Côte d’Ivoire

Côte d'Ivoire is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by the countries of Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea. The country's official name is the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire. The country is divided into 19 regions, which are further subdivided into 58 departments. The regions are: Bas-Sassandra Denguele Fromager Haut-Sassandra Lacs Lagunes Marahoue Moyen-Cavally Moyen-Comoe N'zi-Comoe Savanes Sud-Bandama Sud-Comoe Vallee du Bandama Worodougou Yamoussoukro Zanzan The country covers an area of 322,463 square kilometers (124,503 square miles), making it about the size of New Mexico. As of 2019, the population of Côte d'Ivoire was estimated to be about 26.3 million people. The capital city of Côte d'Ivoire is Yamoussoukro. However, the largest city in the country is Abidjan, which is also the country's economic capital. Other major cities include Bouaké, Daloa, San-Pédro, and Yamoussoukro. The official language of Côte d'Ivoire is French. However, there are more than 60 indigenous languages spoken in the country, the most common of which are Baoulé, Dan, Dioula, and Anyin. The majority of the people of Côte d'Ivoire are Christians. Islam is also practiced by a significant minority of the population. The economy of Côte d'Ivoire is largely based on agriculture. The country is the world's leading producer of cocoa beans and also produces coffee, palm oil, and timber. Côte d'Ivoire is also a major exporter of gold and petroleum. Côte d'Ivoire is a republic with a presidential system of government. The president is the head of state and the head of government. The president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. The unicameral National Assembly is the country's legislature. The Assembly is composed of 255 members, who are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms. Côte d'Ivoire is a member of the United Nations, the African Union, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).