Ivory Coast Natural Resources

“Ivory Coast is currently sub-Saharan Africa’s ninth largest crude oil producer with around 35,000 barrels per day of crude oil production.”[1] The main natural resources that can be found in Ivory Coast are oil and natural gas production. They have been a growing part of the economy. A refinery that processes crude oil from off shore rigs is located at Abidjan.

Map of African exports
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/business/global-economy/140502/world-commodities-exports-map 

Ivory Coast also has mineral resources, such as diamonds and gold. “Manufacturing is mainly limited to the refining and processing of agricultural produce (e.g. palm oil, coconut-oil, sugar) or the canning of fruits such as pineapples.”[2] Ivory Coast has a large diversity of natural resources. Some of the other natural resources that are produced in Ivory Coast include “natural gas, manganese, bauxite, hydro power, forests and fish.”[3]

Stamp from Ivory Coast with diamond on it
http://www.thediamondloupe.com/articles/2015-07-27/ivory-coast-6734ct-diamond-exports-embargo-lifted 

The use and value of these natural resources has changed the country over time. After becoming independent in 1960, Ivory Coast had decades of stable government and became the wealthiest country in West Africa. It was also the fourth largest economy south of the Sahara. After political division in 1990s the economy suffered. It suffered even more following the civil war in 2002 and violence following elections in 2010. However, the economy has begun to flourish again, due to the growth in oil and other factors.[4]

Stamp with an oil refinery in Abidjan
http://colnect.com/en/stamps/stamp/421906-Abidjan_oil_refinery-Industry-Ivory_Coast

“Between AD 1000 to 1500, Muslim merchants established trade routes from northern Africa to Ivory Coast. They came for gold, ivory and slaves.”[5] “Until the 19^th century, French and Portuguese traders mostly confined themselves to the coast, where they traded in good such as slaves and ivory. But during the second half of the 1800s, European explorers ventured inland and made treaties with local chiefs. In the rush to divide up Africa, France claimed Ivory Coast in 1893.”[6] Two of Ivory Coast's main exports today are cocoa and coffee, along with several other exports. These different situations and scenarios affected the trade routes and trade of natural resources in Ivory Coast.

Exportation of pineapple from Ivory Coast map
http://www.unctad.info/en/Infocomm/AACP-Products/COMMODITY-PROFILE---Pineapple/

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[1] “Oil and gas” http://fortuneofafrica.com/ivorycoast/2014/02/07/cote-d-ivore-natural-resources/

[2] “Oil and natural resources” http://www.our-africa.org/ivory-coast/economy-industry

[3] “Other natural resources” http://fortuneofafrica.com/ivorycoast/2014/02/07/cote-d-ivore-natural-resources/

[4] “State of the economy and industry” http://fortuneofafrica.com/ivorycoast/2014/02/07/cote-d-ivore-natural-resources/

[5] “Emergence of states” http://www.our-africa.org/ivory-coast/history-politics

[6] “The arrival of the Europeans” http://www.our-africa.org/ivory-coast/history-politics