33 Countries of Origin’ Profiles

Ivory Coast LITERACY RATE: age 15 and over can read and write, 43.1% male: 53.1% female: 32.5% 3 BELIEF: Ivory Coast is a secular state and the country’s constitution provides for the freedom of religion. Around 40% of people follows Islam Sunni, religion firmly established in the north, and adhere to the Maliki school of thought. Voltaic ad Mandè are predominantly muslims and Juula are recognised as very devoted , they usually observe ritual washing and daily prayers of Islam; few wear Arab dress, and virtually no women wear a veil. Sufism is also popular and it is integrated with traditional native practices. Among Mandè there are also pagans (Bambarà) while the Akan and Krou ethnic groups are predominantly Christian, (Catholic 17.2%, Evangelical 11.8%, Methodist 1.7%, other Christian 3.2%). Some Akan are animist and uses syncretistic rites. 4 ETHNIC GROUPS: The population of Côte d'Ivoire is ethnically diverse and consists of more than 60 ethnic groups which are divided into 7 principal cluster groups that can be to four major cultural regions; most of the groups has more members outside the country than within so many Ivoirians have strong cultural and social ties with people in neighbouring nations. In the southern area we find the East Atlantic (primarily Akan, divided) and West Atlantic (primarily Kru) separated by the Bandama River. The Akan , located in the eastern and central parts of the country, are the most consistent ethnic group and they are divided in Baoulé and Agni. They uses a series of languages of the kwa family, branch of the Niger-Congo language and they are farmers (Baoulé are involved in the cocoa camps). The Kru, probably the oldest of Côte d'Ivoire's, are predominant in the southwest region, where they mainly practice fishing . The largest Kru population in Côte d'Ivoire is the Bété. Voltaic or Gur cultures are found in the northeast, this is a real heterogeneous group sharing a few elements such as the Language. The most numerous are the Sénoufo, involved in agriculture. Voltaic are concentrated in and around Korhogo, the largest city in the north and the most important cotton-growing area of the country. Mandè lives in the north- western area, the two main ethnic groups are the Malinkés and the Juula. They have different religions and uses . Mandè works on agricultural sector and also on trading (particularly the Juula) 5 . The Southern Mandé, which include the Dan, Yacouba and Gouro ethnic groups, are predominantly found in the western part of the country, and constitute about 10% of the population. Dan and Gouro cultures have numerous traits in common with the Kru peoples, but they speak languages 3 https ://ww w.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/iv.html 4 http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/religious-beliefs-in-ivory-coast.html 5 http://countrystudies.us/ivory-coast/20.htm