The Ivory Coast is located on the south coast of West Africa, bordered by Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, and the Gulf of Guinea. The Ivory Coast has a growing population of 28.1 million people, the majority of which live on the southern coast, in cities along the Atlantic Ocean. Much of the country’s northern areas remain more sparsely populated. The population comprises several ethnic groups, including Akan, Voltaique/Gur, Northern Mande, Kru, Southern Mande, and some groups that are non-Ivorian. The population is equally religiously diverse: the majority are Muslim, followed by Catholic, Evangelical, Methodist, Christian, and animist. French is the official language and is most commonly spoken; there are also 60-plus native dialects. Music is an important part of the culture in the Ivory Coast, and various instruments and songs are used to share historical stories.
After the Ivory Coast gained independence from France in 1960, its economy grew due to its cocoa and coffee industries. However, during the 1980s, the economy declined, followed by political unrest, civil war, and the internal displacement of large portions of the population. Recently, the country has experienced rapid economic growth, with a robust agricultural sector based primarily on the production and export of cocoa beans, coffee, and palm oil. About two-thirds of the population is involved in agriculture or activities related to agriculture. Despite the growing economy, approximately 46 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, and the country has one of the highest gender inequality rates in the world.
A 2002 civil war disrupted the delivery of healthcare services to the population, and caused many healthcare practitioners to leave the country. In addition, with a large portion of the population living below the poverty line, health is overall poor. A pressing health challenge in the Ivory Coast is HIV/AIDS, one of the leading causes of death. Other leading causes of death include malaria, neonatal disorders, lower respiratory infections, ischemic heart disease, stroke, diarrheal diseases, tuberculosis, congenital defects, and cirrhosis. The risk factors that contribute most to deaths and disabiliies in the Ivory Coast include malnutrition, air pollution, unsafe sex, high blood pressure, high body-mass index, alcohol and tobacco use, high fasting plasma glucose, dietary risks, and insufficient water, sanitation, and hygiene.
