Government Cote d'Ivoire
------------------------
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of
Cote d'Ivoire
conventional short form: Cote
d'Ivoire
local short form: Cote d'Ivoire
former: Ivory Coast
local long form: Republique de Cote
d'Ivoire
Government type: republic; multiparty presidential
regime established 1960
Capital: Yamoussoukro; note - although
Yamoussoukro has been the official
capital since 1983, Abidjan remains
the administrative center; the US,
like other countries, maintains its
Embassy in Abidjan
Administrative divisions: 58 departments (departements,
singular - departement);
Abengourou, Abidjan, Aboisso,
Adiake, Adzope, Agboville,
Agnibilekrou, Alepe, Bocanda,
Bangolo, Beoumi, Biankouma,
Bondoukou, Bongouanou, Bouafle,
Bouake, Bouna, Boundiali, Dabakala,
Dabou, Daloa, Danane, Daoukro,
Dimbokro, Divo, Duekoue,
Ferkessedougou, Gagnoa, Grand-
Bassam, Grand-Lahou, Guiglo, Issia,
Jacqueville, Katiola, Korhogo,
Lakota, Man, Mankono, Mbahiakro,
Odienne, Oume, Sakassou, San-Pedro,
Sassandra, Seguela, Sinfra, Soubre,
Tabou, Tanda, Tiebissou, Tingrela,
Tiassale, Touba, Toulepleu,
Toumodi, Vavoua, Yamoussoukro,
Zuenoula
Independence: 7 August (1960) (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 7 August (1960)
Constitution: 3 November 1960; has been amended
numerous times, last time 27 July
1998
Legal system: based on French civil law system
and customary law; judicial review
in the Constitutional Chamber of
the Supreme Court; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Laurent
GBAGBO (since 26 October 2000);
note - took power following a
popular overthrow of the interim
leader Gen. Robert GUEI who had
claimed a dubious victory in
presidential elections; Gen. GUEI
himself had assumed power on 25
December 1999, following a military
coup against the government of
former President Henri Konan BEDIE
head of government: Prime Minister
and Minister of Planning and
Development Affi N'GUESSAN (since
27 October 2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
appointed by the president
elections: president elected by
popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 26 October 2000
(next to be held NA 2005); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: Laurent GBAGBO
elected president; percent of vote
- Laurent GBAGBO 59.4%, Robert GUEI
32.7%, Francis WODIE 5.7%, other
2.2%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or
Assemblee Nationale (225 seats;
members are elected in single- and
multi-district elections by direct
popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: elections last held 10
December 2000 with by-elections on
14 January 2001 (next to be held NA
2005)
note: a Senate is scheduled to be
created in the next full election
in 2005
election results: percent of vote
by party - NA%; seats by party -
FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4,
other 2, independents 22, vacant 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
consists of four chambers: Judicial
Chamber for criminal cases, Audit
Chamber for financial cases,
Constitutional Chamber for judicial
review cases, and Administrative
Chamber for civil cases; there is
no legal limit to the number of
members
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire-
African Democratic Rally or PDCI-
RDA [Aime Henri Konan BEDIE];
Ivorian Popular Front or FPI
[Laurent GBAGBO]; Ivorian Worker's
Party or PIT [Francis WODIE]; Rally
of the Republicans or RDR [Alassane
OUATTARA]; Union for Democracy and
Peace or UDPCI [Gen. Robert GUEI];
over 20 smaller parties
Political pressure groups and NA
leaders:
International organization ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS,
participation: Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU,
OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional),
WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the chief of mission: Ambassador
US: Youssoufou BAMBA
chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20007
FAX: [1] (202) 462-9444
telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Arlene
US: RENDER
embassy: 5 Rue Jesse Owens, Abidjan
mailing address: B. P. 1712,
Abidjan 01
telephone: [225] 20 21 09 79
FAX: [225] 20 22 32 59
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of
orange (hoist side), white, and
green; similar to the flag of
Ireland, which is longer and has
the colors reversed - green (hoist
side), white, and orange; also
similar to the flag of Italy, which
is green (hoist side), white, and
red; design was based on the flag
of France
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