COTE D'IVOIRE

officially Republic of Cte d'Ivoire, French Rpublique de Cte d'Ivoire, also called in English (until 1986) Ivory Coast republic of western Africa, covering an area of 123,847 square miles (320,763 square km). The capital is Abidjan. It is bounded to the southwest by Liberia, to the northwest by Guinea, to the north by Mali and Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta), to the east by Ghana, and to the south by the Gulf of Guinea. Pop. (1993 est.) 13,459,000. officially Republic of Cte d'Ivoire, French Rpublique de Cte d'Ivoire, also called in English (until 1986) Ivory Coast, country located on the coast of western Africa. With a coastline more than 300 miles (480 kilometres) long, it forms an almost square block of territory with an area of 123,847 square miles (320,763 square kilometres). It is bounded to the north by Mali and Burkina Faso, to the east by Ghana, to the south by the Gulf of Guinea, to the southwest by Liberia, and to the northwest by Guinea. The de facto capital is Abidjan; the administrative capital designate is Yamoussoukro. Additional reading T.D. Roberts et al., Area Handbook for Ivory Coast, 2nd ed. (1973), provides a general overview. Raymond Borremans, Le Grand Dictionnaire encyclopdique de la Cte d'Ivoire (1986 ), is more current. See also Pierre Vennetier (ed.), Atlas de la Cte d'Ivoire, 2nd ed. rev. and updated by Pierre Vennetier and Genevive Daverat (1983). Ethnographic studies include Enid Schildkrout (ed.), The Golden Stool: Studies of the Asante Center and Periphery (1987); and Ivor Wilks, Wa and the Wala (1989). Laurent Gbagbo, La Cte-d'Ivoire (1982), is a history of economic and social developments in the 20 years before independence. For further discussions of economic history and policies, see Bastiaan A. Den Tuinder, Ivory Coast (1978); Georges Lory, Introduction l'conomie ivoirienne (1981); I. William Zartman and Christopher Delgado, The Political Economy of Ivory Coast (1984); and Jean-Pierre Foirry and Denis Requier-Desjardins, Planification et politique conomique en Cte d'Ivoire, 19601985 (1986). Aristide R. Zolberg, One-Party Government in the Ivory Coast, rev. ed. (1969), is a study of political history. Sociological works include Arthur Conte, Cte d'Ivoire, ou, les racines de la sagesse (1981); Abdou Tour, La Civilisation quotidienne en Cte-d'Ivoire (1981); and Y.-A. Faur and J.-F. Medard (comps.), tat et bourgeoisie en Cte-d'Ivoire (1982). Jean L. Comhaire Administration and social conditions Government Cte d'Ivoire was proclaimed an independent republic on Aug. 7, 1960. As in most African countries, the president is vested with wide powers and may seek reelection at the end of each five-year term. The president appoints and presides over a Cabinet of ministers, several of whom are without portfolio and are styled simply ministers of state. There is a single-house legislature, the National Assembly, with 175 members elected for five-year terms. An Economic and Social Council with 120 members acts in an advisory capacity. In 1983 Yamoussoukro was officially named the new national capital, but austerity measures have prevented the transfer of government functions and Abidjan remains the de facto capital. All judges are appointed by the president, and they render justice according to legal codes of French inspiration. There are trial courts located in Abidjan, Bouak, and Daloa, and their judges may be assigned to 25 other towns or be called upon to constitute special labour and juvenile courts. The same three towns are visited by an assize court dealing with serious criminal offenses. Abidjan also has a court of appeals and a supreme court. The old colonial subdivisions of the country were renamed dpartements and sous-prfectures (subprefectures) as in France. The number of the former has increased from 6 to 34. Though all have elected assemblies known as general councils, they are headed by prefects who have extensive powers and the help of 163 subprefects at as many stations in the interior. Towns have elected municipal councils. In general, tribal authorities do not fit within such a regime, which is of French inspiration. Nevertheless, some chiefs, especially among the Akan group, have won elective positions. The political system was controlled for 30 years by the Democratic Party of Cte d'Ivoire (PDCI), the only authorized party. It originated as a league of African farmers founded at the end of World War II by Flix Houphout-Boigny. In 1990 he was forced to accept the legalization of opposition parties and to allow contested presidential and legislative elections. Education Educational services expanded considerably after independence. In the late 1970s a project of universal education, assisted by radio and television, brought attention from beyond the borders of Cte d'Ivoire. At that time almost all children had at least some schooling, but costs, maintenance, and, above all, staffing shortages created problems. In any case, the literacy rate is relatively high (the highest in western Africa). A university on the French model has been open in Abidjan since 1964. There are a few private secondary-level missionary schools. Cultural life The cultural milieu has remained split rather more completely than in other African countries between a maze of tribal cultures and a foreign intrusion that was sudden and almost exclusively French. Traditional arts continue to flourish, and the Abidjan museum offers a rich storehouse. The Senufo carve masks, decorate doors with esoteric signs, and dance to the slow, majestic rhythms of drums supported by xylophones. The mountaineers of the Man forest wear masks showing horrifying faces, and they dance at a quick pace governed by the sound of drums and led by stilt-walkers. Versatile Baule artists make fine gold jewelry and wooden sculptures. An Ivoirian literature in French was born in colonial times at the Ponty High School in Dakar, Senegal. One of its graduates, Bernard B. Dadi, became world-famous for autobiographical reminiscences in novel form. His schoolmates Goffi Jadeau and Amon d'Aby won a large local audience and many followers through their plays for a national theatre. A younger playwright, Zadi Zaourou, launched a chair in African literature at Abidjan University, and Ahmadou Kourouma, a Muslim, inaugurated a new era of the Ivoirian novel with Les Soleils des indpendances (1968; The Suns of Independence), first published in Canada. The stage reflects public opinion better than the press, which consists of about 20 periodicals, including two dailies, all published in French in Abidjan. Jean L. Comhaire