Côte d’Ivoire at a Glance

• Population: 16.9 million


• Capital city: Yamoussoukro, 150,000 inhabitants


• Language: French (lingua franca), above 60 different tribal dialects


• Religions: Approx. 40% Muslims; approx. 28% Christians, all others Animists


• Form of government: Presidential republic

Economy

As an importer to Germany, Côte d’Ivoire ranks fourth amongst the Black African states, and ninth in exports. The most important import item for Germany is raw cocoa, followed a long way behind by tropical and subtropical fruits, rubber and timber. German exports to Côte d'Ivoire consist primarily of chemical products, machinery and motor vehicles. Among Black African countries, Côte d'Ivoire ranked seventh in 2002 as an importer of German products and third as a supplier country. Due to the unstable political climate, German direct investments in Côte d'Ivoire have declined steadily over the last two years.

Culture and Science

Cultural relations focus on language tuition, with the language department of the Goethe Institute playing an important role. Twenty-seven Ivorian advisers support the 700 or so German teachers in the country. More than 140,000 school pupils learn German as a second foreign language. Around 1,200 students are studying German at the University of Cocody (Abidjan). The Goethe Institute is also engaged in other cultural fields with considerable success and has gained a good reputation thanks to its support for Ivorian artists and projects. The programme and language work is being continued despite the ongoing crisis.

Links

www.abidjan.diplo.de (German Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire)
www.afrikaverein.de (German-African Business Association)
www.goethe.de/abidjan (Goethe-Institute in Abidjan)