Various small kingdoms ruled the area of Cote d’Ivoire between the 15th and 19th centuries, when European explorers arrived and then began to expand their presence. In 1844, France established a protectorate. During this period, many of these kingdoms and tribes fought to maintain their cultural identities — some well into the 20th century. For example, the Sanwi kingdom — originally founded in the 17th century — tried to break away from Cote d’Ivoire and establish an independent state in 1969.
Cote d’Ivoire achieved independence from France in 1960 but has maintained close ties. Foreign investment and the export and production of cocoa drove economic growth that led Cote d’Ivoire to become one of the most prosperous states in West Africa. Then in 1999, a military coup overthrew the government, and a year later, junta leader Robert GUEI held rigged elections and declared himself the winner. Popular protests forced him to step aside, and Laurent GBAGBO was elected. Ivoirian dissidents and members of the military launched a failed coup in 2002 that developed into a civil war. In 2003, a cease-fire resulted in rebels holding the north, the government holding the south, and peacekeeping forces occupying a buffer zone in the middle. In 2007, President GBAGBO and former rebel leader Guillaume SORO signed an agreement in which SORO joined GBAGBO’s government as prime minister. The two agreed to reunite the country by dismantling the buffer zone, integrating rebel forces into the national armed forces, and holding elections.
In 2010, Alassane Dramane OUATTARA won the presidential election, but GBAGBO refused to hand over power, resulting in five months of violent conflict. Armed OUATTARA supporters and UN and French troops eventually forced GBAGBO to step down in 2011. OUATTARA won a second term in 2015 and a controversial third term in 2020 — despite the two-term limit in the Ivoirian constitution — in an election boycotted by the opposition. Through political compromise with OUATTARA, the opposition participated peacefully in 2021 legislative elections and won a substantial minority of seats. Also in 2021, the International Criminal Court in The Hague ruled on a final acquittal for GBAGBO, who was on trial for crimes against humanity, paving the way for GBAGBO’s return to Abidjan the same year. GBAGBO has publicly met with OUATTARA since his return as a demonstration of political reconciliation. TipVisit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.Definitions and Notes
Geography
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia
Geographic coordinates
8 00 N, 5 00 W
Map references
Africa
Area
total : 322,463 sq km
land: 318,003 sq km
water: 4,460 sq km
comparison ranking: total 70
Area – comparative
slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries
total: 3,458 km
border countries (5): Burkina Faso 545 km; Ghana 720 km; Guinea 816 km; Liberia 778 km; Mali 599 km
Coastline
515 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
Climate
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)
Terrain
mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest
Elevation
highest point: Monts Nimba 1,752 m
lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m
mean elevation: 250 m
Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower
Land use
agricultural land: 84.2% (2022 est.)
arable land: 13.5% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 29.1% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 41.5% (2022 est.)
forest: 8.2% (2022 est.)
other: 7.6% (2022 est.)
Irrigated land
730 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km)
salt water lake(s): Lagune Aby – 780 sq km
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km)
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, as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards
coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible
Geography – note
most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated
People and Society
Population
total: 29,981,758 (2024 est.)
male: 15,040,032
female: 14,941,726
comparison rankings: total 52; female 52; male 52
Nationality
noun: Ivoirian(s)
adjective: Ivoirian
Ethnic groups
Akan 38%, Voltaique or Gur 22%, Northern Mande 22%, Kru 9.1%, Southern Mande 8.6%, other 0.3% (2021 est.)
Languages
French (official), 60 native dialects of which Dioula is the most widely spoken
major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d’informations de base. (French)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
French audio sample:
Religions
Muslim 42.9%, Catholic 17.2%, Evangelical 11.8%, Methodist 1.7%, other Christian 3.2%, animist 3.6%, other religion 0.5%, none 19.1% (2014 est.)
note: the majority of foreign migrant workers are Muslim (72.7%) and Christian (17.7%)
Age structure
0-14 years: 36.1% (male 5,437,108/female 5,390,782)
15-64 years: 60.9% (male 9,200,957/female 9,060,748)
65 years and over: 3% (2024 est.) (male 401,967/female 490,196)
2024 population pyramid:
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 73.6 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 68.8 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 4.7 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 21.1 (2024 est.)
Median age
total: 21.2 years (2024 est.)
male: 21.2 years
female: 21.2 years
comparison ranking: total 195
Population growth rate
2.13% (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 36
Birth rate
27.5 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 35
Death rate
7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 109
Net migration rate
1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 62
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, as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization
urban population: 53.1% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas – population
231,000 YAMOUSSOUKRO (capital) (2018), 5.686 million ABIDJAN (seat of government) (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother’s mean age at first birth
19.6 years (2011/12 est.)
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49
Maternal mortality ratio
480 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: 15
Infant mortality rate
total: 52.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
male: 59.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 45.2 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 17
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 63.2 years (2024 est.)
male: 60.9 years
female: 65.4 years
comparison ranking: total population 212
Total fertility rate
3.4 children born/woman (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 39
Gross reproduction rate
1.67 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
27.8% (2020)
Drinking water source
improved:
urban: 89.9% of population
rural: 69.1% of population
total: 79.8% of population
unimproved:
urban: 10.1% of population
rural: 30.9% of population
total: 20.2% of population (2020 est.)
Health expenditure
3.1% of GDP (2021)
6.2% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
0.17 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Sanitation facility access
improved:
urban: 77.8% of population
rural: 35% of population
total: 57.1% of population
unimproved:
urban: 22.2% of population
rural: 65% of population
total: 42.9% of population (2020 est.)
Obesity – adult prevalence rate
10.3% (2016)
comparison ranking: 139
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 1.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 1.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 133
Tobacco use
total: 7.8% (2025 est.)
male: 14.9% (2025 est.)
female: 0.6% (2025 est.)
comparison ranking: total 144
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
14% (2021)
comparison ranking: 37
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
60.3% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 7.4% (2021)
women married by age 18: 25.8% (2021)
men married by age 18: 1.9% (2021)
Education expenditure
3.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
15.9% national budget (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 133
Literacy
total population: 50% (2021 est.)
male: 60.2% (2021 est.)
female: 40.3% (2021 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 10 years (2020)
Environment
Environment – current issues
deforestation; water pollution from sewage and from industrial, mining, and agricultural effluents
Environment – international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate
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)
Land use
agricultural land: 84.2% (2022 est.)
arable land: 13.5% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 29.1% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 41.5% (2022 est.)
forest: 8.2% (2022 est.)
other: 7.6% (2022 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 53.1% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 40.41 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 9.67 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 10.3 megatons (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 4,440,814 tons (2010 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 133,224 tons (2005 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 3% (2005 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km)
salt water lake(s): Lagune Aby – 780 sq km
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km)
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 320 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 240 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 600 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
84.14 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
conventional short form: Côte d’Ivoire
local long form: République de Côte d’Ivoire
local short form: Cote d’Ivoire
former: Ivory Coast
etymology: name, which means “Ivory Coast” in French, reflects the ivory trade in the region from the 15th to 17th centuries; the French version of the name has been used internationally since 1986, at the country’s request
note: pronounced coat-div-whar
Government type
presidential republic
Capital
name: Yamoussoukro (legislative capital), Abidjan (administrative and economic capital); note – the US Embassy is in Abidjan
geographic coordinates: 6 49 N, 5 16 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: formerly a village named N’Gokro, Yamoussoukro is named after Queen YAMOUSSOU, who ruled during the early 20th century; Abidjan’s name may have come from a misunderstanding when a French explorer asked a group of women the name of the village — thinking it was a question about what they were doing, they replied “t’chan m’bi djan,” which in the Ebrie language means “I return from cutting leaves,” so the explorer recorded the name of the locale as Abidjan
Administrative divisions
12 districts and 2 autonomous districts*; Abidjan*, Bas-Sassandra, Comoe, Denguele, Goh-Djiboua, Lacs, Lagunes, Montagnes, Sassandra-Marahoue, Savanes, Vallee du Bandama, Woroba, Yamoussoukro*, Zanzan
Legal system
civil law system based on the French civil code; Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court reviews legislation
Constitution
history: previous 1960, 2000; latest draft completed 24 September 2016, approved by the National Assembly 11 October 2016, approved by referendum 30 October 2016, promulgated 8 November 2016
amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; consideration of drafts or proposals requires an absolute majority vote by the parliamentary membership; passage of amendments affecting presidential elections, presidential term of office and vacancies, and amendment procedures requires approval by absolute majority in a referendum; passage of other proposals by the president requires at least four-fifths majority vote by Parliament; constitutional articles on the sovereignty of the state and its republican and secular form of government cannot be amended
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cote d’Ivoire
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: President Alassane Dramane OUATTARA (since 4 December 2010)
head of government: Prime Minister Robert BREUGRE MAMBE (since 17 October 2023)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a single renewable 5-year term; vice president elected on same ballot as president; prime minister appointed by the president
most recent election date: 31 October 2020
election results:
2020: Alassane OUATTARA reelected president; percent of vote – Alassane OUATTARA (RDR) 94.3%, Kouadio Konan BERTIN (PDCI-RDA) 2.0%, other 3.7%
2015: Alassane OUATTARA reelected president; percent of vote – Alassane OUATTARA (RDR) 83.7%, Pascal Affi N’GUESSAN (FPI) 9.3%, Konan Bertin KOUADIO (independent) 3.9%, other 3.1%
expected date of next election: October 2025
note: because President OUATTARA promulgated the new constitution in 2016, he has claimed that the clock is reset on term limits, allowing him to run for up to two additional terms
Legislative branch
legislature name: Parliament (Parlement)
legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch – lower chamber
chamber name: National Assembly (Assemblée nationale)
number of seats: 255 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 3/6/2021 to 6/12/2021
parties elected and seats per party: Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) (139); Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire-African Democratic Rally (PDCI-RDA)-Together for Democracy and Sovereignty (EDS) (49); Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire-African Democratic Rally (PDCI-RDA) (23); Independents (26); Other (18)
percentage of women in chamber: 13.4%
expected date of next election: March 2026
Legislative branch – upper chamber
chamber name: Senate (Sénat)
number of seats: 99 (66 indirectly elected; 33 appointed)
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 9/16/2023
percentage of women in chamber: 24.5%
expected date of next election: September 2028
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (organized into Judicial, Audit, Constitutional, and Administrative Chambers; consists of the court president, 3 vice presidents for the Judicial, Audit, and Administrative chambers, and 9 associate justices or magistrates)
judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the Superior Council of the Magistrature, a 7-member body consisting of the national president (chairman), 3 “bench” judges, and 3 public prosecutors; judges appointed for life
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (organized into civil, criminal, and social chambers); first instance courts; peace courts
Political parties
African Peoples’ Party-Cote d’Ivoire or PPA-CI
Democratic Party of Cote d’Ivoire or PDCI
Ivorian Popular Front or FPI
Liberty and Democracy for the Republic or LIDER
Movement of the Future Forces or MFA
Pan-African Congress for People’s Justice and Equality or COJEP
Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace or RHDP
Rally of the Republicans or RDR
Together for Democracy and Sovereignty or EDS
Together to Build (UDPCI, FPI,and allies)
Union for Cote d’Ivoire or UPCI
Union for Democracy and Peace in Cote d’Ivoire or UDPCI
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahima TOURE (since 13 January 2022)
chancery: 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300
FAX: [1] (202) 204-3967
email address and website:
[email protected]
Ambassade de Cote D’ivoire aux USA (ambaciusa.org)
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Jessica Davis BA (since 2 March 2023)
embassy: B.P. 730 Abidjan Cidex 03
mailing address: 2010 Abidjan Place, Washington DC 20521-2010
telephone: [225] 27-22-49-40-00
FAX: [225] 27-22-49-43-23
email address and website:
[email protected]
https://ci.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMISS, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence
7 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday
Independence Day, 7 August (1960)
Flag description
three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green; orange stands for the savannah and fertility, white for peace and unity, green for the forests of the south and the hope for a bright future; design based on France’s flag
note: 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
National symbol(s)
elephant
National color(s)
orange, white, green
National anthem
name: “L’Abidjanaise” (Song of Abidjan)
lyrics/music: Mathieu EKRA, Joachim BONY, and Pierre Marie COTY/Pierre Marie COTY and Pierre Michel PANGO
note: adopted 1960; although the nation’s capital city moved from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro in 1983, the anthem still owes its name to the former capital
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 5 (2 cultural, 3 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Comoé National Park (n); Historic Grand-Bassam (c); Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (n); Sudanese-style Mosques (c); Taï National Park (n)
Economy
Economic overview
one of West Africa’s most influential, stable, and rapidly developing economies; poverty declines in urban but increases in rural areas; strong construction sector and increasingly diverse economic portfolio; increasing but manageable public debt; large labor force in agriculture
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$202.119 billion (2023 est.)
$190.319 billion (2022 est.)
$179.178 billion (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 77
Real GDP growth rate
6.2% (2023 est.)
6.22% (2022 est.)
7.06% (2021 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 29
Real GDP per capita
$6,500 (2023 est.)
$6,300 (2022 est.)
$6,000 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 164
GDP (official exchange rate)
$78.875 billion (2023 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.5% (2024 est.)
4.4% (2023 est.)
5.3% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
comparison ranking: 114
GDP – composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 14.4% (2023 est.)
industry: 23.9% (2023 est.)
services: 54.6% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
comparison rankings: services 126; industry 109; agriculture 59
GDP – composition, by end use
household consumption: 64.9% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 10.5% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 27.8% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.3% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 24.5% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -28.1% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Agricultural products
yams, cassava, oil palm fruit, cocoa beans, sugarcane, plantains, rice, rubber, maize, cashews (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, gold mining, truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity
Industrial production growth rate
6.1% (2023 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 36
Labor force
12.595 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
comparison ranking: 47
Unemployment rate
2.3% (2024 est.)
2.3% (2023 est.)
2.3% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
comparison ranking: 25
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 3.9% (2024 est.)
male: 3.5% (2024 est.)
female: 4.4% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
comparison ranking: total 180
Population below poverty line
37.5% (2021 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income
35.3 (2021 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
comparison ranking: 73
Average household expenditures
on food: 37.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 3.2% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 3.1% (2021 est.)
highest 10%: 27.8% (2021 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Remittances
1.32% of GDP (2023 est.)
1.48% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.6% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Budget
revenues: $9.755 billion (2022 est.)
expenditures: $13.255 billion (2022 est.)
note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Public debt
47% of GDP (2017 est.)
comparison ranking: 115
Taxes and other revenues
13.4% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
comparison ranking: 152
Current account balance
-$5.394 billion (2022 est.)
-$2.874 billion (2021 est.)
-$1.974 billion (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments – net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
comparison ranking: 180
Exports
$17.211 billion (2022 est.)
$16.23 billion (2021 est.)
$13.232 billion (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments – exports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 96
Exports – partners
Switzerland 17%, Netherlands 9%, Mali 7%, USA 5%, Malaysia 4% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports – commodities
gold, cocoa beans, rubber, refined petroleum, coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$19.948 billion (2022 est.)
$16.191 billion (2021 est.)
$12.66 billion (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments – imports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 95
Imports – partners
China 16%, Nigeria 12%, France 6%, India 5%, USA 4% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports – commodities
crude petroleum, ships, refined petroleum, fish, rice (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$6.257 billion (2017 est.)
$4.935 billion (2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 91
Debt – external
$26.576 billion (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
comparison ranking: 28
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar –
Exchange rates:
606.345 (2024 est.)
606.57 (2023 est.)
623.76 (2022 est.)
554.531 (2021 est.)
575.586 (2020 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification – total population: 70.4% (2022 est.)
electrification – urban areas: 95%
electrification – rural areas: 45.3%
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 2.315 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 8.746 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 971 million kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 222.79 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 1.638 billion kWh (2023 est.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 116; imports 105; exports 70; consumption 111; installed generating capacity 117
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 68.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 30.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 29,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 87,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 100 million barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 2.474 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 2.474 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 28.317 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
16.28 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 11.641 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 4.639 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 98
Energy consumption per capita
8.489 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: 155
Communications
Telephones – fixed lines
total subscriptions: 244,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.) less than 1
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 114
Telephones – mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 53.6 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 174 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 32
Broadcast media
state-controlled Radiodiffusion Télévision Ivoirienne (RTI) is made up of 2 radio stations (Radio Cote d’Ivoire and Fréquence2) and 2 TV stations (RTI1 and RTI2) with nationwide coverage, broadcasting mainly in French; 178 proximity radio stations, 16 religious radio stations, 5 commercial radio stations, and 5 international radio stations; government now runs radio station UNOCIFM, previously owned by the UN Operation in Cote d’Ivoire; in 2016, 4 media companies were granted licenses: Live TV, Optimum Media Cote d’Ivoire, the Audiovisual Company of Cote d’Ivoire (Sedaci), and Sorano-CI (2019)
Internet country code
.ci
Internet users
percent of population: 41% (2023 est.)
Broadband – fixed subscriptions
total: 425,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total 105
Transportation
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
TU
Airports
29 (2025)
comparison ranking: 122
Heliports
1 (2025)
comparison ranking: 146
Railways
total: 660 km (2008)
narrow gauge: 660 km (2008) 1.000-m gauge
note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso
Merchant marine
total: 25 (2023)
by type: oil tanker 2, other 23
comparison ranking: total 140
Ports
total ports: 5 (2024)
large: 1
medium: 0
small: 0
very small: 4
ports with oil terminals: 5
key ports: Abidjan, Baobab Marine Terminal, Espoir Marine Terminal, Port Bouet, San Pedro
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Armed Forces of Cote d’Ivoire (Forces Armees de Cote d’Ivoire, FACI; aka Republican Forces of Ivory Coast, FRCI): Army, National Navy, Air Force, Special Forces; National Gendarmerie
Ministry of Security and Civil Protection: National Police (2025)
note: the National Gendarmerie is a paramilitary force under the Ministry of Defense that is responsible for ensuring public safety, maintaining order, enforcing laws, and protecting institutions, people, and property; it is organized into mobile and territorial components; the Mobile Gendarmerie is responsible for maintaining and restoring order and is considered the backbone of the country’s domestic security; the Territorial Gendarmerie is responsible for the administrative, judicial, and military police; the Gendarmerie also has separate specialized units for security, intervention (counterterrorism, hostage rescue, etc), VIP protection, and surveillance
Military expenditures
0.8% of GDP (2024 est.)
0.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.1% of GDP (2021 est.)
1.1% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 25-30,000 active FACI, including Gendarmerie personnel (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the inventory of the FACI consists mostly of older or second-hand equipment, typically of French or Soviet-era origin; Cote d’Ivoire was under a partial UN arms embargo from 2004 to 2016; in recent years it has received some new and secondhand equipment from a variety of suppliers, including Bulgaria, China, France, South Africa, and Turkey (2024)
Military service age and obligation
18-26 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service for men and women; conscription is reportedly not enforced (2023)
Military deployments
180 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2024)
Military – note
the military (FACI) is responsible for external defense but also has a considerable internal role supporting the National Gendarmerie and other internal security forces; the operational focus of the FACI is the threat posed by Islamic militants associated with the al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) terrorist group operating across the border in Burkina Faso and Mali; AQIM militants conducted significant attacks in the country in 2016 and 2020; Côte d’Ivoire since 2016 has stepped up border security and completed building a joint counter-terrorism training center with France near Abidjan in 2020; Cote d’Ivoire has long maintained a close security relationship with France
the FACI has mutinied several times since the late 1990s, most recently in 2017, and has had a large role in the country’s political turmoil; it was established in 1960 from home defense units the French colonial government began standing up in 1950 (2025)
Space
Space agency/agencies
Space Agency of Côte d’Ivoire (ASCI; established June 2025) (2025)
Space program overview
has a small, nascent program focused on acquiring a remote sensing (RS) satellite for detecting illegal gold mining, facilitating access to drinking water, mapping deforestation, and national security issues; new space agency’s responsibilities also include advancing the use of space-based technologies for sustainable development, promoting domestic expertise, and supporting scientific research (2025)
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Terrorist group(s): al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM); Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 302,000 (post-election conflict in 2010-11, as well as civil war from 2002-04; land disputes; most pronounced in western and southwestern regions) (2022)
stateless persons: 930,578 (2022); note – many Ivoirians lack documentation proving their nationality, which prevent them from accessing education and healthcare; birth on Ivorian soil does not automatically result in citizenship; disputes over citizenship and the associated rights of the large population descended from migrants from neighboring countries is an ongoing source of tension and contributed to the country’s 2002 civil war; some observers believe the government’s mass naturalizations of thousands of people over the last couple of years is intended to boost its electoral support base; the government in October 2013 acceded to international conventions on statelessness and in August 2013 reformed its nationality law, key steps to clarify the nationality of thousands of residents; since the adoption of the Abidjan Declaration to eradicate statelessness in West Africa in February 2015, 6,400 people have received nationality papers in Cote d’Ivoire; in September 2020, Cote d’Ivoire adopted Africa’s first statelessness determination procedure to regularize the status of stateless people
Illicit drugs
illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption; utility as a narcotic transshipment point to Europe reduced by ongoing political instability; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leave the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a developed financial system limits the country’s utility as a major money-laundering center
