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IVORIAN Facts & Figures

Size: 124,502 square miles

Population: 20,617,068

Capital: Yamoussoukro

Currency: West African Franc

Weather / Climate:

The climate of Côte d'Ivoire is generally warm and humid, ranging from equatorial in the southern coasts to tropical in the middle and semiarid in the far north. There are three seasons: warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), and hot and wet (June to October). Temperatures average between 25 and 32 °C (77 and 89.6 °F) and range from 10 to 40 °C (50 to 104 °F).

Taken from wikipedia

IVORIAN languages

Official langauge: French

National languages:About 70 languages, Aoulé, Sénoufo, Yacouba, Agni, Attié, Guéré, Bété, Dioula, Abé, Mahou, Wobé, Llobi

Major languages of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) include Baoulé, Dan, and Dioula. The official language is French, which was the colonial language.

Ethnologuelists 78 living languages including the above. Others with large numbers of speakers include Anyin, which is closely related to Baoulé, and Senufo. Dioula ie=CI Ethnologue Listing of Ivoirian Languages]

Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_C%C3%B4te_d%27Ivoire

IVORIAN culture

During Medieval times, the region that is now Côte d'Ivoire was at the centre of several major African trade routes, linking the empires which then existed in Ghana and Mali. These were initially dominated by the Dioula people. As trade expanded, they came into contact with Malinke merchants who brought Islam to the region. The collapse of the Mali Empire in the 16th century, followed by the Ashanti wars of the 17th century, produced several waves of migration into the forest regions of central and northern Côte d'Ivoire and the foundation of new kingdoms including the Anyi and Baule. In the savannah country of the south, the Kong held sway, notably through the dynasty founded by Sekou Ouattara in the early 18th century. The Kong Empire was eventually conquered by the Muslim leader Samory Touré in 1897.

European traders had been present in the region since the 15th century, but it was not until the 19th that the French undertook a determined penetration of the region. They gradually subjugated or formed alliances with the local ruling groups. The colonisation process was completed with the capture of Samory Touré. The territory was later incorporated into French West Africa until it was granted independence in August 1960.

For more than three decades after independence under the leadership of its first president, Felix Houphouet-Boigny, Ivory Coast was conspicuous for its religious and ethnic harmony and its well-developed economy. Houphouët-Boigny retained close links with the West - especially France, but also apartheid South Africa.

All this ended when the late Robert Guei led a coup which toppled Felix Houphouet-Boigny's successor, Henri Bedie, in 1999.

Once hailed as a model of stability, during the first decade of the twenty-first century Ivory Coast slipped into the kind of internal strife that has plagued so many African countries.

Mr Bedie fled, but not before planting the seeds of ethnic discord by trying to stir up xenophobia against Muslim northerners, including his main rival, Alassane Ouattara.

This theme was also adopted by Mr Guei, who had Alassane Ouattara banned from the presidential election in 2000 because of his foreign parentage, and by the only serious contender allowed to run against Mr Guei, Laurent Gbagbo.

When Mr Gbagbo replaced Robert Guei after he was deposed in a popular uprising in 2000, violence replaced xenophobia. Scores of Mr Ouattara's supporters were killed after their leader called for new elections.

An armed rebellion in 2002 split the nation in two. Since then, peace deals have alternated with renewed violence as the country has slowly edged its way towards a political resolution of the conflict.

In September 2002 a troop mutiny escalated into a full-scale rebellion, voicing the ongoing discontent of northern Muslims who felt they were being discriminated against in Ivorian politics. Thousands were killed in the conflict.

Although most of the fighting ended in 2004, Ivory Coast remained tense and divided. French and UN peacekeepers patrolled the buffer zone which separated the north, held by rebels known as the New Forces, and the government-controlled south.

After repeated delays, elections aimed at ending the conflict were finally held in October 2010. But the vote ushered in more unrest when the incumbent, Laurent Gbagbo, refused to concede victory to the internationally recognised winner, Alassane Ouattara.

The ensuing four-month stand-off was only ended when Mr Ouattara's forces overran the south of the country, finally capturing Mr Gbagbo and declaring him deposed. In November 2011, Mr Gbagbo was transferred to The Hague to stand trial at the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity.

34% of the population is Christian, 27% - Muslim, 15% has traditional beliefs. It is important to note, however, that these percentages are based on census results in 1998, of which some Muslim foreign workers may have been excluded - therefore, the Muslim percentage may be higher than is indicated here.

One of the most striking features of Côte d'Ivoire, distinguishing it from many other African countries, is the extreme ethnic and linguistic variety. The size of each of the 60 groups - which include the Akar, Kron, Nzima, Hone, Voltaic and Malinke peoples - varies widely and the area they occupy may cover a whole region. With very few exceptions every Ivoirian has a mother tongue which is that of the village, along with traditions, family and social relations within their ethnic group. French has become the official language of schools, cities and government and therefore has an influence on lifestyle even at a modest level. Handshaking is normal.

Small tokens of appreciation, a souvenir from home or a business gift with the company logo are always welcome. Normal courtesies should be observed and it is considered polite to arrive punctually for social occasions. Snakes are regarded as sacred by some ethnic groups.

Holidays

· 01 January – New Year's Day

· 15 February – Mouloud, Birth of the Prophet

· April – Easter Monday

· 01 May – Labour Day

· May – Ascension

· May – Whit Monday

· June – Lailat al Miraj, Ascent of the Prophet

· 07 August – Independence Day

· 15 August – Assumption

· August – Lailat al Quadr, Revelation of the Quran

· August – Korite, End of Ramadan

· October – Tabaski, Feast of the Sacrifice

· 01 November – All Saints’ Day

· 15 November – Peace Day

· 25 December – Christmas

Taken from:

www.bbc.co.uk

www.worldtravelguide.net

IVORIAN people

Population

21,058,798 (2010 est.)

Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2010 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 years: 40.6% (male 4,215,912/female 4,146,077)

15-64 years: 56.6% (male 5,942,642/female 5,720,108)

65 years and over: 2.9% (male 296,074/female 296,255) (2010 est.)

Median age

Total: 19.6 years

Male: 19.7 years

Female: 19.5 years (2011 est.)

Birth rate

31.48 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

10.43 deaths/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Sex ratio

At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

Under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female

Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Ethnic groups

Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 16.5%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 30,000 Lebanese and 45,000 French) (2004)

Côte d'Ivoire has more than 60 ethnic groups, usually classified into five principal divisions: Akan (east and center, including Lagoon peoples of the southeast), Krou (southwest), Southern Mandé (west), Northern Mandé (northwest), Sénoufo/Lobi (north center and northeast). The Baoulés, in the Akan division, probably comprise the largest single subgroup with 15%-20% of the population. They are based in the central region around Bouaké and Yamoussoukro. The Bétés in the Krou division, the Sénoufos in the north, and the Malinkés in the northwest and the cities are the next largest groups, with 10%-15% of the national population. Most of the principal divisions have a significant presence in neighboring countries.

Of the more than 5 million non-Ivorian Africans living in Côte d'Ivoire, one-third to one-half are from Burkina Faso; the rest are from Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, Benin, Sénégal, Liberia, and Mauritania. The non-African expatriate community includes roughly 50,000 French (this number may be inaccurate due to the evacuation of roughly 8,000 Frenchmen in November 2004) and possibly 30,000 Lebanese. The number of elementary school-aged children attending classes increased from 22% in 1960 to 67% in 1995.

Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_C%C3%B4te_d%27Ivoire

IVORIAN food

Ivorian cuisineis the traditional cuisine of Côte d'Ivoire, or the Ivory Coast, and is based on tubers, grains, chicken, seafood, fish, fresh fruits, vegetables and spicesand is very similar to that of neighboring countries in west Africa.^[1] Common staple foods include grains and tubers. Côte d'Ivoire is one of the largest cocoa producers in the world, and also produces palm oil and coffee.^[1]

Common foods and dishes

Cassava and plantains are significant parts of Ivorian cuisine.^[1] A type of corn paste called “Aitiu” is used to prepare corn balls, and peanuts are widely used in many dishes.^[1] Attiéké is a popular side dish in Côte d'Ivoire made with grated cassava and is very similar in taste and consistency to couscous.^[1] A common street-vended food is alloco, which is ripe banana fried in palm oil, spiced with a spicy sauce made of onions and chili. It can be eaten alone as a snack or often with a hard-boiled egg, as well as a side dish.

Grilled fish and grilled chicken are the most popular non-vegetarian foods. The lean, low-fat chicken of the region is commonly referred as poulet bicyclette.^[1] Seafood includes tuna, sardines, shrimp and bonito,^[1] which are similar to tuna.

Mafé is another common dish consisting of meat in a peanut sauce.^[2] Slow-simmered stews with various ingredients are another common food staple in Côte d'Ivoire.^[2] Kedjenou is a type of spicy stew consisting of chicken and vegetables that are slow-cooked in a sealed pot with little or no added liquid, which concentrates the flavors of the chicken and vegetables and tenderizes the chicken.^[2] It's usually cooked in a pottery jar called a canary, over a slight fire, or cooked in an oven.^[2]

Ivorian land snails are huge and very appreciated, commonly grilled or eaten in sauce.

Maquis restaurants

Ivorians have a particular kind of small, open-air restaurant called a maquis,^[1] which is unique to Côte d'Ivoire. Maquis normally feature braised chicken and fish served with onions and tomatoes,^[1] attiéké, and/or kedjenou.

Fruits and vegetables

Widely-consumed fruits include mandarins, mango, passion fruit, sour sops and coconuts.^[1] Eggplant is a commonly used vegetable in many dishes.^[2] "Foutou" is a dish consisting of mashed plantains.^[2]

Taken from wikipedia

Places to go in COTE D'IVOIRE

In the markets, hard bargaining is often necessary to get prices down to reasonable levels. Special purchases include wax prints, Ghanaian kente cloth, indigo fabric and woven cloth, wooden statuettes and masks, bead necklaces, pottery and basketware.

There are nightclubs in most major centres. Abidjan is the most lively area with its hotels and lagoon-side tourist resorts. There are also theatres, casinos and bars. Traditional entertainment is offered in some hotels.

The former capital and largest city, Abidjan, is dominated by the Plateau, the central commercial district. The older, more traditional heart of the city is Treichville, home of many bars, restaurants and nightclubs as well as the colourful central market. There is a very good museum, the Ifon Museum, as well as the National Museum containing historic artefacts, statues and ivory.

Yamoussoukro is about 230km (143 miles) north of Abidjan. Discover the town's lively market, the Palace and Plantations of the President and the Mosque. Also of architectural interest but, above all, of statistical interest, is the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix. Fractionally smaller than St Peter's in Rome, it incorporates a greater area of stained glass than the total area of stained glass in France. Roman Catholicism is a minority religion in Côte d'Ivoire (some say that the cathedral could accommodate every Roman Catholic in the country several times over). Yamoussoukro was the birthplace of Félix Houphouët-Boigny, who was Côte d'Ivoire's president for 33 years. The cathedral was paid for almost entirely out of his own pocket.

About 100km (60 miles) east of the former capital is the beach resort of Assouinde; other places being developed as tourist attractions include Tiagba, a stilt town; Grand Bassam, whose sandy beaches make the place a favourite weekend retreat for the inhabitants of Abidjan; and Bondoukou, one of the oldest settlements in the country. Note that in Abidjan and the surrounding coastal resorts, there is a dangerous deep current and swimmers should stay near the shore. Local advice should be taken.

In the west of the country, visit the attractive town of Man, situated in a region of thickly forested mountains and plateaux. The nearby waterfalls are a popular attraction, as are climbs to the peak of Mount Tonkoui and visits to the villages of Biankouma and Gouessesso, 55km (34 miles) away.

Other towns of interest include Korhogo, the main city of the north and centre of a good fishing and hunting district; the former capital of Bingerville; and the town of Bouaké in the centre of the country.

There is also good coastal and river fishing. Red carp, barracuda, mullet and sole can all be caught from the shores of the lagoons. Sea trips can be organised through travel agencies to catch shark, swordfish, bonito and marlin. Boats and instructors are available in Abidjan, where waterskiing facilities are also available.

Spot African wildlife. The national parks are largely inaccessible for visitors without their own vehicles. Local guides are necessary and easily available. The largest and oldest national park is Comoë National Park in the northeast, where lions, waterbucks, hippos and other animals can be observed. The Abokouamekro Game Reserve is about an hour outside Yamoussoukro.

Although much of Côte d'Ivoire has been deforested, there is good hiking in the west near Man (nicknamed the 'city of 18 mountains'). A guide is necessary for longer walks.

taken from www.worldtravelguide.net

Doing business in COTE D'IVOIRE

Côte d’Ivoirehas, for the region, a relatively high income per capita (USD 960 in 2007) and plays a key role in transit trade for neighboring, landlocked countries. The country is the largest economy in the West African Economic and Monetary Union, constituting 40 percent of the monetary union’s total GDP. The country is the world's largest exporter of cocoa, and the fourth largest exporter of goods, in general, in sub-Saharan Africa (following South Africa, Nigeria and Angola).^[42]

The maintenance of close ties to France since independence in 1960, diversification of agriculture for export, and encouragement of foreign investment, have been factors in the economic growth of Côte d'Ivoire. In recent years Côte d'Ivoirehas been subject to greater competition and falling prices in the global marketplace for its primary agricultural crops: coffee and cocoa. That, compounded with high internal corruption, makes life difficult for the grower and those exporting into foreign markets.

Taken from wikipedia