POPULATION:	2 million
LITERACY RATE:	45%
SELF DEFENSE FORCES:	Arasaka
LANGUAGES:	French (official), 60 native dialects; Dioula is the most widely spoken
ETHNIC GROUPS:	Kongo, Teke, Sanga, Binga Pygmies, Americans, Europeans,
BORDERING COUNTRIES:	Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali

COTE D'IVOIRE- AIDS, AIDS II, the Wasting Plague and several bloody violent outbreaks the Ivory Coast had all but destroyed itself.  Finally  in 2013 a newly appointed President Wananga decided the only way to save his country was to turn to foreign aid.   However istead of turning to foreign governments for aid he instead turned to corporations.  He signed a deal with Arasaka to provide military and police power, Biotechnica to aid in rebuilding natural resources and several other corporations, deals are currently in the works with JAB to build a space port.  In return these corporations were given free reign to conduct there business as they saw fit.  This was a tremedous success on the surface for Ivorians, as it created jobs, opened secure trade, and restabilized the economy.  Biotechnica also began cloning elephants, and elephant farms have become common, both for the purposes of meat, and reopening legally the ivory trade.  Once again the Ivory coast is home to the largest supplier of Ivory in the world.

Cote d'Ivoire has also established itself as a true neutral country, although their actions differ from Switzerland, as they will cut off all trade and close their borders to any country taking hostile actions towards anyone.  This has put them on uneasy ground with many of their neighbors, especially with Liberia and Ghana, who are at war with each other, with Cote d'Ivoire resting smack dab in between them.  It also means their is no open trade between Cote d'Ivoire and most of the world, including the superpowers of the EEC, US and China.  However trade with corporations, which Ivorian leaders see as countires within themselves, are almost never deinied trade.  Cote d'Ivoire has also taken pains to keep its culture alive and well, and no interference with remote tribes, is permitted.  This provides film makers, anthropologists, and historians great opportunities, which the government allows, but charges a strong fee for of course.