Subdivisions of Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) is a relatively decentralised state. The country divided into 14 districts, of which two are cities organised as autonomous districts. The 12 non-autonomous districts are subdivided into 31 second-level regions. The regions are divided into 105 third-level departments. The departments and the autonomous districts are divided into 510 fourth-level sub-prefectures. Sub-prefectures contain villages and, in some instances, several villages are combined into fifth-level communes. There are 197 communes.

2011 decentralisation reorganisation

In 2011, Ivory Coast instituted a reorganisation of its subdivisions with the goal of further decentralising the state. Immediately prior to the reorganisation, the country was divided into 19 first-level regions, 90 second-level departments, and more than 1300 third-level communes.

The reorganisation was implemented in September 2011.[1] First, 14 districts were created, which replaced regions as the first-level subdivision of the country. Some of the new districts had the same boundaries and names as some of the old regions, but overall the number of first-level subdivisions was decreased from 19 to 14. Second, the number of regions was increased to 30, and they were converted into second-level subdivisions. Third, the departments were reorganised, with the number being increased from 90 to 94; they were converted into third-level subdivisions. Fourth, 498 sub-prefectures were created as new fourth-level subdivisions. The more than 1300 communes were retained, but they were converted from third-level subdivisions into fifth-level subdivisions. In March 2012, the number of communes was drastically reduced to 197 on the grounds that in many cases, they were now an economically unfeasible level of government.

Since the 2011 reorganisation, one additional region has been created, bringing the total to 31. Two departments have been eliminated and 13 more departments have been created, bringing the total to 105. Twelve new sub-prefectures have been created, bringing the total to 510.

The two autonomous districts are not subdivided into regions or departments,[2] but they do contain sub-prefectures and communes.

Maps and templates

Notes

  1. ↑ Décret n° 2011-263 du 28 septembre 2011 portant organisation du territoire national en Districts et en Régions.
  2. ↑ Yamoussoukro Autonomous District was divided into two departments until 2013.

External links

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