectancy was 46 years and adult literacy rates stood at 49% for those aged 15 and older.