EVENTS
WORLD FASHION AWARDS
Location: Africa
Status: UN Country
Capital: YAMOUSSOUKRO
Population: 21,504,162
Area: (sq.Km) 322,463
Currency: CFA franc
Language: French
Ivory Coast Fashion Week
IVORY
COAST
Cote d'Ivoire
Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment made Cote d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the West African states, but did not protect it from political turmoil. In December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history - overthrew the government. Junta leader Robert GUEI blatantly rigged elections held in late 2000 and declared himself the winner. Popular protest forced him to step aside and brought Laurent GBAGBO into power. Ivorian dissidents and disaffected members of the military launched a failed coup attempt in September 2002. Rebel forces claimed the northern half of the country, and in January 2003 were granted ministerial positions in a unity government under the auspices of the Linas-Marcoussis Peace Accord. President GBAGBO and rebel forces resumed implementation of the peace accord in December 2003 after a three-month stalemate, but issues that sparked the civil war, such as land reform and grounds for citizenship, remained unresolved. In March 2007 President GBAGBO and former New Force rebel leader Guillaume SORO signed the Ouagadougou Political Agreement. As a result of the agreement, SORO joined GBAGBO's government as Prime Minister and the two agreed to reunite the country by dismantling the zone of confidence separating North from South, integrate rebel forces into the national armed forces, and hold elections. Disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of rebel forces have been problematic as rebels seek to enter the armed forces. Citizen identification and voter registration pose election difficulties, and balloting planned for November 2009 was postponed to 2010. On 28 November 2010, Alassane Dramane OUATTARA won the presidential election, defeating then President Laurent GBAGBO. GBAGBO refused to hand over power, resulting in a 6-month stand-off. In April 2011, after widespread fighting, GBAGBO was formally forced from office by OUATTARA supporters with the support of UN and French forces. Several thousand UN troops and several hundred French remain in Cote d'Ivoire to support the transition process.
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia
8 00 N, 5 00 W
Area:
total: 322,463 sq km
country comparison to the world: 69
land: 318,003 sq km
water: 4,460 sq km
slightly larger than New Mexico
total: 3,110 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km, Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km
515 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
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)
mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest
lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m
highest point: Monts Nimba 1,752 m
petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower
arable land: 10.23%
permanent crops: 11.16%
other: 78.61% (2005)
730 sq km (2008)
Total renewable water resources:
81 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.93 cu km/yr (24%/12%/65%)
per capita: 51 cu m/yr (2000)
coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible
deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewage and industrial and agricultural effluents
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated
noun: Ivoirian(s)
adjective: Ivoirian
Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 16.5%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000 Lebanese and 14,000 French) (1998)
Muslim 38.6%, Christian 32.8%, indigenous 11.9%, none 16.7% (2008 est.)
note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim (70%) and Christian (20%)
French (official), 60 native dialects of which Dioula is the most widely spoken
21,504,162 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
0-14 years: 39.8% (male 4,312,133/female 4,240,500)
15-64 years: 57.2% (male 6,262,802/female 6,039,458)
65 years and over: 3% (male 320,396/female 328,873) (2011 est.)
total: 19.6 years
male: 19.7 years
female: 19.5 years (2011 est.)
2.078% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
30.95 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
10.16 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population NA (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
urban population: 51% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 3.7% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
ABIDJAN (seat of government) 4.009 million; YAMOUSSOUKRO (capital) 808,000 (2009)
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.)
470 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
total: 64.78 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 24
male: 71.54 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 57.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)
total population: 56.78 years
country comparison to the world: 194
male: 55.79 years
female: 57.81 years (2011 est.)
3.92 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
5.1% of GDP (2009)
0.144 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
0.4 beds/1,000 population (2006)
improved:
urban: 93% of population
rural: 68% of population
total: 80% of population
unimproved:
urban: 7% of population
rural: 32% of population
total: 20% of population (2008)
improved:
urban: 36% of population
rural: 11% of population
total: 23% of population
unimproved:
urban: 64% of population
rural: 89% of population
total: 77% of population (2008)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.4% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
450,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
36,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
water contact: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
16.7% (2006)
4.6% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 77
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48.7%
male: 60.8%
female: 38.6% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 6 years
male: 8 years
female: 5 years (2000)
conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire
local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire
local short form: Cote d'Ivoire
note: pronounced coat-div-whar
former: Ivory Coast
republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960
note: the government is currently disputed as of 31 January 2011, with both candidates in the runoff claiming victory
name: Yamoussoukro
geographic coordinates: 6 49 N, 5 17 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
note: although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan
19 regions; Agneby, Bafing, Bas-Sassandra, Denguele, Dix-Huit Montagnes, Fromager, Haut-Sassandra, Lacs, Lagunes, Marahoue, Moyen-Cavally, Moyen-Comoe, N'zi-Comoe, Savanes, Sud-Bandama, Sud-Comoe, Vallee du Bandama, Worodougou, Zanzan
7 August 1960 (from France)
Independence Day, 7 August (1960)
approved by referendum 23 July 2000
civil law system based on the French civil code; judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court
International law organization participation:
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction under Article 12(3)of the Rome Statute
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Alassane OUATTARA (since 4 December 2010);
head of government: Prime Minister Guillaume SORO (since 4 April 2007);
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 31 October and 28 November 2010 (next to be held in 2015); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Alassane OUATTARA elected president; percent of vote - Alassane OUATTARA 54.1%, Laurent GBAGBO 45.9%; note - President OUATTARA was declared winner by the election commission and took the oath of office on 4 December, Prime Minister SORO resigned from the incumbent administration and was subsequently appointed to the same position by OUATTARA; former president GBAGBO refused to cede resulting in a 6-month stand-off, he was finally forced to stand down in April 2011
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (225 seats; members elected in single- and multi-district elections by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: elections last held on 10 December 2000 with by-elections on 14 January 2001 (elections originally scheduled for 2005 have been repeatedly postponed by the government)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2
note: a Senate was scheduled to be created in October 2006 elections that never took place
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four chambers: Judicial Chamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for financial cases, Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases, and Administrative Chamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit to the number of members
Political parties and leaders:
Citizen's Democratic Union or UDCY [Theodore MEL EG]; Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire or PDCI [Henri Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian Popular Front or FPI [Pascale Affi N'GUESSAN]; Ivorian Worker's Party or PIT [Francis WODIE]; Opposition Movement of the Future or MFA [Innocent Augustin ANAKY]; Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Alassane OUATTARA]; Union for Democracy and Peace in Cote d'Ivoire or UDPCI [Toikeuse MABRI]; over 144 smaller registered parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Federation of University and High School Students of Cote d'Ivoire or FESCI [Serges KOFFI]; Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace or RHDP [Alphonse DJEDJE MADY]; Young Patriots [Charles BLE GOUDE]
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS (suspended), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Daouda DIABATE
chancery: 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300
FAX: [1] (202) 244-3088
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT
embassy: Cocody Riviera Golf 01, Abidjan
mailing address: B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01
telephone: [225] 22 49 40 00
FAX: [225] 22 49 43 32
three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green; orange symbolizes the land (savannah) of the north and fertility, white stands for peace and unity, green represents the forests of the south and the hope for a bright future
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; design was based on the flag of France
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
Cote d'Ivoire is heavily dependent on agriculture and related activities, which engage roughly 68% of the population. Cote d'Ivoire is the world's largest producer and exporter of cocoa beans and a significant producer and exporter of coffee and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products, and, to a lesser extent, in climatic conditions. Cocoa, oil, and coffee are the country's top export revenue earners, but the country is also producing gold. Since the end of the civil war in 2003, political turmoil has continued to damage the economy, resulting in the loss of foreign investment and slow economic growth. GDP grew by more than 2% in 2008 and around 4% per year in 2009-10. Per capita income has declined by 15% since 1999, but registered a slight improvement in 2009-10. Power cuts caused by a turbine failure in early 2010 slowed economic activity. Cote d'Ivoire in 2010 signed agreements to restructure its Paris Club bilateral, other bilateral, and London Club debt. Cote d'Ivoire's long term challenges include political instability and degrading infrastructure.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$37.02 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
$36.09 billion (2009 est.)
$34.79 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
$22.82 billion (2010 est.)
2.6% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
3.8% (2009 est.)
2.3% (2008 est.)
$1,800 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
$1,800 (2009 est.)
$1,700 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
agriculture: 28%
industry: 21.3%
services: 50.7% (2010 est.)
8.511 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
agriculture: 68%
industry and services: NA (2007 est.)
NA%
note: unemployment may have climbed to 40-50% as a result of the civil war
Population below poverty line:
42% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.2%
highest 10%: 31.8% (2008)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
41.5 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 53
36.7 (1995)
11.1% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
revenues: $4.571 billion
expenditures: $5.027 billion (2010 est.)
20% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-2% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
63.8% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
66.2% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.1% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
0.9% (2009 est.)
4.25% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 97
4.75% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
4.3% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
4.3% (31 December 2009 est.)
$5.209 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
$5.143 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
$7.826 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
$7.712 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
$5.616 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
$5.504 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$7.099 billion (31 December 2010)
country comparison to the world: 76
$6.141 billion (31 December 2009)
$7.071 billion (31 December 2008)
coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber
foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity, ship construction and repair
Industrial production growth rate:
4.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
5.548 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
3.584 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
599 million kWh (2008 est.)
599 million kWh (2008 est.)
44,880 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
25,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
70,800 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
85,190 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
100 million bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
1.6 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
1.6 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203
Natural gas - proved reserves:
28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
$541.4 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
$1.67 billion (2009 est.)
$10.38 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
$10.5 billion (2009 est.)
cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, fish
US 10.2%, Netherlands 10%, Nigeria 7.7%, Ghana 6.7%, Germany 6.2%, France 6.2%, Burkina Faso 4.5% (2010)
$6.925 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
$6.318 billion (2009 est.)
fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs
Nigeria 22.4%, France 12.6%, China 7.1%, Thailand 4.8% (2010)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$3.594 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
$3.267 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
$11.52 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
$11.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
495.28 (2010)
472.19 (2009)
447.81 (2008)
481.83 (2007)
522.89 (2006)
Telephones - main lines in use:
282,100 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 118
13.346 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 53
general assessment: well developed by African standards; telecommunications sector privatized in late 1990s and operational fixed-lines have increased since that time with two fixed-line providers operating over open-wire lines, microwave radio relay, and fiber-optics; 90% digitalized
domestic: with multiple mobile-cellular service providers competing in the market, usage has increased sharply to roughly 65 per 100 persons
international: country code - 225; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2009)
state-owned television operates 2 stations; no private terrestrial TV stations, but satellite TV subscription service is available; state-owned radio operates 2 stations; some private radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available (2007)
.ci
9,865 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 121
967,300 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 103
27 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 121
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 7
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 20
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 3 (2010)
condensate 86 km; gas 180 km; oil 92 km (2010)
total: 660 km
country comparison to the world: 104
narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-m gauge
note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso (2010)
total: 80,000 km
country comparison to the world: 60
paved: 6,500 km
unpaved: 73,500 km
note: includes intercity and urban roads; another 20,000 km of dirt roads are in poor condition and 150,000 km of dirt roads are impassable (2006)
980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons) (2009)
country comparison to the world: 67
Abidjan, Espoir, San-Pedro
Republican Forces of Cote d'Ivoire (Force Republiques de Cote d'Ivoire, FRCI): Army, Navy, Cote d'Ivoire Air Force (Force Aerienne de la Cote d'Ivoire)
note: FRCI is the former Armed Forces of the New Forces (FAFN) (2011)
Military service age and obligation:
18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary male and female military service; voluntary recruitment of former rebels into the new national army is restricted to ages 22-29 (2011)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,247,522
females age 16-49: 5,047,901 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,360,087
females age 16-49: 3,196,033 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 247,011
female: 242,958 (2010 est.)
1.5% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 96
despite the presence of over 9,000 UN forces (UNOCI) in Cote d'Ivoire since 2004, ethnic conflict still leaves displaced hundreds of thousands of Ivoirians in and out of the country as well as driven out migrants from neighboring states who worked in Ivorian cocoa plantations; the March 2007 peace deal between Ivorian rebels and the government brought significant numbers of rebels out of hiding in neighboring states
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 25,615 (Liberia)
IDPs: 709,000 (2002 coup; most IDPs are in western regions) (2007)
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 (2008)
Better known under the name of Michele Yakice, Mrs. Yapo Akichi Alice is Founder and Director of the School Michele Yakice.
Graduated from Secondary school Albert Mum and Institute of Higher Learning of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris. Michele Yakice held in 1975 the position of Director of Production in one of the Haute Couture of the time, Michele De VIILERES House, before moving to her own account in 1982 and signing her own models. She has participated in several trade shows, fairs and parades around the world (Africa, Europe, USA, Asia)
Michele Yakice, integrates very early in her creations, welcomed around the world, woven and dyed clothes, handmade in her own workshops, to give them a twist. Eager to pass on her knowledge to young people, particularly young people in difficult situations, out of school, she created in 1998, the International School for Professional Training Michele Yakice (EIFP). The EIFP Michele Yakice is a training institution for the fashion industry actors: Fashion Design, Models, Beauty, Hair, Weaving, Dyeing, Interior Design, Modeling, Pastry, etc. Several groups and associations have been trained through various projects.
Michele YAKICE has received numerous awards worldwide. She lit her designs several major appointments of Fashion. Her country was also honored by the Knight of the Order of Merit Ivory Coast (August 07th , 2003) and in the order of cultural merit (December, 14th 2007). Her work has also been awarded the prize Karfour of entrepreneurship (August 21st , 2010 in Benin).
Women seen her as a model, Ambassador of brand BF (Unilever), Michele Yakice is a member of BPW International and Chair of the NGO “Let us care for ourselves”.
In 2009, we take the NGO in charge participated in the contest organized by UNESCO on handicrafts. The bedcovers presented by the NGO has been selected as original handmade product and received the UNESCO PRIZE: Recognition of Excellence in the field of crafts 2009 edition.
FIJI
