Ivory Coast Overview

Once home to several states, it is now known as the Ivory Coast. It is located in West Africa, and it is a country that has been through a lot of ups and downs throughout its lifetime. As it holds cultures and values from several states, it is still portrayed by several means. Ivory Coast is a country full of diversity and variations, and here we will be discussing everything you need to know about it.

A geographical overview of Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast is a county located in West Africa. It is located on the south coast, so it is not a land-locked country considering that it shares one of its 4 sides with the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Guinea. It shares its borders with Guinea and Mali to the northwest. Liberia is located on the west, while Burkina Faso is located on the northeast. Ghana is one the east and, on the South, there is the Ocean. It is a piece of land that covers 322463 square kilometers of area.

Economy
The location of the Ivory Coast makes it generate a comparatively high income per capita. The reason here is that it plays a vital role in the transit trade for the neighboring landlocked countries. Interestingly it is the largest economy in the whole West African Economy and Monetary Union. Ivory Coast constitutes 40% of the total GDP of this union. Not only does the location of this country help it, but it also exports stuff to support its economy. Speaking of exports, Ivory Coast is the world's largest exporter of Cocoa Beans. Not only this, but Ivory Coast is also the 4th largest exporter in the whole world for exporting goods. This exporting and benefitting from the location has helped Ivory Coast grow its economy faster than most of the other African countries since the time of their independence.

Demographics
According to the census in 1975, the total population of the Ivory Coast was about 6.7 million. However, it increased to 23919000 in 2014. The language that most people speak here is French as it is the official language, and it is also taught in the schools in the whole country. However, it is not the only language spoken here, as many other languages are being spoken. According to some estimates, there are more than 70 languages spoken in the Ivory Coast. Out of these languages, one that stands out is Dyula which is a common trade language in the Ivory Coast.

Health
Although the economy of Ivory Coast is amazing, the health sector is not that amazing. There are only 12 physicians available per 100000 people and a quarter of the total population of Ivory Coast lives below the international poverty line. Well, some other facts are even scarier, like Ivory Coast being on the 27th rank for the highest maternal mortality rate in the world and being on the top 19th rank for the highest AIDS rate in the world.

Education
Just like the health sector, the education sector here is not great as well. A large part of the adult population is illiterate, including a huge portion of women. Many children are not enrolled in schools, while the ratio of students getting secondary education is higher for males. There are some good universities, but the education sector of Ivory Coast is still not making success like its economy.

Conclusion
With the growing population, the employment rates are decreasing, and the education sector and health sector also need some major improvements. Other than that, the economy of the Ivory Coast is going great. Here we were discussing some facts about the Ivory Coast.

References

• Geonames
• Wikipedia

Other Databases

• World Continents, Countries, States, and Cities
• Cameroon
• South Africa