The African country of Côte d’Ivoire is divided into 14 districts, including 2 autonomous city districts, with 12 districts as the highest administrative structure.
These districts, which were formed as a result of the administrative reform carried out on 28 September 2011, replaced the nineteen regions, the highest administrative structure by the said date. These districts are divided into 31 districts, regions are divided into 107 departments and departments are divided into 197 municipalities.
Fourteen Districts of Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast is divided into 14 districts. These districts are Abidjan, Bas-Sassandra, Comoé, Denguélé, Gôh-Djiboua, Lacs, Lagunes, Montagnes, Sassandra-Marahoué, Savanes, Vallée du Bandama, Woroba, Yamoussoukro and Zanzan. Abidjan and Yamoussoukro are autonomous city district status.
Abidjan
Abidjan is the largest city and capital of Cote d’Ivoire. It is known as Paris of West Africa. Abican has a population of around 3 million and is one of the most populous cities in Africa. It attracted many French and neighboring citizens and turned into a cosmopolitan center. Abidjan is one of the most popular cities of West Africa with its tall buildings and the lake of the sea. The city has a surface area of 818 square kilometers.
Bas-Sassandra
Bas-Sassandra is one of the 14 administrative districts of Cote d’Ivoire. The district is located in the southwestern part of the country. The district’s capital is San-Pédro. The area has a surface area of 25,800 square kilometers and has a population of 2,280,548 according to 2014 data. Bas-Sassandra is divided into three sub-regions. These regions are Gbôklé, Nawa, and San-Pédro.
Comoé
Comoé is one of the 14 administrative districts of Côte d’Ivoire. The district is in the southeast corner of the country. It has the border with the west, with the district of Zanzan in the north, with the district of Lacs and the district of Lagunes in the east, and with the Atlantic Ocean in the south. Abengourou is the capital of the district. The district has a surface area of 14,173 square kilometers and according to 2014 data, there is a population of 1,203,052. Comoé is divided into two sub-regions. These regions are Indénié-Djuablin and Sud-Comoé.
Denguélé
The Denguélé District is one of the 14 administrative districts of Cote d’Ivoire. The district is located in the northwest corner of the country. The capital of the district is Odienné. The district has a surface area of 20,997 square kilometers and has a population of 289,779 according to 2014 data. Denguélé is divided into two sub-regions. These regions are Folon and Kabadougou.
Gôh-Djiboua
Gôh-Djiboua District is one of the 14 administrative districts of Cote d’Ivoire. The district is located in the south of the country. The capital of the district is Gagnoa. The district has a surface area of 17,580 square kilometers and according to 2014 data, there are 1,605,286 inhabitants. Gôh-Djiboua is divided into two sub-regions. These regions are Gôh and Lôh-Djiboua.
Lacs
Lacs District is one of the 14 administrative districts of Côte d’Ivoire. The district is located in the central region of the country. The capital of the district is Dimbokro. It has a surface area of 28,500 square kilometers and has a population of 1,258,604 according to 2014 data. Lacs is divided into four sub-regions. These regions are Bélier, Iffou, Moronou, and N’Zi.
Lagunes
Lagunes District is one of the 14 administrative districts of Cote d’Ivoire. The district is located in the south of the country. Dabou is the capital of the district. It has a surface area of 23,280 square kilometers and according to 2014 data, there are 1,478,047 inhabitants. Lagunes is divided into three sub-regions. These regions; Agnéby-Tiassa, Grands-Ponts and La Mé.
Montagnes
Montagnes District is one of the 14 administrative districts of Cote d’Ivoire. The district is located in the western part of the country and forms the border with Liberia and Guinea. Man is the capital of the district. It has a surface area of 31,050 square kilometers and has a population of 2,371,920 according to 2014 data. Montagnes is divided into three sub-regions. These regions are Cavally, Guémon, and Tonkpi.
Sassandra-Marahoué
The Sassandra-Marahoué District is one of the 14 administrative districts of Cote d’Ivoire. The district is located in the central part of the country. Daloa is the capital of the district. Its surface area is 23,940 square kilometers and according to 2014 data, there are 2,293,304 inhabitants. Sassandra-Marahoué is divided into two sub-regions. These regions are Haut-Sassandra and Marahoué.
Savanes
The Savanes District is one of the 14 administrative districts of Cote d’Ivoire. The district is located in the northernmost part of the country. The capital of the district is Korhogo. It has a surface area of 40,210 square kilometers and according to 2014 data, there are 1,607,497 inhabitants. Savanes is divided into three sub-regions. These regions are Bagoué, Poro and Tchologo.
Vallée du Bandama
Vallée du Bandama District is one of the 14 administrative districts of Côte d’Ivoire. The district is located in the north-central part of the country. The capital of the district is Bouaké. Its surface area is 28,518 square kilometers and it has a population of 1,440,826 according to 2014 data. Vallée du Bandama is divided into two sub-regions. These are Gbêkê and Hambol.
Woroba
Woroba District is one of the 14 administrative districts of Cote d’Ivoire. The district is located in the northeastern part of the country. The capital of the district is Séguéla. The land area is 31,088 square kilometers and according to 2014 data, there are 845,139 inhabitants. Woroba is divided into three sub-regions. These regions are Béré, Bafing, and Worodougou.
Yamoussoukro
Yamoussoukro District is one of the 14 administrative districts of Cote d’Ivoire. At the same time, Yamoussoukro is the official capital of Cote d’Ivoire. The largest basilica in the world is located in this city. It is seven times higher than the basilica in the Vatican. The city has a surface area of 3,500 square kilometers and according to 2014 data, it has a population of 355,573.
Zanzan
Zanzan District is one of the 14 administrative districts of Cote d’Ivoire. The district is located in the northeastern part of the country. The capital of the district is Séguéla. Its surface area is 38,251 square kilometers and it has a population of 934,352 according to 2014 data. Zanzan is divided into two sub-regions. These regions are Bounkani and Gontougo.
Ivory Coast Geography and Facts
- Population: 25,300,055
- Population Density: 80 per Km2
- Land Area: 318,000 Km2
Ivory Coast, also known as Cote d’Ivoire, is located in West Africa, on the North Atlantic coast. It is neighbor to Guinea and Liberia to the west, Ghana to the east, Mali and Burkina Faso to the north.
Where is Cote d’Ivoire?
Geography
Although the surface shapes of the country are generally flat, the surface of the country is mostly composed of highland and plains. Only the western parts of the country are at an altitude of 1,000 m higher than the sea level. Nimba Mountain, which has a height of 1.752 m, is located near the Guinea border of the country’s highest point. Part of the northern part of the country is located within the formation called the Upper Guinea Highlands. In addition, the average height is between 200 m and 350 m.
Governance
Côte d’Ivoire is a republic managed by the constitution. The current constitution was ratified by the referendum on 23 July 2000 and entered into force. The country has a multi-party political system and is governed by the presidential system. The head of the Côte d’Ivoire is at the top of the state and is also the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of Côte d’Ivoire. The president of Côte d’Ivoire is elected for a five-year period and the elected president has the right to be elected to this post for a maximum of two consecutive terms.
The prime minister, the head of state, is appointed as the head of the government and can be dismissed by the same presidency. Where the head of the Côte d’Ivoire is not in the country, the prime minister who has served in this capacity is not obliged to be elected from the party which has a majority in the parliament.
Climate
The coastal regions are tropical and the northern regions are under the influence of the semi-continental climate. Three seasons are experienced. November – March temperate and dry, March-May hot and dry, June – October is hot and humid.
Religion
Islam is the most common religion throughout the country and 40.2% of the population lives according to the Islamic beliefs. The second most common religion is the Christian religion with 38.7%. In this ratio, the rate of the Christians of the Catholic sect is 19.3% and 19.3% of the protestant sects. Except for these two religions, according to 2011-2012 data, there is a small group that declares that they do not belong to any religion other than those who believe in local African religions.
Industry and Tourism
Ivory Coast is the world’s leading manufacturer and exporter of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. The economy, therefore, fluctuates according to the fluctuations in the world market and weather conditions. 68% of the country’s population is employed in the agricultural sector. The most important agricultural products are coffee, cocoa, banana, palm extract, corn, rice, cassava, potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber, and timber. Cocoa is the leading product in export with 33%. Other major export products are tropical wood, oil, cotton, banana, palm oil, and fish. France, USA, Netherlands, and Nigeria are the most important export partners. Food, consumer goods, investment goods, fuel, and transportation vehicles are imported. France, Nigeria, and Singapore are the biggest import partners.