World Statesmen.org HOME >

 






 
 

Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
 
            10 Feb 1842 - 4 Dec 1959
 
[Côte d'Ivoire]
               Adopted 4 Dec 1959
 
Map of Côte d'Ivoire
Hear National Anthem
"L'Abidjanaise"
(Song of Abidjan) 
Text of National Anthem
Adopted 1960
Constitution
 (4 Aug 2000; in French)
--------------------------
Former Constitution
(3 Nov 1960 - 4 Aug 2000)
Capital: Yamoussoukro
(Abidjan 1934-21 Mar 1983;
Bingerville 1900-1934;
Assine 1889-1893;
Grand Bassam 1843-1889,
and 1893-1900)
Administrative: Abidjan
 Currency:  Communauté
Financière Africaine
Franc (XOF)
National Holiday: 7 Aug (1960)
Independence Day
 Population: 20,179,602 (2008)
GDP: $34 billion (2008) 
Exports: $11.9 billion (2008)
Imports: $7.9 billion (2008)
Ethnic groups: Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 26.5%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000 Lebanese and 20,000 French) (1998) 
Total Active Armed Forces: 17,050 (2006)
French Troops: 3,500 (2006)
UN Force: 9,176 (2009)
Merchant marine: None (2008)
 Religions: indigenous beliefs 37%, Christian 32% (of which
Roman Catholic 17%, Protestant 8%, independent
Christian 7%), Muslim 28%, other 3% (2005)
International Organizations/Treaties: ACP, AfDB, APM, AU, BTWC (signatory), CEMAC, CEN-SAD, CTBT, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, ICSID, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISA, ISESCO, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, KP, LU, MIGA, NAM, NPT, NTBT, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCLOS, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFCC, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Côte d'Ivoire
Index
Chronology

24 Jun 1701 - 1703         French trading post at Assinié (Fort Saint-Louis).
10 Feb 1842                Grand Bassam king agrees to a French protectorate
                             proposed by Charles-Philippe de Kerhallet
                             allowing France to build a fort (Ft. Nemours).
26 Jun 1843                Assinié and Sanwi kings agree to to French
                             protectorate signed with Fleuriot de Laugle
                             allowing France to build a fort (Ft. Joinville);
                             and from 14 Sep 1853, Fort Dabou, part of the 
                             Colony of Gorée and Dependencies (see Senegal)
                             (Établissements Français de la Côte d'Or 
                             [French Gold Coast]).
 4 Oct 1860                Ivory Coast territory of the Ivory Coast-Gabon                              colony (see Gabon).
1871                       France surrenders administration to private                              traders, but maintains the protectorates. 

                             The major trader was Arthur Verdier & Company.
10 Nov 1878 - 1886         Administration under A. Verdier & Company 
                             (Établissements Français de la Côte d'Ivoire).
16 Dec 1883                Ivory Coast subordinate to French Guinea 
                             (see Guinea).
1886                       Direct French rule restored. 
10 Jan 1889                French protectorate of Ivory Coast.
10 Mar 1893                French colony (Ivory Coast).
16 Jun 1895                Part of French West Africa (see Senegal).
26 Jul 1940 - 1945         Administration loyal to Free French.
27 Oct 1946                Ivory Coast overseas territory of France.
 4 Dec 1958                Autonomy (Republic of Ivory Coast).
 7 Aug 1960                Independence
12 Oct 1985                Republic of Côte d'Ivoire (French name no 
                             longer translated).
19 Sep 2002 - Jul 2003     Civil war between government, MPCI, MPIGO and MPJ
                             (in 2003 rebel groups merge as the "New Forces")
 4 Nov 2004 -  6 Jan 2005  Brief resumption of civil war.
Traditional
States
Historical Maps
of Ivory Coast
Côte d'Ivoire
Civil War
Maps
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Commandants-particular at Assinié 
1843 - 1844                Dufour de Mont-Louis 
1844                       Boyer 
1846                       Tessa 
1847                       de Thévenard (1st time)
1848 - 1849                Brochard 
1850 - 1851                Lemaire 
1851 - 1853                Coquet 
1853 - 1855                de Thévenard (2nd time) 
1855                       Pierre Alexandre Mailhetard
1856 - 1858                Denis 
1858 - 1862                ....
 4 Jsn 1862 - 1863         Darré 
29 Apr 1863 - 186.         Viard
1865 - 1866                Antoine Aimé-Dieu                  (b. 1827 - d. 1868) 
1868                       Jean Auguste Martin
Commandants-particular at Dabou
1853 - 1854                Benech 
1854 - 185.                Durban 
1855                       Pierre Alexandre Mailhetard
1856                       Gindre
1856 - 1857                Guéden 
1857 - 1858                Denis 
21 Dec 1861 - c.1867       Bruyas
1867/68                    Rouyer 
Commandants-superior at Grand Bassam
1843                       Charles Marie Philippe de 
                             Kerhallet
1843 - 1844                Thomas Jules Séraphin Besson
1844 - 1845                Joseph Pellegrin
1845 - 1847                Conjard
1847 - 1848                Camille Adolphe Pigeon
1848 - 1850                Jean Jules Charles Boulay
1851 - 1853                Charles Gabriel Felicité Martin 
                             des Pallières
1853 - 1854                François Chirat
1854 - 1855                Pierre Alexandre Mailhetard
                             (1st time)
1855 - 1856                Noël Bruyas
1857                       Charles Brossard de Corbigny
1858 - 1860                Pierre Alexandre Mailhetard 
                             (2nd time)
 4 Aug 1860 - Jul 1862     Charles René Gabriel Liébault      (d. 1862)
28 Aug 1862 - 14 Jan 1863  Joseph Alem                        (d. 1863)
29 Apr 1863 - 1863         Jean Antione Léonard Eudore Noyer
1863 - 1864                Jacques Bertrand Osacar Desnouy
1864 - 1866                Jean Auguste Martin
1866 - 1867                Léon Noël
1867 - 1869                Alfred Pouzols
1869 - 1871                Jean Louis Vernet
Residents
(from 1881 subordinated to the Superior Commandant of Gabon and the Gulf of Guinea Settlements; from 1886 subordinated to the Lieutenant governors of Guinea)
1871 - 1885                Arthur Verdier                     (b. 1835 - d. 1898)
                             (to 1878 Warden of the French Flag)
1885 - 1886                Charles Bour -Commandant-particular
1886 -  9 Mar 1890         Marcel Treich-Laplène              (b. 1860 - d. 1890)
 9 Mar 1890 - 14 Jun 1890  Jean Joseph Étienne Octave Péan
                             (acting)
14 Jun 1890 - 1892         Jean Auguste Henri Desailles
1892                       Eloi Bricard (acting)
1892 - 12 Nov 1892         Julien Voisin (acting)
12 Nov 1892 - 20 Mar 1893  Paul Alphonse Frédéric Heckman
Governors
20 Mar 1893 - 28 Aug 1895  Louis Gustave Binger               (b. 1856 - d. 1936)
1895                       Paul Cousturier (acting for Binger)
1895 - 1896                Joseph Lemaire
                             (acting for Binger to 28 Aug 1895)
1896 - 25 Feb 1896         Pierre Hubert Auguste Pascal 
                             (acting)
25 Feb 1896 - 13 May 1896  Eugène Bertin (acting)             (b. 18.. - d. 1896)
13 May 1896 - 14 May 1896  Jean-Baptiste Castaing (acting)
14 May 1896 - 11 Sep 1898  Louis Mouttet                      (b. 1857 - d. 1902)
                             (acting to 19 Mar 1897)
1898                       Adrien Jules Jean Bonhoure         (b. 1860 - d. .....)
                             (acting for Mouttet)
1898                       Jean Penel (acting for Mouttet)
1898                       Pierre Paul Marie Capest           (b. 1857 - d. ....) 
                             (acting for Mouttet)
1898 - 11 Sep 1898         Ribes (acting for Mouttet)
11 Sep 1898 -  5 Nov 1902  Henri Charles Victor Amédée        (b. 1849 - d. 1916)
                             Roberdeau
 5 Nov 1902 - 25 Nov 1902  Albert Anatole Nebout (1st time)   (b. 1862 - d. 1939) 
                             (acting)
25 Nov 1902 - 25 Aug 1907  Marie François Joseph Clozel       (b. 1860 - d. 1918) 
                             (acting to 4 May 1903)
17 Jul 1904 -  6 Jan 1905  Emile Merwart
                             (acting for Clozel)
19 Nov 1905 - 27 Oct 1906  Albert Anatole Nebout (2nd time)   (s.a.)
                             (acting for Clozel)
25 Aug 1907 - 25 Apr 1908  Albert Anatole Nebout (3rd time)   (s.a.)
                             (acting)
25 Apr 1908 - 27 Dec 1916  Gabriel Louis Angoulvant           (b. 1872 - d. 1932)
28 Apr 1909 - Aug 1909     Pierre Brun (acting for Angoulvant)
12 May 1911 -  9 Mar 1912  Casimir Guyon (1st time)
                             (acting for Angoulvant)
22 Mar 1913 - 29 Oct 1913  Casimir Guyon (2nd time)
                             (acting for Angoulvant)
29 Oct 1913 -  4 Sep 1914  Gustave Julien
                             (acting for Angoulvant)
16 Jun 1916 - Jan 1918     Maurice Pierre Lapalud (1st time)
                             (acting [for Angoulvant to 27 Dec 1916])
Jan 1918 -  2 Apr 1924     Raphaël Valentin Marius Antonetti  (b. 1872 - d. 1938)
Jun 1919 - 22 Sep 1919     Maurice Beurnier 
                             (acting for Antonetti)
24 Jan 1922 - 28 Sep 1922  Pierre Aimable Chapon-Baissac
                             (acting for Antonetti)
 2 Apr 1924 -  2 Jul 1925  Richard Édmond Maurice Édouard     (b. 1883 - d. 1958)
                             Brunot (acting)
 2 Jul 1925 - 25 Aug 1930  Maurice Pierre Lapalud (2nd time)
20 May 1927 - Mar 1928     Maurice Bourgine
                             (acting for Lapalud)
25 Aug 1930 - 28 Oct 1930  Joseph Jules Brévié                (b. 1880 - d. 1964)
28 Oct 1930 - 16 Jan 1931  Jean Paul Boutonnet (acting)
16 Jan 1931 -  7 May 1935  Dieudonné François Joseph Marie
                             Reste                            (b. 1879 - d. 1976)
 3 Mar 1931 - 28 Dec 1932  Raoul Bourgine (acting for Reste)
 7 May 1935 - 28 Jun 1935  Marie Alphonse Flottes de Pouzols  (b. 1884 - d. 1935) 
                             (acting)
28 Jun 1935 -  7 Mar 1936  Adolphe Deitte                     (b. 1879 - d. 1949)
 7 Mar 1936 - 28 Nov 1936  Georges Julien Lamy (acting)       (b. 1878 - d. 1940)
28 Nov 1936 - 16 Jul 1938  Gaston Charles Julien Mondon
16 Jul 1938 - 27 Jan 1939  Louis Bressolles (acting)
27 Jan 1939 -  1 Jan 1941  Horace Valentin Crocicchia 
                             (acting to 5 Mar 1940) 
 1 Jan 1941 - 29 Sep 1942  Hubert Jules Deschamps             (b. 1900 - d. 1979)
29 Sep 1942 -  3 Aug 1943  Georges Pierre Rey
 3 Aug 1943 - 26 Aug 1943  Jean François Toby                 (b. 1900 - d. 1964)
26 Aug 1943 - 16 Aug 1945  André Jean Gaston Latrille         (b. 1894 - d. 1987) 
                             (1st time)
16 Aug 1945 - Apr 1946     Henry Jean Marie de Mauduit        (b. 1897 - d. 1975)
Apr 1946 - 20 Feb 1947     André Jean Gaston Latrille         (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)
20 Feb 1947 - 29 Jan 1948  Oswald Marcellin Maurice Maruis    (b. 1888 - d. 1982)
                             Durand (acting to 20 May 1947)
29 Jan 1948 - 10 Nov 1948  Georges Louis Joseph Orselli
10 Nov 1948 - 25 Apr 1952  Laurent Élisée Péchoux             (b. 1904 - d. 2000)
25 Apr 1952 - 10 Jul 1952  Pierre François Pélieu             (b. 1906 - d. 1952)
10 Jul 1952 - 19 Feb 1954  Camille Victor Bailly              (b. 1907 - d. 1984)
19 Feb 1954 - 18 Feb 1956  Pierre Joseph Auguste Messmer      (b. 1916 - d. 2007)
18 Feb 1956 - 23 Feb 1957  Pierre Auguste Michel Marie Lami   (b. 1909 - d. 1994) 
                             (acting to 28 May 1956)
23 Feb 1957 -  4 Dec 1958  Ernest Maurice de Nattes           (b. 1908)
High Commissioners
 4 Dec 1958 - 15 Jul 1960  Ernest Maurice de Nattes           (s.a.)
15 Jul 1960 -  7 Aug 1960  Yves René Henri Guéna              (b. 1922)
Chief of State
30 Jul 1960 -  7 Dec 1960  Félix Houphouët-Boigny             (b. 1905 - d. 1993)  PDCI
Presidents
 7 Dec 1960 -  7 Dec 1993  Félix Houphouët-Boigny             (s.a.)               PDCI
 7 Dec 1993 - 24 Dec 1999  Aimé Henri Konan Bédié             (b. 1934)            PDCI
24 Dec 1999 - 26 Oct 2000  Robert Guéï                        (b. 1941 - d. 2002)  Mil
                            (president of National Public  Salvation
                             Committee to 27 Dec 1999)
26 Oct 2000 -              Laurent Koudou Gbagbo              (b. 1945)            FPI 
19 Sep 2002 -  6 Jan 2005  Guillaume Kigbafori Soro           (b. 1972)           MPCI;2003 NF
                             (in rebellion, in Bouake) 

Vice President of the Government Council
17 May 1957 - 26 Jul 1958  Marcel Auguste Denise              (b. 1906 - d. 1991)  PDCI
President of the Government Council
26 Jul 1958 - 30 Apr 1959  Marcel Auguste Denise              (s.a.)               PDCI
Prime ministers
30 Apr 1959 -  4 Nov 1960  Félix Houphouët-Boigny             (s.a.)               PDCI
 4 Nov 1960 -  7 Nov 1990  Post abolished
 7 Nov 1990 - 11 Dec 1993  Alassane Dramane Ouattara          (b. 1942)            RDR
11 Dec 1993 - 24 Dec 1999  Daniel Kablan Duncan               (b. 1943)            PDCI
24 Dec 1999 - 18 May 2000  Vacant 
18 May 2000 - 27 Oct 2000  Seydou Elimane Diarra (1st time)   (b. 1933)            Non-party
27 Oct 2000 - 25 Jan 2003  Pascal Affi N'Guessan              (b. 1953)            FPI
25 Jan 2003 -  5 Dec 2005  Seydou Elimane Diarra (2nd time)   (s.a.)               Non-party
 5 Dec 2005 - 29 Mar 2007  Charles Konan Banny                (b. 1942)            Non-party
29 Mar 2007 -              Guillaume Kigbafori Soro           (s.a.)               NF

Commanders of the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI)
 4 Apr 2004 -  3 Apr 2006  Abdoulaye Fall (Senegal)           (b. 1953)
 3 Apr 2006 -              Fernand Marcel Amoussou (Benin)    (b. 1953)
                             (acting to 12 Sep 2006) 

Territorial Disputes: 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 Ivorians in and out of the country as well as driven out migrants from neighboring states who worked in Ivorian cocoa plantations; the Mar 2007 peace deal between Ivorian rebels and the government brought significant numbers of rebels out of hiding in neighboring states.

Party abbreviations: FPI = Front Populaire Ivorienne (Ivorian Popular Front, social-democratic); MPJ = Mouvement pour la Justice et la Paix (Movement for Peace and Justice); MPCI = Mouvement Patriotique de Côte d'Ivoire (Patriotic Movement of Ivory Coast, militant, northern muslim regionalist, est.Sep 2002); MPIGO = Mouvement Populaire Ivoirien du Grand Ouest (Popular Movement of the Far West, western regionaslist est.Nov 2002); 
NF = Nouvelles Forces (New Forces, alliance of MPJ, MPCI, and MPIGO, anti-Gbagbo, est.2003); PDCI = Parti Démocratique de Côte d'Ivoire-Rassemblement Démocratique Africain (Democratic Party of Ivory Coast-African Democratic Rally, authoritarian, only legal party 1960-1990); RDR = Rassemblement Des Républicains (Rally of the Republicans, liberal);
Mil = Military





©2000  Ben Cahoon