Republic of Côte d'Ivoire
République de Côte d'Ivoire
CAPITAL : Yamoussoukro
FLAG: The flag is a tricolor of orange, white, and green vertical stripes.
ANTHEM: L'Abidjanaise, beginning: "Greetings, O land of hope."
MONETARY UNIT: The Communauté Financière Africaine franc (CFA Fr), which was originally pegged to the French franc, has been pegged to the euro since January 1999 with a rate of 655.957 CFA francs to 1 euro. The CFA franc is issued in coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 500 CFA francs, and notes of 50, 100, 500, 1,000, 5,000, and 10,000 CFA francs. CFA Fr1 = $0.00167 (or $1 = CFA Fr597.577) as of May 2003.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system is the legal standard.
HOLIDAYS: New Year's Day, 1 January; Labor Day, 1 May; Assumption, 15 August; All Saints' Day, 1 November; Independence Day, 7 December; Christmas, 25 December. Movable religious holidays include Good Friday, Easter Monday, Ascension, Pentecost Monday, 'Id al-Fitr, and 'Id al-'Adha'.
TIME: GMT.
The official language is French. Of the more than 60 African languages spoken by different ethnic groups, the most important are Agni and Baulé, spoken by the Akan group; the Kru languages; the Sénoufo languages; and the Mandé languages (especially Malinké-Bambura-Dioula).
Côte d'Ivoire's armed forces numbered around 17,050 in 2002, including the Presidential Guard. There were 6,500 in the army, including three infantry battalions and one mechanized battalion; 900 in the navy; and 700 in the air force. There is also a paramilitary force of about 7,000. Military expenditures in 2001 were $128 million or 1.3% of GDP.
In 1964 a modern fishing wharf was opened at Abidjan, which is Africa's largest tuna fishing port, handling about 100,000 tons of tuna each year. There are fish hatcheries in Bouaké, Bamoro, and Korhogo. Commercial fishing for tuna is carried on in the Gulf of Guinea; sardines are also caught in quantity. The total catch was 80,322 tons in 2000, almost 87% in Atlantic waters.
There were over 30 insurance companies in Abidjan in 1999. Domestic companies accounted for almost 80% of the business. Third-party motor liability insurance is compulsory. In 2001, there was $47 million in life insurance premiums written.
Côte d'Ivoire has no territories or colonies.
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