INDEPENDENT ISLAMIC STATES

Ivory Coast

Official Name: Republic of Côte d'Ivoire (CI)

Capital  : Yamoussoukro, (de facto and legislative capital Abi-can)

Important Cities: Abidjan, Man, Adobo, Korhogo, Bouake. Dalon.

Area: 322,463 km²
Population         : 27,659,000

Population Growth Rate: 3.5 per cent.

Average Human Lifespan: 48 Years

Ethnicity: Akan 42.1%, Voltaique or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 16.5%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (1998). Migration from abroad has also played a major role in the population growth. Migrations are mostly from neighbouring states and 60% of the migrants are Burkina Faso workers.

More than sixty indigenous tribes live in the country.

Language: French (official), 60 local languages and dialects.
Religion: Muslim 43%, Catholic 17%, evangelical 11%.

Geography: Located in West Africa, on the North Atlantic coast, between Ghana and Liberia. The coastal regions are under the influence of tropical climate and the northern regions are under the influence of semi-land climate. Three seasons are experienced.

Natural resources: Oil, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron, cobalt, bauxite, copper, hydro energy. The southern coastline of the country's territory, with lagoons in places, consists of sandy land with successive sea ears; the western part is relatively low and flat. Since the rivers coming from the north reach the sea after forming swamps, there are very few natural harbours on the coast.

An equatorial rainforest belt follows, consisting of valuable timber species such as African mahogany and teak. In the third belt, which is also forested, coffee, cocoa and palm farms are largely located. In the north there is a savanna zone of tall herbaceous plants, with occasional forests. All the rivers in the country take their sources from the northern region and flow southwards and flow into the Gulf of Guinea. The most important rivers are the Bandama, on which dams are built to generate electricity. Sassandra, Comoe and Cavally.

Mode of Government: Presidential Unitary Republic

Administrative Divisions: Consists of 50 divisions.

Political Parties: The Parti Democratique de la Cote-d'lvoire is today the strongest political party. The country has made significant progress in socio-economic areas.

History: The Muslim Diyulas in the north established the Kingdom of Kong at the beginning of the 18th century and soon imposed their authority in the region. Located on the north-south trade route, Kong developed as an Islamic and commercial centre and became a town of 15.000 inhabitants in 1888. On the other hand, Odienne, connected to Kankan, Beyla and Kong by trade routes, was another Islamic and commercial centre. When the King of Kong, Karamoko Ule (Domba) VVatara, accepted French patronage in 1889, the famous Sudanese Mandingo chieftain Samori Türe, who had become a major power in West Africa in the last quarter of the century, mobilised and seized Kong and its territory. Taking advantage of this, the French launched an attack, ostensibly to liberate Kong, but when they captured the city, they completely burnt it to the ground (1895), then occupied Odienne, and by the end of the nineteenth century they controlled all the territory that is today within the borders of Côte d'Ivoire. However, it was not possible for France to establish absolute authority in the whole country until 19l8 due to the continued struggle of the Muslim communities, especially in the north.

     The colony of Côte d'Ivoire, created in 1893, became part of French West Africa in 1900 and remained so until the end of World War II. It remained in this state until the end of World War II. In 1944 the union organisation of local cocoa and coffee producers (SAA) was founded, which would later play an important role in gaining independence, and in 1945 the Party that would come to power with independence (PDC1). After the war, the country became part of the French Union (1946) and the first local assembly was organised in 1947. In the meantime, Houphouet-Boigny, who became the head of the party (RDA) founded in Bamako and was elected to the French National Assembly in the same year (1946), played an important role in obtaining some concessions from France in favour of Côte d'Ivoire and became the first African minister of the French government after winning the 1956 elections. Côte d'Ivoire, which joined the French Community with a referendum held in 1958, gained the status of an autonomous republic within this community; on 7 August 1960, it became a member of the United Nations Organisation by obtaining its full independence. After the adoption of the new constitution, Houphouet-Boigny, who resigned from the French government in April 1959 and returned to his country, was appointed as the head of state. From time to time, coup attempts were made against Houphouet-Boigny's long rule, which were immediately suppressed. However, as a result of the intensification of the protest movements initiated by university students and workers after 1982, the government was forced to make some new arrangements and the constitution was amended several times. Finally, political parties were allowed to be established in the country and general elections were held on 26 November 1990 for the first time with the participation of more than one party. In this election, Parti Democratique de la Cote-d'lvoire won the majority of the 175-seat parliament with 163 deputies and continues to hold political power today. Under the current constitution, the head of state, who holds executive power, is elected by universal suffrage every five years and appoints a council of ministers responsible to him. Members of the National Assembly are also elected for a five-year term; the judiciary is independent

Internal Problems: Although Yamoussoukro in the north has been designated as the new capital instead of Abidjan, which is facing serious problems due to rapid population growth and pressure of urbanisation, administrative and political institutions have not yet been moved here (1983).

Islamism in the country: The Islamisation of Côte d'Ivoire was initiated in the northern regions by Muslim merchants belonging to the Diyula branch of the Mandingos in the first years of the XVth century. The Muslim merchants, who operated in the regions that remained within the sphere of influence of the Mali Empire until the end of the 16th century, settled in the villages and towns located on the trade routes between the Sahara and the Gulf of Guinea and played a role in the formation of small Muslim communities in these areas. The city of Boron, founded towards the end of the 16th century by the Maunki settled west of Bandama, also developed as an important trade centre.

The steady spread of Islam in the northern parts of Côte d'Ivoire could only be realised after the middle of the 18th century. Around this time, Islam spread in the region through the efforts of a group who travelled to Mecca for the pilgrimage and returned after a few years' stay there.

19. The century was a century in which all the Muslim Mandingo tribes, bearing various names, grew stronger and extended their authority by fighting against their enemies. Apart from the war, the spread of Islam to the south continued and Lahou, Tiashsali and Toumodi became Muslim cities. The French occupation, which started in the middle of this century, also accelerated the spread of Islam in the country, although it changed its attitude later on. Because in the first years of colonisation, the rulers helped Islamic development in the country in order to ensure the support of Muslims who had very good relations with the local tribes. In addition, many of the Senegalese Muslims who served in the occupation forces did not return to their countries but settled in the cities here, and some of them brought their families with them and strengthened their Muslim communities in a short time. Especially Bingerville, Grand-Bassam, Tiaşsali, Toumodi. The Senegalese who settled in cities such as Bingerville, Grand-Bassam, Tiaşsali, Toumodi and Aboisso became influential in all areas of social life.
20. Towards the end of the century, the northern regions came under the influence of Samori Turi, which was a development in favour of the Islamisation movement, but with the defeat of Turi to the French, a decline began. However, the French domination of Côte d'Ivoire yielded positive results for the south, and Muslim merchants and workers from the north migrated southwards more intensively, forming Muslim communities in settlements such as Gag-noa, Daloa, Samatiguela and Boundiali. Especially since the 1920s, Guinean, Niger and Senegalese Muslims played a major role in the rapid development of Islamisation in the south. However, in the face of this rapid development, the French colonial administration took measures to limit the spread of Islam, such as not allowing the opening of Koranic schools and banning religious publications from outside (1926). Nevertheless, Islam continued to spread in a practical way thanks to the efforts of merchants and illiterate Muslim soldiers and labourers.

   Muslims are more concentrated in the cities in the north, with Malinkeier, Diyulas and Senufos occupying an important place. All Muslims, who are generally engaged in trade, belong to the Mâlikî sect. Among the sects, the Qādiriyya is active in all parts of the country, while the Tijāniyya has dominated the city of Man; since the last fifty years, there has been a development in Wahhabism. Today, while Muslims constitute the majority in the cities in the north of the country, Bouake in the central part, where Guinean, Sudanese, Voltai and Senegalese Muslims live, has the characteristics of a fully Islamic city. There are also Muslim neighbourhoods in Port Bouet, Marcory and Abidjan in the south.

     The attempt to establish an Islamic cultural union in 1957, which would integrate all Muslims in the country, has not succeeded. Today, the absence of such an organisation adversely affects the fulfilment of religious education and worship services. There are many mosques and adjacent Qur'anic schools in the country. In Treichville, a Muslim neighbourhood in the capital Abidjan, there are three mosques which are also used as schools.

Economy: The economy is mainly based on agriculture, animal husbandry and fishing. Most of the people work in the agricultural sector, which accounts for one third of the national income. The country, which has developed continuously since independence, is the most economically developed of the Black African countries. Côte d'Ivoire is one of the world's largest producers of cocoa and coffee. It provides 60% of its export revenues from cocoa, coffee and timber products. However, in recent years, instead of exporting raw materials, efforts have been made to process the products and sell them as semi-finished and finished goods. The amount of agricultural products such as bananas, sugar cane, cotton, rubber and palm oil, which are among the export goods, is gradually increasing, while yam (sweet potato), cassava, rice and corn are produced for domestic consumption. Animal husbandry and fisheries are among the important subjects and the number of cattle and sheep fed in the country is around 4 million.  Inflation and unemployment rates are significantly high.

Currency: African Franc (CFA)

National Income per Capita: 2,567 USD  (2021)

Foreign Trade: France has an important place in foreign trade with approximately 32% imports and 17% exports. This country is followed by Nigeria, Japan, Italy and Germany in imports and the Netherlands, the United States, Italy and Germany in exports. The main export items are tropical agricultural and marine products and energy. The leading imports are various fabricated materials and machinery, crude oil and chemical products.

Industry: Although the light industry has shown an extraordinary development since independence, no great progress has been achieved due to the lack of sufficient private capital and business experience in this field. The main industrial establishments include an oil refinery and sugar, flour, canning, cigarette, weaving and plastics factories. Oil production, which started in 1980 in offshore deposits, is gradually increasing. In addition, the country's significant underground wealth includes diamonds and iron ore;
Growth Rate: 5.96% (2021)
Export Products: Cocoa 33%, coffee, tropical wood, petrol, cotton, bananas, palm oil.
Export Partners: France 18.3%, USA 14.1%, Netherlands 11%, Nigeria 8%, Panama 4%.4 Import Products: Food, consumer goods, investment goods, fuel, transport
Import Partners: France 27.7%, Nigeria 24.5%, Singapore 6%.6% (2005)
Energy: Electricity Generation: 4.625 billion kWh (2004)
Transport: Roads: 80,000 km; Waterways: 980 km; Ports: Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro;

Air fields: 35

Railways Transport and communications are well developed compared to Black African countries. The Abidjan-Uagadugu railway (625 km) is an important line connecting the port of Abidjan with the interior and the north. The roads, which are in better condition than the railways, total 55,000 kilometres connecting the major cities.

Education: Although primary education is compulsory, only 75 per cent of children of primary school age attend school and the shortage of local teachers has a negative impact on educational achievement. The only university in the country is Abidjan University, where students from neighbouring countries also study.

Legal System: French law is taken as a basis.
International Organisations and Institutions of which it is a Member: ACP, OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation)