Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia

National Capital: Abidjan

Area: 124,501 square Miles

Population: 10.6 million

Languages: Number of African languages (grouped into four branches of Niger-Congo language family) corresponds roughly to number of ethnic groups. Sections of several groups speak different languages. Some languages used as mother tongue by more than one ethnic group. Official language, French; variants of Mandé-kan spoken throughout country as commercial language.

Climate: warm, humid climate transitional from equatorial to tropical, temperatures average between 25° C and 30°C and range from 10°C to 40°C

Resources: manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, nickel, coffee, cocoa, sugar, bananas, palm oil, pineapples, and rubber

Reference: Cote D' Ivoire