Liberia vs. Cote d'Ivoire
Introduction
| Liberia | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | With 28 ethnic groups and languages, Liberia is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world. For hundreds of years, the Mali and Songhai Empires claimed most of Liberia. Beginning in the 15th century, European traders began establishing outposts along the Liberian coast. Unlike its neighbors, however, Liberia did not fall under European colonial rule. In the early 19th century, the United States began sending freed enslaved people and other people of color to Liberia to establish settlements. In 1847, these settlers declared independence from the United States, writing their own constitution and establishing Africa's first republic. Early in Liberia's history, tensions arose between the Americo-Liberian settlers and the indigenous population. In 1980, Samuel DOE, who was from the indigenous population, led a military coup and ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE was killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 permitted an election that brought TAYLOR to power. In 2000, fighting resumed. An August 2003 peace agreement ended the war and prompted President TAYLOR's resignation. TAYLOR was later convicted by the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone in The Hague for his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war. In late 2005, President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF became president after two years of transitional governments; she was the first female head of state in Africa. In 2011, JOHNSON SIRLEAF won reelection but struggled to rebuild Liberia's economy, particularly following the 2014-15 Ebola epidemic, and to reconcile a nation still recovering from 14 years of fighting. In 2017, former soccer star George WEAH won the presidential runoff election.
| Various small kingdoms ruled the area of Cote d'Ivoire between the 15th and 19th centuries, when European explorers arrived and then began to expand their presence. In 1844, France established a protectorate. During this period, many of these kingdoms and tribes fought to maintain their cultural identities - some well into the 20th century. For example, the Sanwi kingdom - originally founded in the 17th century - tried to break away from Cote d'Ivoire and establish an independent state in 1969. After becoming independent in 1960, Cote d'Ivoire took advantage of close ties with France, cocoa production and export, and foreign investment to become one of the most prosperous states in West Africa. In December 1999, however, a military coup overthrew the government. In late 2000, junta leader Robert GUEI held rigged elections and declared himself the winner. Popular protests forced him to step aside and Laurent GBAGBO was elected. In September 2002, Ivoirian dissidents and members of the military launched a failed coup that developed into a civil war. In 2003, a cease-fire resulted in rebels holding the north, the government holding the south, and peacekeeping forces occupying a buffer zone in the middle. In March 2007, President GBAGBO and former rebel leader Guillaume SORO signed an agreement in which SORO joined GBAGBO's government as prime minister. The two agreed to reunite the country by dismantling the buffer zone, integrating rebel forces into the national armed forces, and holding elections. In November 2010, Alassane Dramane OUATTARA won the presidential election, but GBAGBO refused to hand over power, resulting in five months of violent conflict. In April 2011, after widespread fighting, GBAGBO was formally forced from office by armed OUATTARA supporters and UN and French forces. In 2015, OUATTARA won a second term. In October 2020, OUATTARA won a controversial third presidential term, despite a two-term limit in the Ivoirian constitution. In March 2021, the International Criminal Court in The Hague ruled on a final acquittal for GBAGBO, who was on trial for crimes against humanity.
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Geography
| Liberia | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone | Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia |
| Geographic coordinates | 6 30 N, 9 30 W | 8 00 N, 5 00 W |
| Map references | Africa | Africa |
| Area | total: 111,369 sq km land: 96,320 sq km water: 15,049 sq km | total: 322,463 sq km land: 318,003 sq km water: 4,460 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than Virginia | slightly larger than New Mexico |
| Land boundaries | total: 1,667 km border countries (3): Guinea 590 km, Cote d'Ivoire 778 km, Sierra Leone 299 km | total: 3,458 km border countries (5): Burkina Faso 545 km, Ghana 720 km, Guinea 816 km, Liberia 778 km, Mali 599 km |
| Coastline | 579 km | 515 km |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm |
| Climate | tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers | tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October) |
| Terrain | mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast | mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,447 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 243 m | highest point: Monts Nimba 1,752 m lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m mean elevation: 250 m |
| Natural resources | iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower | petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower |
| Land use | agricultural land: 28.1% (2018 est.) arable land: 5.2% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 2.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 20.8% (2018 est.) forest: 44.6% (2018 est.) other: 27.3% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 64.8% (2018 est.) arable land: 9.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 14.2% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 41.5% (2018 est.) forest: 32.7% (2018 est.) other: 2.5% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 30 sq km (2012) | 730 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March) | coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible |
| Environment - current issues | tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; hunting of endangered species for bushmeat; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage; pollution of rivers from industrial run-off; burning and dumping of household waste | deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewage, and from industrial, mining, and agricultural effluents |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note | facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture | most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated |
| Total renewable water resources | 232 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 84.14 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | more than half of the population lives in urban areas, with approximately one-third living within an 80-km radius of Monrovia as shown in this population distribution map | the population is primarily located in the forested south, with the highest concentration of people residing in and around the cities on the Atlantic coast; most of the northern savanna remains sparsely populated with higher concentrations located along transportation corridors as shown in this population distribution map |
Demographics
| Liberia | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,214,030 (July 2021 est.) | 28,088,455 (July 2021 est.) note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 43.35% (male 1,111,479/female 1,087,871) 15-24 years: 20.35% (male 516,136/female 516,137) 25-54 years: 30.01% (male 747,983/female 774,615) 55-64 years: 3.46% (male 89,150/female 86,231) 65 years and over: 2.83% (male 70,252/female 73,442) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 38.53% (male 5,311,971/female 5,276,219) 15-24 years: 20.21% (male 2,774,374/female 2,779,012) 25-54 years: 34.88% (male 4,866,957/female 4,719,286) 55-64 years: 3.53% (male 494,000/female 476,060) 65 years and over: 2.85% (male 349,822/female 433,385) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 18 years male: 17.7 years female: 18.2 years (2020 est.) | total: 20.3 years male: 20.3 years female: 20.3 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 2.74% (2021 est.) | 2.21% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 36.96 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 28.67 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 6.78 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 7.75 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -2.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 1.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 45.98 deaths/1,000 live births male: 50.16 deaths/1,000 live births female: 41.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 57.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 64.83 deaths/1,000 live births female: 49.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 65.1 years male: 62.86 years female: 67.4 years (2021 est.) | total population: 61.8 years male: 59.62 years female: 64.05 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 4.84 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 3.6 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 1.1% (2020 est.) | 2.1% (2020 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Liberian(s) adjective: Liberian | noun: Ivoirian(s) adjective: Ivoirian |
| Ethnic groups | Kpelle 20.3%, Bassa 13.4%, Grebo 10%, Gio 8%, Mano 7.9%, Kru 6%, Lorma 5.1%, Kissi 4.8%, Gola 4.4%, Krahn 4%, Vai 4%, Mandingo 3.2%, Gbandi 3%, Mende 1.3%, Sapo 1.3%, other Liberian 1.7%, other African 1.4%, non-African .1% (2008 est.) | Akan 28.9%, Voltaique or Gur 16.1%, Northern Mande 14.5%, Kru 8.5%, Southern Mande 6.9%, unspecified 0.9%, non-Ivoirian 24.2% (2014 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 35,000 (2020 est.) | 380,000 (2020 est.) |
| Religions | Christian 85.6%, Muslim 12.2%, Traditional 0.6%, other 0.2%, none 1.5% (2008 est.) | Muslim 42.9%, Catholic 17.2%, Evangelical 11.8%, Methodist 1.7%, other Christian 3.2%, animist 3.6%, other religion 0.5%, none 19.1% (2014 est.) note: the majority of foreign migrant workers are Muslim (72.7%) and Christian (17.7%) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 1,300 (2020 est.) | 13,000 (2020 est.) |
| Languages | English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages few of which can be written or used in correspondence | French (official), 60 native dialects of which Dioula is the most widely spoken major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 48.3% male: 62.7% female: 34.1% (2017) | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 47.2% male: 53.7% female: 40.5% (2018) |
| Major infectious diseases | degree of risk: very high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever water contact diseases: schistosomiasis animal contact diseases: rabies aerosolized dust or soil contact diseases: Lassa fever | degree of risk: very high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever water contact diseases: schistosomiasis animal contact diseases: rabies respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis |
| Education expenditures | 2.6% of GDP (2018) | 3.3% of GDP (2018) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 52.6% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 3.41% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) | urban population: 52.2% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 3.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 93.8% of population rural: 67.9% of population total: 81% of population unimproved: urban: 6.2% of population rural: 32.1% of population total: 19% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 90.4% of population rural: 67.8% of population total: 79.2% of population unimproved: urban: 9.6% of population rural: 32.2% of population total: 20.8% of population (2017 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 64.1% of population rural: 23.5% of population total: 44.1% of population unimproved: urban: 35.9% of population rural: 76.5% of population total: 55.9% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 75.9% of population rural: 32.7% of population total: 54.5% of population unimproved: urban: 24.1% of population rural: 67.3% of population total: 45.5% of population (2017 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 1.569 million MONROVIA (capital) (2021) | 231,000 YAMOUSSOUKRO (capital) (2018), 5.355 million ABIDJAN (seat of government) (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 661 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 617 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 10.9% (2019/20) | 12.8% (2016) |
| Health expenditures | 6.7% (2018) | 4.2% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 0.04 physicians/1,000 population (2015) | 0.23 physicians/1,000 population (2014) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 9.9% (2016) | 10.3% (2016) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 19.1 years (2019/20 est.) note: median age at first birth among women 25-49 | 19.6 years (2011/12 est.) note: median age at first birth among women 20-49 |
| Demographic profile | Liberia's high fertility rate of nearly 5 children per woman and large youth cohort - more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25 - will sustain a high dependency ratio for many years to come. Significant progress has been made in preventing child deaths, despite a lack of health care workers and infrastructure. Infant and child mortality have dropped nearly 70% since 1990; the annual reduction rate of about 5.4% is the highest in Africa. Nevertheless, Liberia's high maternal mortality rate remains among the world's worst; it reflects a high unmet need for family planning services, frequency of early childbearing, lack of quality obstetric care, high adolescent fertility, and a low proportion of births attended by a medical professional. Female mortality is also increased by the prevalence of female genital cutting (FGC), which is practiced by 10 of Liberia's 16 tribes and affects more than two-thirds of women and girls. FGC is an initiation ritual performed in rural bush schools, which teach traditional beliefs on marriage and motherhood and are an obstacle to formal classroom education for Liberian girls. Liberia has been both a source and a destination for refugees. During Liberia's 14-year civil war (1989-2003), more than 250,000 people became refugees and another half million were internally displaced. Between 2004 and the cessation of refugee status for Liberians in June 2012, the UNHCR helped more than 155,000 Liberians to voluntarily repatriate, while others returned home on their own. Some Liberian refugees spent more than two decades living in other West African countries. Liberia hosted more than 125,000 Ivoirian refugees escaping post-election violence in 2010-11; as of mid-2017, about 12,000 Ivoirian refugees were still living in Liberia as of October 2017 because of instability. | Cote d'Ivoire's population is likely to continue growing for the foreseeable future because almost 60% of the populace is younger than 25, the total fertility rate is holding steady at about 3.5 children per woman, and contraceptive use is under 20%. The country will need to improve education, health care, and gender equality in order to turn its large and growing youth cohort into human capital. Even prior to 2010 unrest that shuttered schools for months, access to education was poor, especially for women. As of 2015, only 53% of men and 33% of women were literate. The lack of educational attainment contributes to Cote d'Ivoire's high rates of unskilled labor, adolescent pregnancy, and HIV/AIDS prevalence. Following its independence in 1960, Cote d'Ivoire's stability and the blossoming of its labor-intensive cocoa and coffee industries in the southwest made it an attractive destination for migrants from other parts of the country and its neighbors, particularly Burkina Faso. The HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY administration continued the French colonial policy of encouraging labor immigration by offering liberal land ownership laws. Foreigners from West Africa, Europe (mainly France), and Lebanon composed about 25% of the population by 1998. Ongoing economic decline since the 1980s and the power struggle after HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY's death in 1993 ushered in the politics of "Ivoirite," institutionalizing an Ivoirian identity that further marginalized northern Ivoirians and scapegoated immigrants. The hostile Muslim north-Christian south divide snowballed into a 2002 civil war, pushing tens of thousands of foreign migrants, Liberian refugees, and Ivoirians to flee to war-torn Liberia or other regional countries and more than a million people to be internally displaced. Subsequently, violence following the contested 2010 presidential election prompted some 250,000 people to seek refuge in Liberia and other neighboring countries and again internally displaced as many as a million people. By July 2012, the majority had returned home, but ongoing inter-communal tension and armed conflict continue to force people from their homes. |
| Contraceptive prevalence rate | 24.9% (2019/20) | 23.3% (2018) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 77.6 youth dependency ratio: 71.7 elderly dependency ratio: 5.9 potential support ratio: 17 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 79.8 youth dependency ratio: 74.6 elderly dependency ratio: 5.2 potential support ratio: 19.3 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Liberia | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Liberia conventional short form: Liberia etymology: name derives from the Latin word "liber" meaning "free"; so named because the nation was created as a homeland for liberated African-American slaves | conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire local short form: Cote d'Ivoire former: Ivory Coast etymology: name reflects the intense ivory trade that took place in the region from the 15th to 17th centuries note: pronounced coat-div-whar |
| Government type | presidential republic | presidential republic |
| Capital | name: Monrovia geographic coordinates: 6 18 N, 10 48 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after James Monroe (1758-1831), the fifth president of the United States and supporter of the colonization of Liberia by freed slaves; one of two national capitals named for a US president, the other is Washington, D.C. | name: Yamoussoukro (legislative capital), Abidjan (administrative capital); note - although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the administrative capital as well as the officially designated economic capital; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan geographic coordinates: 6 49 N, 5 16 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Yamoussoukro is named after Queen YAMOUSSOU, who ruled in the village of N'Gokro in 1929 at the time of French colonization; the village was renamed Yamoussoukro, the suffix "-kro" meaning "town" in the native Baoule language; Abidjan's name supposedly comes from a misunderstanding; tradition states that an old man carrying branches met a European explorer who asked for the name of the nearest village; the man, not understanding and terrified by this unexpected encounter, fled shouting "min-chan m'bidjan," which in the Ebrie language means: "I return from cutting leaves"; the explorer, thinking that his question had been answered, recorded the name of the locale as Abidjan; a different version has the first colonists asking native women the name of the place and getting a similar response |
| Administrative divisions | 15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe | 12 districts and 2 autonomous districts*; Abidjan*, Bas-Sassandra, Comoe, Denguele, Goh-Djiboua, Lacs, Lagunes, Montagnes, Sassandra-Marahoue, Savanes, Vallee du Bandama, Woroba, Yamoussoukro*, Zanzan |
| Independence | 26 July 1847 | 7 August 1960 (from France) |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 26 July (1847) | Independence Day, 7 August (1960) |
| Constitution | history: previous 1847 (at independence); latest drafted 19 October 1983, revision adopted by referendum 3 July 1984, effective 6 January 1986 amendments: proposed by agreement of at least two thirds of both National Assembly houses or by petition of at least 10,000 citizens; passage requires at least two-thirds majority approval of both houses and approval in a referendum by at least two-thirds majority of registered voters; amended 2011, 2020 | history: previous 1960, 2000; latest draft completed 24 September 2016, approved by the National Assembly 11 October 2016, approved by referendum 30 October 2016, promulgated 8 November 2016 amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; consideration of drafts or proposals requires an absolute majority vote by the parliamentary membership; passage of amendments affecting presidential elections, presidential term of office and vacancies, and amendment procedures requires approval by absolute majority in a referendum; passage of other proposals by the president requires at least four-fifths majority vote by Parliament; constitutional articles on the sovereignty of the state and its republican and secular form of government cannot be amended; amended 2020 |
| Legal system | mixed legal system of common law, based on Anglo-American law, and customary law | civil law system based on the French civil code; judicial review of legislation held in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President George WEAH (since 22 January 2018); Vice President Jewel HOWARD-TAYLOR (since 22 January 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President George WEAH (since 22 January 2018); Vice President Jewel HOWARD-TAYLOR (since 22 January 2018) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, confirmed by the Senate elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 10 October 2017 with a run-off on 26 December 2017) (next to be held on 10 October 2023); the runoff originally scheduled for 7 November 2017 was delayed due to allegations of fraud in the first round, which the Supreme Court dismissed election results: George WEAH elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - George WEAH (Coalition for Democratic Change) 38.4%, Joseph BOAKAI (UP) 28.8%, Charles BRUMSKINE (LP) 9.6%, Prince JOHNSON (MDR) 8.2%, Alexander B. CUMMINGS (ANC) 7.2%, other 7.8%; percentage of vote in second round - George WEAH 61.5%, Joseph BOAKAI 38.5% | chief of state: President Alassane Dramane OUATTARA (since 4 December 2010); Vice President (vacant); note - Vice President Daniel Kablan DUNCAN resigned 8 July 2020; note - the 2016 constitution calls for the establishment of the position of vice-president head of government: Prime Minister Patrick ACHI (since 10 March 2021); note - ACHI was acting prime minister from 8-10 March 2021 and became prime minister upon former Prime Minister Hamed BAKAYOKO's death on 10 March 2021 cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single renewable 5-year term ; election last held on 31 October 2020 (next to be held in October 2025); vice president elected on same ballot as president; prime minister appointed by the president; note - because President OUATTARA promulgated the new constitution during his second term, he has claimed that the clock is reset on term limits, allowing him to run for up to two additional terms election results: Alassane OUATTARA reelected president; percent of vote - Alassane OUATTARA (RDR) 94.3%, Kouadio Konan BERTIN (PDCI-RDA) 2.0%, other 3.7% |
| Legislative branch | description: bicameral National Assembly consists of: The Liberian Senate (30 seats; members directly elected in 15 2-seat districts by simple majority vote to serve 9-year staggered terms; each district elects 1 senator and elects the second senator 3 years later, followed by a 6-year hiatus, after which the first Senate seat is up for election) House of Representatives (73 seats; members directly elected in single-seat districts by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms; eligible for a second term) elections: Senate -general election held on 8 December 2020 with half the seats up for election (next election 2023) House of Representatives - last held on 10 October 2017 (next to be held in October 2023) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - Collaborating Political Parties 40.27%, Congress for Democratic Change 28.02%, People's Unification Party 6.40, Movement for Democracy and Reconstructions 4.30%, All Liberia Coalition 1.09%,Rainbow Alliance 1.09%, Liberia Restoration Party 0,82%, Liberia National Union 0.77%, Movement for Progressive Change 0.74%, United People's Party 0.66%, Liberia Transformation Party 0.16%, National Democratic Coalition 0.07%, Movement for One Liberia 0.01; seats by coalition/party- CPP 13, CDC 5, PUP 2, MDR 1, NDC 1 House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - Coalition for Democratic Change 15.6%, UP 14%, LP 8.7%, ANC 6.1%, PUP 5.9%, ALP 5.1%, MDR 3.4%, other 41.2%; seats by coalition/party - Coalition for Democratic Change 21, UP 20, PUP 5, LP 3, ALP 3, MDR 2, independent 13, other 6; composition - men 64, women 9, percent of women 12.3%; total Parliament percent of women 11.7% | description: bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate or Senat (99 seats; 66 members indirectly elected by the National Assembly and members of municipal, autonomous districts, and regional councils, and 33 members appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) National Assembly (255 seats; members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms) elections: Senate - first ever held on 25 March 2018 (next to be held in 2023) National Assembly - last held on 6 March 2021 (next to be held in 2026) election results: Senate - percent by party NA; seats by party - RHDP 50, independent 16; composition - men 80, women 19, percent of women 19.2% National Assembly - percent of vote by party - RHDP 49.18%, PDCI-RRA-EDS 16.53%, DPIC 6.01%, TTB 2.017% IPF 1.96% seats by party - RHDP, 137, PDCI-RRA-EDS 50, DPIC 23, TTB 8, IPF 2; composition - men 217, women 32, percent of women 13%; note - total Parliament percent of women 32% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of a chief justice and 4 associate justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction for all constitutional cases judge selection and term of office: chief justice and associate justices appointed by the president of Liberia with consent of the Senate; judges can serve until age 70 subordinate courts: judicial circuit courts; special courts, including criminal, civil, labor, traffic; magistrate and traditional or customary courts | highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (organized into Judicial, Audit, Constitutional, and Administrative Chambers; consists of the court president, 3 vice presidents for the Judicial, Audit, and Administrative chambers, and 9 associate justices or magistrates) judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the Superior Council of the Magistrature, a 7-member body consisting of the national president (chairman), 3 "bench" judges, and 3 public prosecutors; judges appointed for life subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (organized into civil, criminal, and social chambers); first instance courts; peace courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Marcus S. G. DAHN] All Liberian Party or ALP [Benoi UREY] Alternative National Congress or ANC [Orishil GOULD] Coalition for Democratic Change [George WEAH] (includes CDC, NPP, and LPDP)Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH] Liberia Destiny Party or LDP [Nathaniel BARNES] Liberia National Union or LINU [Nathaniel BLAMA] Liberia Transformation Party or LTP [Julius SUKU] Liberian People Democratic Party or LPDP [Alex J. TYLER] Liberian People's Party or LPP Liberty Party or LP [J. Fonati KOFFA] Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction or MDR [Prince Y. JOHNSON] Movement for Economic Empowerment [J. Mill JONES, Dr.] Movement for Progressive Change or MPC [Simeon FREEMAN] National Democratic Coalition or NDC [Dew MAYSON] National Democratic Party of Liberia or NDPL [D. Nyandeh SIEH] National Patriotic Party or NPP [Jewel HOWARD TAYLOR] National Reformist Party or NRP [Maximillian T. W. DIABE] National Union for Democratic Progress or NUDP [Victor BARNEY] People's Unification Party or PUP [Isobe GBORKORKOLLIE] Unity Party or UP [Varney SHERMAN] United People's Party [MacDonald WENTO] Victory for Change Party [Marcus R. JONES] | Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire or PDCI [Henri Konan BEDIE] Ivorian Popular Front or FPI [former pres. Laurent GBAGBO] Liberty and Democracy for the Republic or LIDER [Mamadou KOULIBALY] Movement of the Future Forces or MFA [Innocent Augustin ANAKY KOBENA] Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace or RHDP [Alassane OUATTARA] (alliance includes MFA, PDCI, RDR, UDPCI, UPCI) Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Henriette DIABATE] Union for Cote d'Ivoire or UPCI [Gnamien KONAN] Union for Democracy and Peace in Cote d'Ivoire or UDPCI [Albert Toikeusse MABRI] |
| International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) | ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador George S.W. PATTEN, Sr. (since 11 January 2019) chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437 FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436 email address and website: info@liberiaemb.org http://www.liberianembassyus.org/ consulate(s) general: New York | chief of mission: Ambassador Mamadou HAIDARA (since 28 March 2018) chancery: 2424 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300 FAX: [1] (202) 462-9444 email address and website: info@ambacidc.org https://ambaciusa.org/# |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Michael A. MCCARTHY (since 22 January 2021) embassy: 502 Benson Street, Monrovia mailing address: 8800 Monrovia Place, Washington DC 20521-8800 telephone: [231] 77-677-7000 FAX: [231] 77-677-7370 email address and website: ACSMonrovia@state.gov https://lr.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador Richard K. BELL (since 10 October 2019) embassy: B.P. 730 Abidjan Cidex 03 mailing address: 2010 Abidjan Place, Washington DC 20521-2010 telephone: [225] 27-22-49-40-00 FAX: [225] 27-22-49-43-23 email address and website: AbjAmCit@state.gov https://ci.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a white five-pointed star appears on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the stripes symbolize the signatories of the Liberian Declaration of Independence; the blue square represents the African mainland, and the star represents the freedom granted to the ex-slaves; according to the constitution, the blue color signifies liberty, justice, and fidelity, the white color purity, cleanliness, and guilelessness, and the red color steadfastness, valor, and fervor note: the design is based on the US flag | three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and green; orange symbolizes the land (savannah) of the north and fertility, white stands for peace and unity, green represents the forests of the south and the hope for a bright future note: 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 |
| National anthem | name: All Hail, Liberia Hail! lyrics/music: Daniel Bashiel WARNER/Olmstead LUCA note: lyrics adopted 1847, music adopted 1860; the anthem's author later became the third president of Liberia | name: "L'Abidjanaise" (Song of Abidjan) lyrics/music: Mathieu EKRA, Joachim BONY, and Pierre Marie COTY/Pierre Marie COTY and Pierre Michel PANGO note: adopted 1960; although the nation's capital city moved from Abidjan to Yamoussoukro in 1983, the anthem still owes its name to the former capital |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | white star; national colors: red, white, blue | elephant; national colors: orange, white, green |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Liberia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 2 years | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cote d'Ivoire dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
Economy
| Liberia | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | Liberia is a low-income country that relies heavily on foreign assistance and remittances from the diaspora. It is richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture. Its principal exports are iron ore, rubber, diamonds, and gold. Palm oil and cocoa are emerging as new export products. The government has attempted to revive raw timber extraction and is encouraging oil exploration. In the 1990s and early 2000s, civil war and government mismanagement destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially infrastructure in and around the capital. Much of the conflict was fueled by control over Liberia's natural resources. With the conclusion of fighting and the installation of a democratically elected government in 2006, businesses that had fled the country began to return. The country achieved high growth during the period 2010-13 due to favorable world prices for its commodities. However, during the 2014-2015 Ebola crisis, the economy declined and many foreign-owned businesses departed with their capital and expertise. The epidemic forced the government to divert scarce resources to combat the spread of the virus, reducing funds available for needed public investment. The cost of addressing the Ebola epidemic coincided with decreased economic activity reducing government revenue, although higher donor support significantly offset this loss. During the same period, global commodities prices for key exports fell and have yet to recover to pre-Ebola levels. In 2017, gold was a key driver of growth, as a new mining project began its first full year of production; iron ore exports are also increased as Arcelor Mittal opened new mines at Mount Gangra. The completion of the rehabilitation of the Mount Coffee Hydroelectric Dam increased electricity production to support ongoing and future economic activity, although electricity tariffs remain high relative to other countries in the region and transmission infrastructure is limited. Presidential and legislative elections in October 2017 generated election-related spending pressures. Revitalizing the economy in the future will depend on economic diversification, increasing investment and trade, higher global commodity prices, sustained foreign aid and remittances, development of infrastructure and institutions, combating corruption, and maintaining political stability and security. | For the last 5 years Cote d'Ivoire's growth rate has been among the highest in the world. Cote d'Ivoire is heavily dependent on agriculture and related activities, which engage roughly two-thirds of the population. Cote d'Ivoire is the world's largest producer and exporter of cocoa beans and a significant producer and exporter of coffee and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products and to climatic conditions. Cocoa, oil, and coffee are the country's top export revenue earners, but the country has targeted agricultural processing of cocoa, cashews, mangoes, and other commodities as a high priority. Mining gold and exporting electricity are growing industries outside agriculture. Following the end of more than a decade of civil conflict in 2011, Cote d'Ivoire has experienced a boom in foreign investment and economic growth. In June 2012, the IMF and the World Bank announced $4.4 billion in debt relief for Cote d'Ivoire under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $7.049 billion (2019 est.) $7.214 billion (2018 est.) $7.126 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $134.048 billion (2019 est.) $126.185 billion (2018 est.) $118.051 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 2.5% (2017 est.) -1.6% (2016 est.) 0% (2015 est.) | 7.8% (2017 est.) 8.3% (2016 est.) 8.8% (2015 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $1,428 (2019 est.) $1,497 (2018 est.) $1,516 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $5,213 (2019 est.) $5,033 (2018 est.) $4,831 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 34% (2017 est.) industry: 13.8% (2017 est.) services: 52.2% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 20.1% (2017 est.) industry: 26.6% (2017 est.) services: 53.3% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 50.9% (2016 est.) | 39.5% (2018 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 30.1% (2007) | lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 31.8% (2008) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 12.4% (2017 est.) 8.8% (2016 est.) | -1.1% (2019 est.) 0.3% (2018 est.) 0.6% (2017 est.) |
| Labor force | 1.677 million (2017 est.) | 8.747 million (2017 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 70% industry: 8% services: 22% (2000 est.) | agriculture: 68% (2007 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% (2014 est.) | 9.4% (2013 est.) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 35.3 (2016 est.) 38.2 (2007) | 41.5 (2015 est.) 36.7 (1995) |
| Budget | revenues: 553.6 million (2017 est.) expenditures: 693.8 million (2017 est.) | revenues: 7.749 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 9.464 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | mining (iron ore and gold), rubber processing, palm oil processing, diamonds | foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, gold mining, truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity |
| Industrial production growth rate | 9% (2017 est.) | 4.2% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | cassava, sugar cane, oil palm fruit, rice, bananas, vegetables, plantains, rubber, taro, maize | yams, cassava, cocoa, oil palm fruit, sugar cane, rice, plantains, maize, cashew nuts, rubber |
| Exports | $330 million (2019 est.) $362 million (2018 est.) $359 million (2017 est.) | $16.326 billion (2018 est.) $16.274 billion (2017 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | ships, iron, gold, rubber, crude petroleum (2019) | cocoa beans, gold, rubber, refined petroleum, crude petroleum (2019) |
| Exports - partners | Guyana 32%, Poland 10%, Switzerland 8%, Japan 7%, China 5% (2019) | Netherlands 10%, United States 6%, France 6%, Spain 5%, Malaysia 5%, Switzerland 5%, Germany 5%, Vietnam 5% (2019) |
| Imports | $1.82 billion (2019 est.) $1.956 billion (2018 est.) $2.118 billion (2017 est.) | $14.248 billion (2018 est.) $13.486 billion (2017 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | ships, refined petroleum, iron structures, boat propellers, centrifuges (2019) | crude petroleum, rice, frozen fish, refined petroleum, packaged medicines (2019) |
| Imports - partners | China 41%, Japan 21%, South Korea 18% (2019) | China 18%, Nigeria 13%, France 11% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $826 million (2019 est.) $679 million (2018 est.) | $13.07 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $11.02 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Exchange rates | Liberian dollars (LRD) per US dollar - 109.4 (2017 est.) 93.4 (2016 est.) 93.4 (2015 est.) 85.3 (2014 est.) 83.893 (2013 est.) | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 594.3 (2017 est.) 593.01 (2016 est.) 593.01 (2015 est.) 591.45 (2014 est.) 494.42 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Public debt | 34.4% of GDP (2017 est.) 28.3% of GDP (2016 est.) | 47% of GDP (2017 est.) 47% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $459.8 million (31 December 2017 est.) $528.7 million (31 December 2016 est.) | $6.257 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $4.935 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | -$627 million (2017 est.) -$464 million (2016 est.) | -$1.86 billion (2017 est.) -$414 million (2016 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $3.071 billion (2019 est.) | $42.498 billion (2018 est.) |
| Ease of Doing Business Index scores | Overall score: 43.2 (2020) Starting a Business score: 88.9 (2020) Trading score: 19.2 (2020) Enforcement score: 35.2 (2020) | Overall score: 60.7 (2020) Starting a Business score: 93.7 (2020) Trading score: 52.4 (2020) Enforcement score: 57.6 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 16.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 19.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -4.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | -4.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 2.3% male: 2.4% female: 2.2% (2016 est.) | total: 5.5% male: 4.7% female: 6.5% (2017 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 128.8% (2016 est.) government consumption: 16.7% (2016 est.) investment in fixed capital: 19.5% (2016 est.) investment in inventories: 6.7% (2016 est.) exports of goods and services: 17.5% (2016 est.) imports of goods and services: -89.2% (2016 est.) | household consumption: 61.7% (2017 est.) government consumption: 14.9% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.4% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0.3% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 30.8% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -30.1% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | -58.3% of GDP NA% (2018 est.) -48.8% of GDP (2017 est.) -21.9% of GDP (2016 est.) | 15.7% of GDP (2018 est.) 17.4% of GDP (2017 est.) 19.5% of GDP (2015 est.) |
Energy
| Liberia | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 300 million kWh (2016 est.) note: according to a 2014 household survey, only 4.5% of Liberians use Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) power, 4.9% use a community generator, 4.4% have their own generator, 3.9% use vehicle batteries, and 0.8% use other sources of electricity, and 81.3% have no access to electricity; LEC accounts for roughly 70 million kWh of ouput. | 9.73 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 279 million kWh (2016 est.) | 6.245 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2016 est.) | 872 million kWh (2015 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2016 est.) | 19 million kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 52,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 62,350 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 26,700 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 100 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | 28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 2.322 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 2.322 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 151,000 kW (2016 est.) | 1.914 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 57% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 60% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 43% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 40% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 0 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 69,360 bbl/day (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 8,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) | 51,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 31,450 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 8,181 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 7,405 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 12% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 18% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 6% (2019) | electrification - total population: 76% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 99% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 51% (2019) |
Telecommunications
| Liberia | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 8,394 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 271,724 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1.01 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 2,793,316 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 56.57 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 37,376,603 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 139.16 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .lr | .ci |
| Internet users | total: 383,819 percent of population: 7.98% (July 2018 est.) | total: 12,295,204 percent of population: 46.82% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: due to history of civil war and ruin of infrastructure, almost entirely wireless telecom market; good competition for mobile services; high cost and limited bandwidth means Internet access is low; additional investment needed for increased submarine cable access; progress in creating an attractive business-friendly environment is hampered by a weak regulatory environment, corruption, lack of transparency, poor infrastructure, and low private sector capacity; rural areas have little access; fixed-line service is stagnant and extremely limited; operators introducing e-commerce; importer of broadcast equipment from China (2021) (2020)domestic: fixed-line less than 1 per 100; mobile-cellular subscription base growing and teledensity approached 57 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 231; landing point for the ACE submarine cable linking 20 West African countries and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: Côte d'Ivoire telecom systems continue to benefit from strong economic growth; fixed-line, Internet, and broadband sectors remain underdeveloped; mobile sector is strong; progress in national backbone network and connection to submarine cable that will increase Internet bandwidth; country is poised to develop broadband market and digital economy; government further tightened SIM card registration rules (2020) (2020) domestic: less than 1 per 100 fixed-line, with multiple mobile-cellular service providers competing in the market, usage has increased to about 145 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 225; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC, ACE, MainOne, and WACS fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and South and West Africa; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 8,000 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2017 est.) | total: 216,723 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2018 est.) |
| Broadcast media | 8 private and 1 government-owned TV station; satellite TV service available; 1 state-owned radio station; approximately 20 independent radio stations broadcasting in Monrovia, with approximately 80 more local stations operating in other areas; transmissions of 4 international (including the British Broadcasting Corporation and Radio France Internationale) broadcasters are available (2019) | state-controlled Radiodiffusion Television Ivoirieinne (RTI) is made up of 2 radios stations (Radio Cote d'Ivoire and Frequence2) and 2 television stations (RTI1 and RTI2), with nationwide coverage, broadcasts mainly in French; after 2011 post-electoral crisis, President OUATTARA's administration reopened RTI Bouake', the broadcaster's office in Cote d'Ivoire's 2nd largest city, where facilities were destroyed during the 2002 rebellion; Cote d'Ivoire is also home to 178 proximity radios stations, 16 religious radios stations, 5 commercial radios stations, and 5 international radios stations, according to the Haute Autorite' de la Communication Audiovisuelle (HACA); govt now runs radio UNOCIFM, a radio station previously owned by the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire; in Dec 2016, the govt announced 4 companies had been granted licenses to operate -Live TV, Optimum Media Cote d'Ivoire, the Audiovisual Company of Cote d'Ivoire (Sedaci), and Sorano-CI, out of the 4 companies only one has started operating (2019) |
Transportation
| Liberia | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Railways | total: 429 km (2008) standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge (2008) narrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gauge (2008) note: most sections of the railways inoperable due to damage sustained during the civil wars from 1980 to 2003, but many are being rebuilt | total: 660 km (2008) narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-m gauge (2008) note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina Faso |
| Roadways | total: 10,600 km (2018) paved: 657 km (2018) unpaved: 9,943 km (2018) | total: 81,996 km (2007) paved: 6,502 km (2007) unpaved: 75,494 km (2007) note: includes intercity and urban roads; another 20,000 km of dirt roads are in poor condition and 150,000 km of dirt roads are impassable |
| Pipelines | 4 km oil (2013) | 101 km condensate, 256 km gas, 118 km oil, 5 km oil/gas/water, 7 km water (2013) |
| Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): Buchanan, Monrovia | major seaport(s): Abidjan, San-Pedro oil terminal(s): Espoir Offshore Terminal |
| Merchant marine | total: 3,716 by type: bulk carrier 1,325, container ship 858, general cargo 141, oil tanker 820, other 572 (2020) | total: 25 by type: oil tanker 2, other 23 (2020) |
| Airports | total: 29 (2013) | total: 27 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 2 (2019) over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | total: 7 (2017) over 3,047 m: 1 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2017) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 27 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2013) under 914 m: 14 (2013) | total: 20 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 11 (2013) under 914 m: 3 (2013) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | A8 | TU |
Military
| Liberia | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Liberian Coast Guard (2021) note - an AFL Air Wing is under development; it was previously disbanded in 2005, but two Liberian pilots completed training by the Nigerian Air Force in 2018 | Armed Forces of Cote d'Ivoire (Forces Armees de Cote d'Ivoire, FACI; aka Republican Forces of Ivory Coast, FRCI): Army (Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale), Cote Air Force (Force Aerienne Cote), Special Forces (Forces Speciale); National Gendarmerie (under the Ministry of Defense); National Police (under the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection); Coordination Center for Operational Decisions (a mix of police, gendarmerie, and FACI personnel for assisting police in providing security in some large cities) (2020) |
| Military service age and obligation | 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2019) | 18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary male and female military service; conscription is not enforced; voluntary recruitment of former rebels into the new national army is restricted to ages 22-29 (2019) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.5% of GDP (2019) 0.4% of GDP (2018) 0.4% of GDP (2017) 0.4% of GDP (2016) 0.4% of GDP (2015) | 1.1% of GDP (2019 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2018) 1.3% of GDP (2017) 1.7% of GDP (2016) 1.7% of GDP (2015) |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) have approximately 2,000 personnel (2020) | the Armed Forces of Cote d'Ivoire have approximately 25,000 active troops (23,000 Army, including about 2,000 Special Forces; 1,000 Navy; 1,000 Air Force); est. 5-10,000 Gendarmerie (2020) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the AFL has almost no significant combat hardware as nearly all aircraft, equipment, materiel, and facilities were damaged or destroyed during the country's civil war; it has received little new equipment outside of ammunition, small arms, and trucks from China in 2008, and boats and vehicles donated by the US in the 2010s (2020) | the inventory of the FACI consists mostly of older or second-hand equipment, typically of French or Soviet-era origin; Cote d'Ivoire was under a partial UN arms embargo from 2004 to 2016; since 2016, it has received limited amounts of mostly second-hand equipment from a variety of countries, with Bulgaria as the leading supplier (2020) |
| Military deployments | 150 Mali (MINUSMA) (Jan 2021) | 800 Mali (MINUSMA) (Jan 2021) |
Transnational Issues
| Liberia | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | as the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) continues to drawdown prior to the 1 March 2018 closure date, the peacekeeping force is being reduced to 434 soldiers and two police units; some Liberian refugees still remain in Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Ghana; Liberia shelters 8,804 Ivoirian refugees, as of 2019 | disputed maritime border between Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana |
| Illicit drugs | transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption, criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center | illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption; utility as a narcotic transshipment point to Europe reduced by ongoing political instability; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leave the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | refugees (country of origin): 8,194 (Cote d'Ivoire) (2021) | IDPs: 308,000 (post-election conflict in 2010-11, as well as civil war from 2002-04; land disputes; most pronounced in western and southwestern regions) (2019) stateless persons: 954,531 (2020); note - many Ivoirians lack documentation proving their nationality, which prevent them from accessing education and healthcare; birth on Ivorian soil does not automatically result in citizenship; disputes over citizenship and the associated rights of the large population descended from migrants from neighboring countries is an ongoing source of tension and contributed to the country's 2002 civil war; some observers believe the government's mass naturalizations of thousands of people over the last couple of years is intended to boost its electoral support base; the government in October 2013 acceded to international conventions on statelessness and in August 2013 reformed its nationality law, key steps to clarify the nationality of thousands of residents; since the adoption of the Abidjan Declaration to eradicate statelessness in West Africa in February 2015, 6,400 people have received nationality papers |
Environment
| Liberia | Cote d'Ivoire | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 17.19 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 1.39 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 6.56 megatons (2020 est.) | particulate matter emissions: 23.72 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 9.67 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 10.3 megatons (2020 est.) |
| Total water withdrawal | municipal: 80.2 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 53.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 12.3 million cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 320 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 242 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 600 million cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 13.27% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 2.04% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 564,467 tons (2007 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 4,440,814 tons (2010 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 133,224 tons (2005 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 3% (2005 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
