Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Abidjan (Fides Service) - Ivory Coast is a mosaic of different ethnic groups and religions at the edge of a precipice. Its present national crisis threatens to explode in civil war with unimaginable consequences. The people belong to at least 60 different ethnic groups under four main groups: Akan in the south east (Baoule, Agni, Abron...); Mande Northern and Southern (Malinke, Dan, Gouro...); Voltaic in the north east (Senoufo, Lobi, Koulango...); Kru in the south west (Bete, Guere, Dida...). According to the only available census data 1998, Ivory Coast has a total population of 16 million: 12 million Ivorian born and the rest immigrants, first of all 3 million originally from Burkina Faso. There are about 500,000 from Ghana,100,000 from Lebanon, and a community of Europeans, mainly French born, (as many as 20,000 in the past. About 10,000 since 2002).
Here is a table on the ethnic groups in Ivory Coast:
ethnic group Population % of total population
AKAN 2 629 428 23 %
Baoule 755 365 6.6 %
Agni 473 298 4.1 %
Akie (also called Attie) 196 012 1.7 %
Abbey 162 547 1.4 %
Abon 119 519 1 %
Adjoukrou 109 958 1 %
Ebrie 81 273 0.7 %
N'Zima 66 931 0.6 %
Aboure 62 150 0.5 %
Abidji 28 684 0.2 %
Alladjan 23 903 0.2 %
Ahizi 19 123 0.2 %
TOTAL 4 780 797 42 %
KRU South western area
Bete 492 089 5.7 %
Guere 294 251 3.4 %
Dida 180 307 2.1 %
Wobe 143 995 1.7 %
TOTAL 1 252 135 11 %
Northern-MANDE North western area
Malinké 996 542 8.5 %
Dioula 505 764 3.4 %
Mahou 215 418 2.1 %
Koyoka 101 152 0.9 %
TOTAL 1 873 200 16.4 %
Southern Mande (DAN)
Yacouba 629 427 5.9 %
Guro 383 824 3.6 %
TOTAL 10%
VOLTAIC
Senoufo 1 185 288 9.7 %
Kulango 289 338 2.4 %
Lobi 205 529 1.8 %
Tagouana 188 580 1.5 %
Djimi 125 712 1 %
TOTAL 1 995 435 17,5 %
Religions: traditional African beliefs (circa 40%), Islam 35-40% Christianity 20-30%. Immigrants (70%) Islam and (20%) Christianity. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 12/11/2004 righe 151 parole 409)
