Cote d'Ivoire is a West African country bordered to the west by both Liberia and Guinea, to the north by both Mali and Burkina Faso, to the east by Ghana, and to the south by the Atlantic Ocean. Cote d' Ivoire is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of both cocoa and coffee. In the 1970s and 1980s Cote d'Ivoire one of the most developed country in the sub-Saharan Africa because of its diamond abundance. It was also known as Ivory Coast.
Geographical Features
The Ivory Coast contains Mount Nimba to the west and bodies of water, such as Sassandria River, Komoe River, Bia River, Cavalla River, lagoons, Lake Kossou, Lake Buyo and others. Natural resources include petroleum, natural gas, manganese, iron ore, diamonds, copper, cobalt, bauxite and others.
Language and Religion
Cote d' Ivoire has more than 60 tribes which include Akan, Gur, Bete, Baoule, Agni, Senoufou, Dan, Krous, Mande, Lobi and others. French is the official language.
Religions include Islam, Christianity (Protestants and Catholics) and traditional beliefs.
Economy
Cote d’Ivoire greatly depends on agriculture. Some of the main crops grown include cocoa, coffee, palm oil, corn, rice, bananas, rubber, sugar, cotton, timber and others. The country also exports petroleum, crude oil, minerals like gold and diamond.
History
The Portuguese were the first Europeans to explore Cote d'Ivoire and arrived in the 15th century. The French came in the 17th century. In 1893 Cote d'Ivoire was declared a French colony. In 1946, Felix Houphouet-Boigny, who was a member of the French National Assembly and a minister in the French government, fought against forced labor while in Paris and he succeeded. Cote d'Ivoire gained its independence from France in 1960. Houphouet-Boigny was made the president after independence and he ruled for 33 years until his death on December 7th, 1993. Throughout his rule, he kept close contact with the French. The country continued to carryout trade with France. President Konan Bedie succeeded him until December 24 1999 when the country experienced a military coup. Because the Cote d'Ivoire's soldiers, who served in the United Nation Central republic peace keeping, were under paid they decided to form a military coup against the government. The country has been experiencing coups ever since then.
Though this page has been carefully researched, the author does not claim expertise on Cote d'Ivoire.
Please send questions, comments, and corrections to emuseum@mnsu.edu and include the URL.
Sources
Global witness:
Natural Resources in Conflict; Cote d'ivoire. Electronic Document, http://www.globalwitness.org/pages/en/cote_divoire.html accessed June
2009
Encyclopedia of the Nations: Africa;
Cote D'Ivoire -Mining. Electronic Document,
http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/C-te-D-ivoire-MINING.html accessed
June 2009
Photius Coutsoukis:
Translators on the www; Cote d'Ivoire Economy. Electronic
Document,
http://www.photius.com/wfb1999/cote_divoire/cote_divoire_economy.htmlaccessed June 2009
Applied Language Solutions a Translation Services Company:
Country Guides of the
World; Information For Cote d'Ivoire. Electronic Document,
http://www.appliedlanguage.com/country_guides/cote_d'ivoire_country_introduction.shtml
accessed June 2009
Geographia.com: Geographia;
Exploring Cote d'Ivoire. Electronic Document,
http://www.geographia.com/ivory-coast/ accessed June 2009.
U.S. Department of State: Background Note;
Cote d'Ivoire. Electronic Document,
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2846.htm accessed June 2009
The African Guide: Ivory Coast;
People & Culture. Electronic Document,
http://www.africaguide.com/country/ivoryc/culture.htm accessed June 2009
Written by Esther Nalubwama 2009