Côte D'ivoire - Economic sectors

For many years after independence from France in 1960, Côte d'Ivoire was the jewel of West Africa, with a strong economy—initially based on agriculture, particularly coffee and cocoa—that attracted many thousands of workers from neighboring countries. Sizeable French and Lebanese communities established themselves in the capital, Abidjan. In 1998, agriculture contributed 32 percent of the GDP, industry 18 percent, and services 50 percent. Agriculture remains based on 2 major crops— cocoa and coffee, which together provided 45 percent of export revenue in 1998. The industrial sector's share of the GDP increased in 1999, and this trend is likely to continue in the coming decade as the country develops food processing. Services, 50 percent of the GDP in 1998, are led mostly by trade and transport, the latter accounting for 30 percent of the GDP.