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The Ivory Coast Overview and Media Analysis Essay

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Part 1: Country Background

The République de Côte d'Ivoire, also known as the Ivory Coast, is a country in West Africa bordering Liberia and Guinea to the west, Mali and Burkina Faso to the north, Ghana to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south. The location now known as the Ivory Coast was made a protectorate of France during the era of imperialism by a treaty in the 1840's, and became a French colony in 1893. The country gained its independence in 1960, at which point it was led by Félix Houphouët-Boigny until 1993. During these years, the country was closely tied with its' West African neighbors economically and politically, but also maintained trade with the Western world, furthering the nations economic development. …show more content…

? Language:
French is the official language of the Ivory Coast, although there are additionally over ten native languages spoken. Each native language represents the first language of less than fifteen percent of the population, expressing a wide range in culture. However, most individuals in the country speak more than one language.

? Religion:
63% of the country subscribes to a variety of localized African religions. Islam is the most widespread singular religion, hosting 25% of the population. Approximately 12% of the population reports being Christian.

? Economic Industries:
The economy of the Ivory Coast functions primarily on agricultural exports, representing nearly a third of the gross domestic product. The primary exports of the nation are cocoa beans, coffee, cotton, palm oil, and bananas. The economy is currently severely threatened by the violent state of the nation, which discourages foreign traders thereby limiting exportation. An additional 20% of the GDP is comprised by industrial services, including food and beverage manufacturing, wood products, oil refining, automotive assembly, and textile production. The labor force accounts for the remainder of the economy, with over 60% of the population providing physical labor to support the large agricultural industries.

? Income:
The gross national income was estimated at only $840 U.S.D. per capita according to World Bank data in 2006.

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