| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 3,110 (2000 US Census) [1] 15,000 (Ivorian-born; 2008–2012) [2] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Mainly New York City, Washington, DC, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston and Providence | |
| Languages | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
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Ivorian Americans are an ethnic group of Americans of Ivorian descent. According to estimates, in 2014 there were 6,000 people in the United States of Ivorian ancestry.
Like other African groups, the first Ivorians to arrive in the United States were imported as slaves in the 18th century. [3] In the 1970s a small group of Ivorian students came to the United States and then lived there permanently. A larger wave of migration of Ivorians happened in the 1990s. In the 1980s, Ivorians (and people of West Africa in general) saw the US as a place of great economic and educational opportunities. Thus, the Ivorians began to settle in cities such as Chicago, Atlanta and Boston to get better work than they could at home. Hairbraiding and driving taxis were prominent occupations for Ivorians. A strong system of chain migration began. That is, friends and family emigrated to the United States, coming to places like New York City. [4] Also, the First Ivorian Civil War in 2002 prompted the emigration of thousands of Ivorians to North America. [5]
The cities with the most significant population are: Tampa, Dallas, New York City, Washington, DC, Baltimore, Worcester (Massachusetts), Bridgeport (Connecticut), Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston and the Rhode Island state, mainly in Providence.
Ivorian immigration into the U.S. has been increasing since the 1990s. Ivorians speak several African Languages, being the most spoken the Dioula dialect of Bambara, Dioula, Gurma, and Senufo, other languages native languages include: the Gur languages, the Senufo languages, the Kru languages (including the Bété languages, and the Kwa languages from which Baoulé and Anyin are used by a considerable part of Ivorians, French is the national language of Cote D'Ivoire.
In 1999, the Organisation des ressortissants de l'Ouest de la Côte d'Ivoire, a social and mutual aid organization, was founded. Chicago is a major city with a large Ivorian population. Most of them come from the west of Ivory Coast, culturally similar to Malians. However, there are also important groups from the north of Ivory Coast and small groups from the east and south of the country, which sometimes gather together to celebrate social events and for mutual assistance. Thus, these groups invite each other to parties, christenings and other events. Although also meet with other people from West Africa. Groups are also involved in political activity, locally representing the main political parties in Côte d'Ivoire, such as the Popular Front for the Ivory Coast or the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire African Democratic Rally.
The Ivorians have tried to create organizations and events aimed at uniting the entire population of Ivorians in the U.S. So, in the late 1980s, the earliest Ivorian migrants created the Association of Ivorians in Chicago, celebrating festivals and sponsored parties, but ended up disbanding in the 1990s despite its success. Events currently exercised by the Ivorians are in holidays like Independence Day.
The Ivorians also start churches in the U.S. in which there are translators for English and French speakers. An example is La Generation Des Vainqueurs Ministry Church in Richardson, Texas with a predominantly Ivorian Congregation.
In 2000, they created a nonprofit organization called IvoirEspoir (Ivory Hope) which aims to raise funds and awareness of the force, the dangers and prevention of HIV and AIDS in Côte d'Ivoire. The organization provides medical training, health clinics, and information on the disease. The organization is expanding rapidly and seeks to raise global knowledge about the AIDS crisis in Africa. [4] [6]
| Lists of Americans |
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| By US state |
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Demographic features of the population of Ivory Coast include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
Dyula is a language of the Mande language family spoken mainly in Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Mali, and also in some other countries, including Ghana, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau. It is one of the Manding languages and is most closely related to Bambara, being mutually intelligible with Bambara as well as Malinke. It is a trade language in West Africa and is spoken by millions of people, either as a first or second language. Similar to the other Mande languages, it uses tones. It may be written in the Latin, Arabic or N'Ko scripts.
Human arrival in Ivory Coast has been dated to the Upper Paleolithic period, or at the minimum, the Neolithic period based on weapon and tool fragments, specifically polished shale axes and remnants of cooking and fishing. The earliest known inhabitants of Côte d'Ivoire left traces scattered throughout the territory. Historians believe these people were all either displaced or absorbed by the ancestors of the present inhabitants. Peoples who arrived before the 16th century include the Ehotilé (Aboisso), Kotrowou (Fresco), Zéhiri, Ega, and Diès (Divo).
Ivory Coast, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is the port city of Abidjan. It borders Guinea to the northwest, Liberia to the west, Mali to the northwest, Burkina Faso to the northeast, Ghana to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south. Its official language is French, and indigenous languages are also widely used, including Bété, Baoulé, Dioula, Dan, Anyin, and Cebaara Senufo. In total, there are around 78 different languages spoken in Ivory Coast. The country has a religiously diverse population, including numerous followers of Islam, Christianity, and Traditional Faiths like Animism.
Koudou Laurent Gbagbo is an Ivorian politician who was the President of Côte d'Ivoire from 2000 until his arrest in April 2011. A historian, Gbagbo was imprisoned in the early 1970s and again in the early 1990s, and he lived in exile in France during much of the 1980s as a result of his union activism. Gbagbo founded the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) in 1982 and ran unsuccessfully for president against Félix Houphouët-Boigny at the start of multi-party politics in 1990. He won a seat in the National Assembly of Côte d'Ivoire in 1990.
Korhogo is a city in northern Ivory Coast. It is the seat of both Savanes District and Poro Region. It is also a commune and the seat of and a sub-prefecture of Korhogo Department. In the 2014 census, the city had a population of 243,048, making it the fourth-largest city in the country and the largest in northern Ivory Coast.
The First Ivorian Civil War was a civil conflict in the Ivory Coast that began with a military rebellion on 19 September 2002 and ended with a peace agreement on 4 March 2007. The conflict pitted the government of Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo against a domestic insurgency led by the New Forces of Ivory Coast. Following the war, a second civil war (2010-2011) would begin over the results of the 2010 Ivorian presidential election.
Alassane Dramane Ouattara is an Ivorian politician who has been President of Ivory Coast since 2010. An economist by profession, Ouattara worked for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Central Bank of West African States, and he was the Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire from November 1990 to December 1993, appointed to that post by President Félix Houphouët-Boigny. Ouattara became the President of the Rally of the Republicans (RDR), an Ivorian political party, in 1999.
Ferkessédougou is a city in northern Ivory Coast. It is a sub-prefecture of and the seat of Ferkessédougou Department. It is also the seat of Tchologo Region in Savanes District and a commune. Ferkessédougou is the second-most populous city in northern Ivory Coast, after Korhogo.
Ivory Coast is one of the most pro-United States nations in Africa and the world, with 85% viewing the U.S. favorably in 2002, and rising to a high of 88% in 2007.
Ivory Coast is a multilingual country with an estimated 78 languages currently spoken. The official language, French, was introduced during the colonial period. This language is taught in schools and serves as a lingua franca in the country, along with Dioula.
Kong is a town in northern Ivory Coast. It is a sub-prefecture of and the seat of Kong Department in Tchologo Region, Savanes District. Kong is also a commune. It was the capital of the Kong Empire (1710–1895).
Women in Ivory Coast formed less than half the country's population in 2003. Their social roles and opportunities have changed since the time of French colonialism.
Ivoirians in the United Kingdom or Ivorian British are one of the country's smallest African immigrant groups, consisting of no more than 10,000 individuals. The group includes people born in Côte d'Ivoire who have migrated to the United Kingdom, as well as their British-born descendants.
Malian Americans are an ethnic group of Americans with ancestry originating in Mali. According to the US Census Bureau ancestry survey, approximately 1,800 Americans stated they had Malian ancestry, making them Malian Americans. The survey did not take into account illegal immigrants or people who did not participate in the survey, which could mean that many more uncounted Malians live throughout the United States.
Daoukro is a town in east-central Ivory Coast. It is a sub-prefecture of and the seat of Daoukro Department. It is also the seat of Iffou Region in Lacs District. Daoukro is also a commune.
Prostitution in Ivory Coast is legal, but associated activities, such as soliciting, pandering or running brothels, are illegal. Sex workers report law enforcement is sparse and corrupt. Police sometimes harass sex workers and demand bribes or sexual favours. Transgender prostitutes are often targeted by police and soldiers and subjected to violence. It was estimated in 2014 that there were 9,211 prostitutes in the country.
The following lists events that happened during 2010 in Ivory Coast.
There are multiple factors which contribute to gender equality in Ivory Coast . The history of the Ivory Coast still influences gender inequality in the country. A large factor which also pushes the nation back to be a strong economic player is the lack of education especially for women. It starts from primary education up to higher level education where girls are obviously disadvantaged compared to boys. Arranged marriages for girls who are often under the age of 18 and lack of knowledge about laws and their rights also promote gender inequality.
Crime in Cote d'Ivoire is prevalent and versatile across the West African country. The most common forms of crime include child labour, arms trafficking, terrorism and human rights abuse. Other less common, but still evident types of crime include cannabis and synthetic drug trade, sex trafficking, fauna and flora crimes.
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