Ivory Coast, also
known as Côte
d'Ivoire, is officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire. Ivory Coast’s capital is
Yamoussoukro. Abidjan is the biggest city in Ivory Coast. Abidjan has a
population of 4,677,155. [1]
“The Ivory Coast shares
borders with Liberia, Ghana, Mali and Burkina Faso in West Africa. Similar in
area to Poland, it has a population of about 20 million—mostly people of
African descent, but also a small community of non-Africans, including French,
Lebanese and Vietnamese.”[2] The large amount of forests
allowed Ivory Coast to have a large timber industry.[3]
“In the Ivory Coast, food industries are the most important and
production in the chemical, wood, textile and metal industries has increased
steadily.”[4]
The importance of industries other than food have increased over time. The many rivers in the
country would allow for transportation and ways to travel. Some negative
features would be the heavy surf and lack of natural harbors; especially during
the rainy season when flooding becomes a danger.[5]
“Nine percent of the country is arable land. Ivory Coast is the world’s largest
producer of cocoa, a major national cash crop.”[6]
Disease and health wise, the HIV/AIDS rate was 19th-highest in the
world, estimated in 2012 at 3.20% among adults aged 15-49 years.” [7]
 |
| Ivory Coast on map of Africa "Total Descubre Petroleo En Un Bloque De Aguas Profundas En Coasta De Marfil." Accessed December 17, 2015. http://www.nuestromar.org/noticias/categorias/18-04-14/total-descubre-petr-leo-en-un-bloque-aguas-profundas-en-costa-marfil |
When thinking about the history of a country using things
other than written texts to define the history is possible. Things such as,
music, art, dance, festivals, and so much more are examples of how non-written
history can be used. In Ivory Coast, music, art, dance, and festivals
define the history of the country. The traditional music style for Ivory Coast
consists of “a series of melodies and rhythms occurring simultaneously, without
on dominating the others.”[8]
“In Cote D’Ivoire, styles of popular music distinct from popular music of the
cities have developed in rural settings.”[9]
When it comes to the art, different ethnic groups of Ivory Coast are known for
different things. Some of those things include, wooden carvings and masks. Festivals
are also a big part of the culture in Ivory Coast. During the festivals the
villagers will wear the masks and put on dances. “In the regions of Ghana,
Ivory Coast, Togo, Burkina Faso, Benin and Nigeria, group dancing is more
common than competitive solo dancing found in Senegal and Gambia.”[10]
In Ivory Coast,
the main religions that are practiced are Islam and Christianity. 38.6% of the
population practices Islam, 32.6% practices Christianity, 16.7% is irreligious,
and 11.9% follows Traditional African religion or other religions. [11]
“During its long history in West Africa, Islam has occupied different positions
and taken up different attitudes towards the surrounding society. The pace of
expansion has also varied from one period to another, from being relatively
slow in the first eleven hundred years and them becoming much quicker in the 19th
and 20th century.”[12]
Islam is gradually becoming more popular in West Africa as time goes on. “About
one-eighth of the population was Christian in the 1980s; more recent estimates
put the proportion of Christians at about 32.6% of the population.”[13]
It is mostly practiced by people in the middle class and in urban centers of
the south.
 |
| Percentage of Population connected with different religions
"Culture and Social Development." Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). Accessed December 17, 2015. http://whittakerivorycoast.weebly.com/culture-and-social-development.html
|
“Ivory Coast is
currently sub-Saharan Africa’s ninth largest crude oil producer with around
35,000 barrels per day of crude oil production.”[14]
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. Ivory Coast also
has mineral resources, such as diamonds and gold. “It is in the northern area
of the Ivory Coast that most of the country’s diamond deposits are located.”[15]
“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.”[16]
Ivory Coast exports a lot of important agricultural products that help keep a
balance in the trade.[17]
Ivory Coast has a large diversity of natural resources.
The location of
Africa, in particular, Ivory Coast had a lot to do with the initial contact
between them and Europe. The Portuguese were the first to explore West Africa.
Which was later followed by the idea of trade. Initially, trade included gold,
ivory and pepper. Later on, a demand for slaves became a large part of the
trade with West Africa. By the end of the fifteenth century, commercial
contacts with Europe had spread to areas north of the West African coast as
well.[18]
 |
| Portugal Trade with Africa "History of Portugal." HowStuffWorks. February 26, 2008. Accessed December 17, 2015. http://history.howstuffworks.com/european-history/history-of-portugal1.htm |
Since there is little settlement within
Ivory Coast, “a sense of national identity has been slow to emerge.” Part of
this reason is the fact that there are so many people groups and languages that
are within this one country. “As with many African nations, national boundaries
mean little to the sense of identity of many of those who live within them. The
principal ethnic groups that form the majority of Ivorian society have strong
cultural and social ties to other members of their group who may live outside
of the Ivory Coast’s national borders.”[19] The borders dividing
Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leon, and Guinea have practically become
meaningless due to the connections and people that live in each of the
countries.[20]
Ivory Coast’s history has shaped it into
the country it is today. It has gone through some difficult times and faces
challenges still today. The traditions and customs that the people of Ivory
Coast follow are what helps to keep the country going. Many of the traditions
are passed down from generation to generation. Religion has also played a role
in where Ivory Coast is today as a country. Christianity and Islam make up the
majority of the religions in the country. Many of the people practice one of
those two religions. Christianity and Islam actually make up the religions of
most of the countries in West Africa. The struggle of borders and being able to
find a sense of identity as a country has been difficult for Ivory Coast due to
connections the people have with people in surrounding countries, but they have
been able to find a sense of identity. Despite the challenges and hardships
Ivory Coast has faced as a country, it is still a thriving country. The history
of the country helps to see the direction in which the country will continue to
go.
 |
| Ivory Coast "Health Information for Travelers to Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Traveler View." Accessed December 17, 2015. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/ivory-coast |
References
Clarke, Peter. West
Africa and Islam: A Study of Religious Development from the 8th to
the 20th Century.
London: Edward Arnold, 1982.
Corey-Boulet, Robbie. “Ivory
Coast: Victor’s Justice.” World Policy
Journal Sept. 2012: 68-79.Web.
16 December 2015.
“Cote D’Ivoire Natural
Resources.” Fortune of Africa Ivory Coast. February 7, 2014. Accessed November
16, 2015.
Dodds, Klaus. “Ivory Coast.” Geographical Mar. 2011: 14. Academic OneFile. Web. 16 December
2015.
“Economy
& Industry.” Our Africa. Accessed November 16, 2015. http://www.our-africa.org/ivory-coast/economy-industry
“Geography of Ivory
Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed October 27, 2015.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Ivory_Coast
Hilton, T. E. “The Changing
Ivory Coast.” Geography 50 (1965):
291-295. JSTOR. Web. 16 December
2015.
“History of Ivory Coast.”
Wikipedia. Accessed November 22, 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Ivory_Coast
“Ivory
Coast (Cote D’Ivoire) People and Culture.” Africa Guide. Accessed November 2,
2015. http://www.africaguide.com/country/ivoryc/culture.htm
“Ivory
Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed October 27, 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory_Coast#Geography
May, Jacques M. The
Ecology of Malnutrition in the French speaking countries of West Africa and
Madagascar; Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast,
Togo, Dahomey, Cameroon, Niger, Mali,
Upper Volta, and Madagascar. New York: Hafner Publishing Co., 1968.
Reed, Daniel B. Dan Ge
Performance: Masks and Music in Contemporary Cote D’Ivoire. Bloomington: Indiana University
Press, 2003.
“Religion in Ivory
Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed November 10, 2015.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Ivory_Coast
Stokes, Jamie. (ed.) Encyclopedia
of the Peoples of Africa and Middle East. New York: Facts on File, 2008.
Welsh-Asante, Kariamu. African
Dance: An Artistic, Historical and Philosophical Inquiry.
Trenton, New Jersey: African World
Press, 1997.
Link to video presentation: https://youtu.be/krgD7L-s5bs
[1] “Ivory Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed October 27, 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory_Coast#Geography
[2] Dodds,
Klaus. “Ivory Coast.” Geographical Mar.
2011: 14. Academic OneFile. Web. 16
December 2015.
[3] “Geography of Ivory Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed
October 27, 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Ivory_Coast
[4] Hilton,
T. E. “The Changing Ivory Coast.” Geography
50 (1965): 291-295. JSTOR. Web.
16 December 2015.
[5] “Geography of Ivory Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed
October 27, 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Ivory_Coast
[6] Ibid.
[7] “Ivory Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed October 27, 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory_Coast#Geography
[8] “Ivory Coast (Cote D’Ivoire) People and Culture.”
Africa Guide. Accessed November 2, 2015.
[9] Reed, Daniel B. Dan
Ge Performance: Masks and Music in Contemporary Cote D’Ivoire. Bloomington:
Indiana University Press, 2003.
[10] Welsh-Asante, Kariamu. African Dance: An Artistic, Historical and Philosophical Inquiry. Trenton,
New Jersey: African World Press, 1997.
[11] “Religion in Ivory Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed November
10, 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Ivory_Coast
[12] Clarke, Peter. West
Africa and Islam: A Study of Religious Development from the 8th to
the 20th Century. London: Edward Arnold, 1982.
[13] “Religion in Ivory Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed
November 10, 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Ivory_Coast
[14] “Cote D’Ivoire Natural Resources.” Fortune of Africa
Ivory Coast. February 7, 2014. Accessed November 16, 2015.
[15] “New President in Ivory Coast: will it aid country’s
diamond trade?” New York Diamonds (July
2011): 46+. General OneFile. Web. 16
December 2015.
[16] “Economy & Industry.” Our Africa. Accessed
November 16, 2015. http://www.our-africa.org/ivory-coast/economy-industry
[17] May, Jacques M. The
Ecology of Malnutrition in the French speaking countries of West Africa and
Madagascar; Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Togo, Dahomey, Cameroon, Niger, Mali,
Upper Volta, and Madagascar. New York: Hafner Publishing Co., 1968.
[18] “History of Ivory Coast.” Wikipedia. Accessed November
22, 2015. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Ivory_Coast
[19] Stokes, Jamie. (ed.) Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Africa and Middle East. New York:
Facts on File, 2008.
[20] Mehlinger, Howard. Globalization
and the Challenges of a New Century: A Reader. Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana
University Press, 2000.
