of a stronger response by the government is of concern (2008)

Illicit drugs:

transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America;
illicit production of cannabis in remote areas; domestic cocaine
consumption, particularly crack cocaine, is rising; significant
consumption of amphetamines

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Cote d'Ivoire

Introduction
Cote d'Ivoire

Background:

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. Several thousand French and UN troops remain in Cote
d'Ivoire to help the parties implement their commitments and to
support the peace process.

Geography
Cote d'Ivoire

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana
and Liberia

Geographic coordinates:

8 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 322,460 sq km
land: 318,000 sq km
water: 4,460 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than New Mexico

Land bou