Country Information on Côte d'Ivoire

Terrain The coastal area, whose name the country bears, is notable for innumerable inland lagoons that are mostly not navigable owing to shoals. Along the coastline there is dense tropical forest that in the east and west stretches 265 km, in the central regions 100 km into the country. Further to the north and in the centre there is savannah. Characteristic in the western part of the country are hills, with mountain ranges in the regions of Odienné and Man. The highest mountain is Tonkui (1189 m). The largest rivers are the Sassandra, Bandama, and Comoé, none of which are navigable for more than 65 km. Climate Côte d'Ivoire climate is tropical, with heavy rainfall. The annual average precipitation rate is between is between 1900 mm in the coastal area and 1100 mm in the savannah. In the south there are two rainy seasons, from March to July and from September to November. In the north the rainy season lasts from March to July. The average annual temperature is 26.1°C. Fauna/Flora Forests cover the country's central regions. More than 225 kinds of trees exist in Côte d'Ivoire, including obeche, mahogany, and iroko. However, rain forests are being cut down at the highest rate in the world; the only remaining virgin forest is in the 3600 sq. km Taï National Park in the far south-western corner of Côte d'Ivoire. Hardwood exports are on a level with those of Brazil, a country 20 times larger. Among the animals that have their habitat in Côte d'Ivoire are jackals, hyenas, panthers, elephants, chimpanzees, crocodiles, and various kinds of lizards and poisonous snakes. History/Politics European explorers reached the coast in the 15th century and established trading posts (slaves and ivory). Ancestors of today's ethnic groups are presumed to have immigrated in the 18th and 19th centuries, mainly from the east and north-east, and established a new state. The French did not penetrate into the country's interior before the 1830s after they had concluded a treaty with those that dominated the coastal area. Although the French who were colonizing the country met fierce resistance, Côte d'Ivoire was officially made into a French colony in 1893. In 1904 Côte d'Ivoire received the status of an autonomous region within the Federation of French West Africa. Still, direct government was what the French were pursuing, thus undermining the power of the traditional rulers. In 1919 the north of the country was separated and became part of the new colony of Upper Volta. In 1944 Félix Houphou?t-Boigny, a Baoule chief, farmer and doctor, founded the Union of African Farmers. This organisation was to become the first big African political party, the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire, which was led by Houphou?t-Boigny, but was disapproved of by the French administration. In 1949 political tensions led to violent clashes, a year later Houphou?t-Boigny started making compromises and co-operated with the French. In 1958 Côte d'Ivoire was proclaimed a republic within the French Community. After national elections in 1959 Houphou?t-Boigny became Prime Minister and in 1960 he was elected president after the country had been given complete independence. Côte d'Ivoire enjoyed political stability and enormous economic growth in the sixties and the seventies. The early 1980s saw economic growth slow down. The government was forced to introduce economic stabilization measure sparking unrest among students in 1982, leading to the temporary closure of the University of Abidjan. T owards the end of the eighties the aging president promoted gigantic building projects, especially in Yamoussoukro, despite a period of economic depression. In 1990 Houphou?t-Boigny took up his seventh five-year term as president after the freest elections that had been held in Côte d'Ivoire since it had attained independence. He died, however, in 1993. His successor was the chairman of the National Assembly, Henri Konan Bédié. On 25 December 1999 a military coup - the first ever in Côte d'Ivoire's history - overthrew Konan Bédié. In the presidential elections in October 2000 Laurent Gbagbo gained the majority of votes and was subsequently appointed president. Economy Côte d'Ivoire is largely dependent on agriculture and related activities, which engage roughly 60% of the population. Main export items include coffee, cocoa, sugar cane, bananas, cotton, and pineapples. Côte d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers and exporters of coffee and cocoa. Other agricultural commodities, mainly to meet domestic requirements, are manioc, rice, maize, millet, peanuts, and yams. The government subsidizes the production of palm oil, rubber, sugar cane, cotton, and soybeans. Timber is essential for the country's economy. Most important timber items for export include mahogany, iroko, sipo, obeche, and makore. On the coast fishing is important. Culture Although French culture has strongly influenced the Ivorians, indigenous traditions have been cultivated. The art of Côte d'Ivoire is among the best in West Africa. Renowned are traditional craft objects, as far as craftsmanship is concerned, three groups stand out - the Baoulé, the Dan (or Yacouba) and the Senoufo - all known for their wooden carvings. The most common Dan mask is that of a human face, slightly abstract but with realistic features. Another common Dan carving is that of a large spoon for serving rice; such spoons typically are shaped like a human body and rest standing up on their legs. Traditionally used in commemorative ceremonies, Baoulé facial masks are very realistic and intended to portray individuals who can be recognised by their facial marks or hairdos. Senoufo masks are highly stylised: the most famous is the "fire spitter" helmet mask, which is a combination of antelope, wart hog and hyena. In Côte d'Ivoire's literature French predominates.