Ivory Coast, West Africa’s economic powerhouse and the world’s leading cocoa producer, goes to the polls this Saturday with President Alassane Ouattara expected to secure a fourth term. Here are five essential things to know about this influential nation.
1. From Stability to Crisis
After gaining independence from France in 1960, Ivory Coast enjoyed three decades of peace and prosperity under its first president, Félix Houphouët-Boigny. However, after his death in 1993, political unity faltered. The country experienced its first coup in 1999 and was later divided by a 2002 rebellion. In 2011, Alassane Ouattara came to power following a violent election dispute that left 3,000 people dead. Despite a return to relative calm, tensions have resurfaced ahead of this year’s election, with protests against Ouattara’s bid for a fourth term already turning deadly.
2. King of Cocoa
Ivory Coast remains the world’s top producer of cocoa, alongside significant exports of cashew nuts and oil. With a population nearing 32 million, the economy has seen some of the fastest growth rates in sub-Saharan Africa. The IMF projects 6.4% growth for 2025, powered by oil and gas expansion. Still, poverty remains a challenge, with 37.5% of citizens living below the poverty line in 2021.
3. Environmental Decline
The nation has lost about 90% of its forests over the past six decades due to agricultural expansion, especially cocoa farming. This deforestation has devastated wildlife, leaving fewer than 500 elephants and threatening other native species.
4. Close Ties with France
Despite a turbulent past, Ivory Coast maintains strong political and economic ties with France—unlike neighboring Sahel countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso that have distanced themselves from their former colonial power.
5. Land of Music and Culture
Ivory Coast has left a mark on global music with reggae icons Alpha Blondy and Tiken Jah Fakoly, as well as dance styles like zouglou and coupé-décalé. Modern artists such as Didi B and KS Bloom continue to showcase the country’s vibrant creative scene.
