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Ivory Coast

CI

West Africa

Ivory Coast is home to 6 documented ethnic groups in West Africa — led by Akan Ivory Coast (~42%), Voltaic Ivory Coast (~18%), Northern Mande (~17%), Krou (~11%). This page blends their phenotype and demographic data into one weighted reference: skin tone, facial features, hair texture and build, drawn from published census and ancestry sources.

Demographic Composition

Composition weights are derived from self-identification in published census and demographic surveys. Each row links to the source ethnic-group atlas page.

Ethnic groupWeightSource
Akan Ivory CoastAkan Ivory Coast42.1%Côte d'Ivoire 2021 Census; Akan (~42.1%, ~12M+ of ~29M+ total). Niger-Congo / Kwa source population. Sub-groups include Baoulé (the largest single group), Anyi, plus other Akan groups. Cross-border with Ghanaian Akan
Voltaic Ivory CoastVoltaic Ivory Coast17.7%Côte d'Ivoire 2021 Census; Voltaic / Gur (~17.7%); includes Sénoufo, Lobi, Koulango, plus other groups, predominantly northern Côte d'Ivoire
Northern MandeNorthern Mande16.5%Côte d'Ivoire 2021 Census; Northern Mande (~16.5%); includes Malinké, plus other Mande groups, predominantly northern Côte d'Ivoire. Cross-border with Malian, Guinean, and Burkinabé Mandé
KrouKrou11.0%Côte d'Ivoire 2021 Census; Krou (~11%); includes Bété, Wê, plus other groups, predominantly western Côte d'Ivoire
Southern MandeSouthern Mande10.0%Côte d'Ivoire 2021 Census; Southern Mande (~10%); includes Yacouba / Dan, plus other groups
Ivory Coast OtherIvory Coast Other2.7%Côte d'Ivoire 2021 Census residual; includes substantial Burkinabé, Malian, Guinean, Lebanese-Ivorian, plus French-Ivorian smaller groups

Ivory Coast Phenotype Profile

Côte d'Ivoire has an Akan-plurality demographic structure (~42.1%) with substantial Voltaic, Mande, and Krou populations. The country has been the most economically successful Francophone West African polity historically — though the 2002-2011 civil war period produced substantial political-ethnic disruption.

A descriptive view, not a claim about individuals

This page shows a weighted aggregate of phenotype observations across the Ivory Coast population, based on demographic composition from published census and ancestry sources. Phenotypes within any country are far more varied than the aggregate suggests; this is a descriptive reference, not a deterministic claim about any individual. For source-level detail on individual ethnic groups, see the constituent atlas pages linked below.

Methodology Notes

Composition weights derived from Côte d'Ivoire 2021 Census.

See full project methodology →

Primary Sources

  1. 1.Institut National de la Statistique Côte d'Ivoire. RGPH 2021. Abidjan: INS; 2022.
  2. 2.Mundt RJ, Aka EA. Historical Dictionary of Côte d'Ivoire. 3rd ed. Scarecrow; 2010.
  3. 3.Akindes F. The Roots of the Military-Political Crises in Côte d'Ivoire. Nordic Africa Institute; 2004.
  4. 4.McGovern M. Making War in Côte d'Ivoire. University of Chicago Press; 2011.
  5. 5.Tishkoff SA, Reed FA, Friedlaender FR, et al. The genetic structure and history of Africans and African Americans. Science. 2009;324(5930):1035-1044.

Other countries in West Africa

Aggregate phenotype references for neighbouring West Africa nations, weighted by demographic composition.

Browse all West Africaethnic groups & countries →