FACTS & FIGURES

POPULATION 16.5 million

AREA 126,000 sq miles

CURRENCY CFA franc (XOF)

EXCHANGE 699 CFA francs per 1 US$

CAPITAL Yamoussoukro is the official capital. Abidjan is the administrative and commercial center

GDP $10.4 billion (2000 est.)

NATURAL RESOURCES Petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, hydropower

INDUSTRY Food processing, textiles

EXPORTS Cocoa, coffee, tropical woods, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, fish