Côte d’Ivoire profile

Demography and Health

Côte d’Ivoire's population is sizable and youthful, with about 31.9 million people reported in 2024. The country exhibits a relatively high birth rate of 32 births per 1,000 people (2023), signaling a large youth cohort that can become a demographic dividend if health, education, and employment opportunities improve. Meanwhile, the crude death rate sits at roughly 7.66 per 1,000, indicating ongoing mortality pressures that are not extreme but still meaningful for public health planning. Life expectancy at birth is around 61.9 years (2023), which places Côte d’Ivoire behind many peers in the region and underscores gaps in health outcomes and access. The life-course pattern is further reflected in a notably high under-5 mortality rate of 67.1 per 1,000 live births (2023), pointing to persistent challenges in maternal and child health, immunization coverage, nutrition, and access to essential services. The poverty headcount at national poverty lines remains high, with about 37.5% of people living in poverty as of 2021, signaling significant income vulnerability even as the country experiences economic growth. Nutritional stress is evident too, with 9.6% of the population undernourished (2022), suggesting that food security and dietary diversity are still critical concerns for many households. On the health system side, the country allocates health expenditure, with current health expenditure at 3.64% of GDP in 2022, and per-capita public health spending in PPP terms around 83.3 international US dollars (2022), indicating modest fiscal capacity to expand services. The physician density remains low, at about 0.175 physicians per 1,000 people (2022), which can constrain access to care, particularly in rural areas, even as other reforms and health programs aim to improve service delivery. Net migration remains modest at 7,838 people in 2024, a factor that can influence the size and composition of the labor force and the demand for services. Taken together, these demography and health indicators reveal a young, growing population with substantial needs in health and nutrition, and with room to improve health workforce capacity and outcomes through sustained investment and policy focus.

Economy

The economic profile of Côte d’Ivoire shows a middle-income trajectory with a current US$-based GDP per capita of about 2,710 in 2024, complemented by a purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP per capita of roughly 7,653 in 2024. This places per-person living standards above subsistence levels but still well below advanced peers, underscoring a need for inclusive growth, diversification, and higher productivity in agriculture and industry. Inflation sits at about 3.47% in 2024, reflecting a relatively stable price environment by many regional standards, which can support consumer confidence and investment planning. The unemployment rate is reported at 2.31% in 2022; however, this figure should be interpreted cautiously, as it may understate underemployment and informal-sector labor dynamics common in developing economies. The poverty burden remains sizable—about 37.5% at national poverty lines as of 2021—indicating that sizable portions of the population are still vulnerable despite macroeconomic progress. The economy also shows a mix of import and export activity, with exports of goods and services accounting for about 27.6% of GDP (2024) and imports at about 27.1% of GDP (2024), signaling a fairly open economy that relies on external markets for consumption and investment goods. The external balance shows a current account deficit of roughly 7.6% of GDP in 2022, suggesting that, while financing is available, the country remains import-dependent or investment-led, with capital inflows needed to sustain growth. Health and education spending indicators, while not in the headline of this section, are part of the fiscal framework affecting long-run growth: current health expenditure is about 3.64% of GDP (2022), and domestic health expenditure per capita on a PPP basis is around 83.3 international US dollars (2022), highlighting the ongoing fiscal challenge of expanding social sectors while maintaining growth momentum. Overall, Côte d’Ivoire’s economy shows resilience and potential, anchored by a growing population, export-oriented sectors, and ongoing need for investment in productivity, diversification, and inclusive job creation.

Trade and Investment

Trade and investment dynamics in Côte d’Ivoire exhibit moderate openness and investment activity with several notable features. Exports of goods and services represent about 27.6% of GDP in 2024, while imports constitute roughly 27.1% of GDP, indicating a relatively balanced external trade position in terms of activity relative to the size of the economy. This level of trade openness supports opportunities for diversification and integration into regional and global value chains, particularly if product quality, value addition, and logistics performance improve. Foreign direct investment (FDI), measured as net inflows, stands at about 2.2% of GDP in 2023, suggesting a still-evolving investment climate where gains can be amplified through improved governance, financial reforms, and investment incentives. The current account deficit of -7.61% of GDP in 2022 underscores that capital imports finance a larger balance of payments gap, which may reflect energy, commodity, or investment dynamics typical of economies undergoing structural transformation. In terms of technology and advanced production, high-technology exports reach around 110 million US dollars in 2023, representing a niche but growing segment of the economy and signaling potential for upgrading within certain sectors, even as overall export baskets remain dominated by commodities and agricultural products. Taken together, the trade and investment indicators paint a picture of an economy poised for deeper integration into global markets, with growth opportunities tied to export diversification, an improved investment climate, and the strategic use of FDI to boost productivity and competitiveness.

Governance and Institutions

Governance indicators for Côte d’Ivoire reveal a mixed but challenging picture, with several metrics suggesting room for improvement in state effectiveness and the rule of law. Political stability and absence of violence/terrorism stand at -0.632 in 2023, indicating some resilience concerns or vulnerabilities to political shocks or episodic violence. Regulatory quality is -0.116, suggesting that the framework for designing and enforcing rules to encourage private sector activity and good governance is still developing. The Rule of Law indicator sits at -0.461, signaling gaps in the enforcement of contracts, property rights, and judicial efficiency. Control of corruption is -0.313, highlighting ongoing challenges in reducing corruption and enhancing public trust. Government effectiveness is -0.36, implying that public services, policy formulation, and administrative capacity still face constraints. Taken together, these indicators suggest that while Côte d’Ivoire has made strides in political transition and governance reforms, the institutional environment remains a barrier to fully realizing the potential of its economy, especially in areas like business climate, public investment management, rule of law, and anti-corruption efforts. Improving governance in these domains would likely amplify investor confidence, improve public service delivery, and support sustainable development across sectors.

Infrastructure and Technology

Infrastructure and technology indicators show a country expanding digital reach and human-capital resources while maintaining essential physical infrastructure. Internet usage stands at 40.7% of the population in 2023, indicating significant but incomplete digital connectivity and a digital divide between urban and rural areas. This level of internet access provides a foundation for e-services, digital entrepreneurship, and information access, but also signals room for expansion to enhance inclusion, education, and e-government. The health and bioscience dimension is reflected in a low physician density of 0.175 per 1,000 people (2022), underscoring constraints in the health workforce that can affect service delivery, especially in rural locations. High-technology exports value, at about 110 million US dollars (2023), suggests that Côte d’Ivoire has started layering in advanced production capabilities, though the scale is still modest relative to larger economies; this points to potential growth in specialized, higher-value segments if targeted investments and skills development are pursued. On the energy front, renewable energy constitutes a sizable 58.2% of total final energy consumption (2021), implying a meaningful role for renewables in the energy mix and potential for further decarbonization if capacity, storage, and grid infrastructure are developed. The current health expenditure, at 3.64% of GDP (2022), together with domestic health expenditure per capita PPP of 83.3 (2022), indicates ongoing public investment in health infrastructure but also the need to scale financing and service delivery for wider coverage. Overall, infrastructure and technology indicators signal a country making visible progress in connectivity, health capacity, and renewable energy, while facing challenges in healthcare workforce, manufacturing sophistication, and comprehensive digital inclusion.

Environment and Sustainability

Environment and sustainability metrics reveal a country with relatively low water-stress intensity and a low per-capita greenhouse gas footprint, alongside a notable share of renewable energy in the energy mix. Water stress, measured as freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources, is 5.09% (2021), with a ranking position suggesting modest withdrawal intensity relative to resources—an indicator of renewable water potential and resilience to drought in many basins, though local endowments can vary and warrant targeted water management. Total greenhouse gas emissions per capita are 1.03 t CO2e (2023), placing Côte d’Ivoire on the lower end of emissions intensity compared to many economies, reflecting a combination of energy mix, industrial activity, and urban structure. Renewable energy consumption accounts for 58.2% of total final energy consumption in 2021, reinforcing a strong role for hydropower, biomass, and other renewables in the energy system and offering a path toward further decarbonization if efficiency gains and grid upgrades accompany expansion. However, broader environmental and climate risks persist, including vulnerability to droughts and climate variability that can affect agriculture, livelihoods, and rural-urban migration. The country’s total greenhouse gas footprint per capita is modest, signaling opportunities to deepen sustainable practices across transport, industry, and land use, while maintaining development gains. In health and environment policy terms, the interplay between renewable energy deployment, water resource management, and emissions trajectory will be pivotal to balancing economic growth, resilience, and quality of life for the population.