# Demographics of Ivory Coast

Demographic features of the population of Ivory Coast include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

## Population

* Demographics of Ivory Coast, Data of Our World in Data, year 2022; Number of inhabitants in thousands.
* Population, fertility rate and net reproduction rate, United Nations estimates
According to the 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects the total population was 27,478,249 in 2021, compared to only 2 630 000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 40.9%, 55.3% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 3.8% was 65 years or older .
| | Total population | Population aged 0–14 (%) | Population aged 15–64 (%) | Population aged 65+ (%) |
| 1950 | 2 630 000 | 43.1 | 54.6 | 2.3 |
| 1955 | 3 072 000 | 43.0 | 54.6 | 2.4 |
| 1960 | 3 638 000 | 43.8 | 53.8 | 2.4 |
| 1965 | 4 424 000 | 44.6 | 52.9 | 2.4 |
| 1970 | 5 416 000 | 45.0 | 52.6 | 2.4 |
| 1975 | 6 768 000 | 45.4 | 52.2 | 2.4 |
| 1980 | 8 501 000 | 45.9 | 51.7 | 2.5 |
| 1985 | 10 495 000 | 45.9 | 51.5 | 2.5 |
| 1990 | 12 518 000 | 45.1 | 52.2 | 2.6 |
| 1995 | 14 677 000 | 43.2 | 54.0 | 2.8 |
| 2000 | 16 582 000 | 41.8 | 55.1 | 3.1 |
| 2005 | 18 021 000 | 41.8 | 54.8 | 3.5 |
| 2010 | 19 738 000 | 40.9 | 55.3 | 3.8 |

## Vital statistics

Registration of vital events in the Ivory Coast is not complete. The website Our World in Data prepared the following estimates based on statistics from the Population Department of the United Nations.
| | Mid-year population (thousands) | Live births (thousands) | Deaths (thousands) | Natural change (thousands) | Crude birth rate (per 1000) | Crude death rate (per 1000) | Natural change (per 1000) | Total fertility rate (TFR) | Infant mortality (per 1000 live births) | Life expectancy (in years) |
| 1950 | 2 737 | 150 | 89 | 60 | 54.8 | 32.7 | 22.1 | 7.61 | 238.7 | 32.11 |
| 1951 | 2 814 | 154 | 91 | 63 | 55.0 | 32.5 | 22.5 | 7.61 | 236.9 | 32.41 |
| 1952 | 2 894 | 159 | 92 | 67 | 55.1 | 31.9 | 23.1 | 7.61 | 233.1 | 32.93 |
| 1953 | 2 976 | 164 | 93 | 71 | 55.1 | 31.4 | 23.7 | 7.60 | 229.1 | 33.51 |
| 1954 | 3 063 | 168 | 94 | 74 | 55.1 | 30.8 | 24.3 | 7.60 | 224.9 | 34.09 |
| 1955 | 3 154 | 173 | 95 | 78 | 55.0 | 30.2 | 24.8 | 7.60 | 220.5 | 34.69 |
| 1956 | 3 251 | 178 | 96 | 82 | 54.9 | 29.5 | 25.4 | 7.60 | 215.8 | 35.42 |
| 1957 | 3 354 | 183 | 97 | 87 | 54.8 | 28.9 | 25.9 | 7.60 | 211.2 | 36.06 |
| 1958 | 3 463 | 189 | 97 | 91 | 54.6 | 28.2 | 26.5 | 7.61 | 206.7 | 36.77 |
| 1959 | 3 581 | 194 | 98 | 96 | 54.4 | 27.5 | 26.9 | 7.61 | 202.2 | 37.44 |
| 1960 | 3 709 | 202 | 99 | 103 | 54.8 | 26.9 | 27.9 | 7.69 | 197.8 | 38.11 |
| 1961 | 3 848 | 210 | 101 | 109 | 54.7 | 26.3 | 28.4 | 7.72 | 193.5 | 38.74 |
| 1962 | 3 998 | 218 | 102 | 115 | 54.7 | 25.7 | 28.9 | 7.75 | 189.1 | 39.40 |
| 1963 | 4 156 | 226 | 104 | 121 | 54.6 | 25.2 | 29.3 | 7.78 | 185.0 | 39.96 |
| 1964 | 4 321 | 234 | 106 | 128 | 54.4 | 24.6 | 29.8 | 7.81 | 181.0 | 40.61 |
| 1965 | 4 493 | 242 | 108 | 135 | 54.2 | 24.1 | 30.1 | 7.84 | 177.0 | 41.18 |
| 1966 | 4 671 | 251 | 109 | 142 | 53.9 | 23.5 | 30.5 | 7.87 | 173.1 | 41.82 |
| 1967 | 4 857 | 260 | 111 | 149 | 53.7 | 22.9 | 30.8 | 7.89 | 169.2 | 42.42 |
| 1968 | 5 050 | 269 | 113 | 157 | 53.5 | 22.4 | 31.1 | 7.91 | 165.3 | 43.02 |
| 1969 | 5 255 | 278 | 114 | 164 | 53.2 | 21.8 | 31.4 | 7.93 | 161.5 | 43.64 |
| 1970 | 5 477 | 288 | 115 | 173 | 52.8 | 21.2 | 31.7 | 7.94 | 157.6 | 44.33 |
| 1971 | 5 719 | 299 | 117 | 182 | 52.6 | 20.6 | 32.1 | 7.94 | 153.4 | 44.99 |
| 1972 | 5 980 | 311 | 118 | 193 | 52.4 | 19.9 | 32.5 | 7.94 | 148.9 | 45.72 |
| 1973 | 6 257 | 325 | 120 | 206 | 52.3 | 19.3 | 33.1 | 7.94 | 144.3 | 46.56 |
| 1974 | 6 549 | 340 | 121 | 219 | 52.2 | 18.5 | 33.6 | 7.93 | 139.4 | 47.51 |
| 1975 | 6 854 | 354 | 122 | 232 | 51.9 | 17.9 | 34.0 | 7.91 | 134.6 | 48.35 |
| 1976 | 7 143 | 368 | 122 | 246 | 51.6 | 17.1 | 34.4 | 7.88 | 129.8 | 49.29 |
| 1977 | 7 416 | 389 | 123 | 266 | 52.5 | 16.6 | 35.9 | 7.83 | 125.4 | 50.18 |
| 1978 | 7 701 | 404 | 124 | 280 | 52.5 | 16.2 | 36.3 | 7.67 | 121.3 | 50.93 |
| 1979 | 7 996 | 423 | 126 | 297 | 52.8 | 15.7 | 37.1 | 7.63 | 117.8 | 51.68 |
| 1980 | 8 304 | 438 | 127 | 311 | 52.8 | 15.3 | 37.5 | 7.59 | 114.8 | 52.27 |
| 1981 | 8 622 | 452 | 129 | 323 | 52.4 | 14.9 | 37.4 | 7.54 | 112.3 | 52.73 |
| 1982 | 8 948 | 463 | 131 | 332 | 51.7 | 14.7 | 37.1 | 7.49 | 110.2 | 52.92 |
| 1983 | 9 282 | 473 | 133 | 340 | 51.0 | 14.4 | 36.6 | 7.42 | 108.5 | 53.17 |
| 1984 | 9 621 | 481 | 137 | 344 | 50.0 | 14.2 | 35.8 | 7.35 | 107.1 | 53.04 |
| 1985 | 9 964 | 487 | 139 | 348 | 48.9 | 14.0 | 34.9 | 7.27 | 106.1 | 53.17 |
| 1986 | 10 309 | 493 | 142 | 351 | 47.8 | 13.8 | 34.1 | 7.18 | 105.3 | 53.20 |
| 1987 | 10 663 | 498 | 145 | 353 | 46.7 | 13.6 | 33.1 | 7.08 | 104.9 | 53.19 |
| 1988 | 11 043 | 507 | 149 | 358 | 46.0 | 13.5 | 32.5 | 6.96 | 104.7 | 53.02 |
| 1989 | 11 463 | 539 | 157 | 382 | 47.1 | 13.7 | 33.4 | 6.84 | 104.8 | 52.88 |
| 1990 | 11 911 | 556 | 165 | 391 | 46.8 | 13.9 | 32.9 | 6.73 | 105.0 | 52.60 |
| 1991 | 12 369 | 573 | 173 | 400 | 46.4 | 14.0 | 32.4 | 6.61 | 105.3 | 52.32 |
| 1992 | 12 838 | 589 | 181 | 409 | 46.0 | 14.1 | 31.9 | 6.46 | 105.5 | 52.14 |
| 1993 | 13 316 | 604 | 188 | 415 | 45.4 | 14.2 | 31.3 | 6.31 | 105.6 | 51.93 |
| 1994 | 13 802 | 618 | 196 | 423 | 44.9 | 14.2 | 30.7 | 6.16 | 105.6 | 51.74 |
| 1995 | 14 300 | 642 | 203 | 439 | 45.0 | 14.2 | 30.8 | 6.09 | 105.4 | 51.61 |
| 1996 | 14 811 | 663 | 211 | 452 | 44.8 | 14.3 | 30.6 | 6.01 | 104.7 | 51.52 |
| 1997 | 15 335 | 689 | 218 | 470 | 45.0 | 14.3 | 30.7 | 5.95 | 103.7 | 51.45 |
| 1998 | 15 859 | 716 | 228 | 488 | 45.2 | 14.4 | 30.8 | 5.90 | 102.5 | 51.11 |
| 1999 | 16 346 | 737 | 235 | 501 | 45.0 | 14.4 | 30.6 | 5.85 | 101.0 | 50.96 |
| 2000 | 16 800 | 753 | 241 | 513 | 44.8 | 14.3 | 30.5 | 5.81 | 99.3 | 50.84 |
| 2001 | 17 245 | 764 | 245 | 519 | 44.2 | 14.1 | 30.0 | 5.76 | 97.4 | 50.81 |
| 2002 | 17 684 | 772 | 247 | 525 | 43.5 | 13.9 | 29.6 | 5.71 | 95.4 | 50.89 |
| 2003 | 18 116 | 782 | 251 | 531 | 43.0 | 13.8 | 29.2 | 5.64 | 93.3 | 50.95 |
| 2004 | 18 545 | 785 | 250 | 535 | 42.2 | 13.5 | 28.8 | 5.55 | 91.0 | 51.36 |
| 2005 | 18 970 | 792 | 250 | 542 | 41.6 | 13.1 | 28.5 | 5.46 | 88.6 | 51.82 |
| 2006 | 19 394 | 796 | 248 | 548 | 40.9 | 12.8 | 28.2 | 5.38 | 86.4 | 52.36 |
| 2007 | 19 818 | 800 | 246 | 554 | 40.2 | 12.4 | 27.9 | 5.30 | 84.1 | 52.97 |
| 2008 | 20 244 | 806 | 243 | 563 | 39.7 | 12.0 | 27.7 | 5.22 | 81.6 | 53.65 |
| 2009 | 20 678 | 813 | 239 | 574 | 39.2 | 11.5 | 27.7 | 5.15 | 78.9 | 54.39 |
| 2010 | 21 120 | 823 | 237 | 585 | 38.8 | 11.2 | 27.6 | 5.09 | 76.6 | 55.02 |
| 2011 | 21 563 | 832 | 236 | 595 | 38.4 | 10.9 | 27.5 | 5.03 | 74.6 | 55.52 |
| 2012 | 22 011 | 833 | 232 | 601 | 37.7 | 10.5 | 27.2 | 4.97 | 72.6 | 56.16 |
| 2013 | 22 469 | 837 | 229 | 609 | 37.1 | 10.1 | 27.0 | 4.92 | 70.6 | 56.75 |
| 2014 | 22 996 | 842 | 227 | 616 | 36.6 | 9.8 | 26.8 | 4.87 | 68.5 | 57.21 |
| 2015 | 23 597 | 857 | 225 | 631 | 36.3 | 9.5 | 26.7 | 4.81 | 66.6 | 57.76 |
| 2016 | 24 214 | 871 | 227 | 644 | 36.0 | 9.4 | 26.6 | 4.76 | 65.1 | 58.06 |
| 2017 | 24 848 | 892 | 228 | 664 | 35.9 | 9.2 | 26.7 | 4.74 | 63.5 | 58.48 |
| 2018 | 25 494 | 893 | 229 | 664 | 35.0 | 9.0 | 26.0 | 4.61 | 61.7 | 58.85 |
| 2019 | 27 828 | 967 | 239 | 728 | 34.3 | 8.5 | 25.8 | 4.52 | 57.8 | 60.3 |
| 2020 | 28 558 | 973 | 246 | 727 | 33.7 | 8.5 | 25.2 | 4.46 | 56.2 | 60.1 |
| 2021 | 29 273 | 981 | 248 | 732 | 33.1 | 8.4 | 24.7 | 4.41 | 54.6 | 60.3 |
| 2022 | 30 006 | 988 | 238 | 750 | 32.5 | 7.8 | 24.7 | 4.35 | 53.1 | 61.6 |
| 2023 | 30 784 | 997 | 239 | 758 | 32.9 | 7.7 | 24.3 | 4.28 | 51.7 | 61.9 |

### Age distribution

| Age Group | Male | Female | Total | % |
| Total | 11 708 244 | 10 963 087 | 22 671 331 | 100 |
| 0–4 | 1 902 052 | 1 784 695 | 3 686 747 | 16.26 |
| 5–9 | 1 635 039 | 1 530 608 | 3 165 647 | 13.96 |
| 10–14 | 1 391 732 | 1 237 225 | 2 628 957 | 11.60 |
| 15–19 | 1 075 555 | 1 039 026 | 2 114 581 | 9.33 |
| 20–24 | 1 022 190 | 1 083 404 | 2 105 594 | 9.29 |
| 25–29 | 997 460 | 1 052 924 | 2 050 384 | 9.04 |
| 30–34 | 908 792 | 861 990 | 1 770 782 | 7.81 |
| 35–39 | 744 301 | 615 168 | 1 359 469 | 6.00 |
| 40–44 | 555 990 | 446 595 | 1 002 585 | 4.42 |
| 45–49 | 419 350 | 361 691 | 781 041 | 3.45 |
| 50–54 | 337 817 | 304 158 | 641 975 | 2.83 |
| 55–59 | 240 117 | 205 324 | 445 441 | 1.96 |
| 60–64 | 183 494 | 154 187 | 337 681 | 1.49 |
| 65–69 | 118 203 | 109 006 | 227 209 | 1.00 |
| 70–74 | 78 643 | 76 904 | 155 547 | 0.69 |
| 75–79 | 44 041 | 44 520 | 88 561 | 0.39 |
| 80–84 | 25 866 | 28 818 | 54 684 | 0.24 |
| 85–89 | 9 206 | 9 561 | 18 767 | 0.08 |
| 90–94 | 4 183 | 5 187 | 9 370 | 0.04 |
| 95–99 | 8 982 | 8 573 | 17 555 | 0.08 |
| 100+ | 1 842 | 2 452 | 4 294 | 0.02 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Percent |
| 0–14 | 4 928 823 | 4 552 528 | 9 481 351 | 41.82 |
| 15–64 | 6 485 066 | 6 124 467 | 12 609 533 | 55.62 |
| 65+ | 290 966 | 285 021 | 575 987 | 2.54 |
| Unknown | 3 389 | 1 071 | 4 460 | 0.02 |
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total | % |
| Total | 13 645 276 | 12 808 266 | 26 453 542 | 100 |
| 0–4 | 2 215 581 | 2 078 290 | 4 293 871 | 16.23 |
| 5–9 | 1 904 038 | 1 738 782 | 3 687 820 | 13.94 |
| 10–14 | 1 619 573 | 1 444 494 | 3 064 067 | 11.58 |
| 15–19 | 1 250 259 | 1 215 196 | 2 465 455 | 9.32 |
| 20–24 | 1 193 895 | 1 268 338 | 2 462 233 | 9.31 |
| 25–29 | 1 166 522 | 1 233 446 | 2 399 968 | 9.07 |
| 30–34 | 1 062 194 | 1 008 346 | 2 070 540 | 7.83 |
| 35–39 | 869 320 | 719 869 | 1 589 189 | 6.01 |
| 40–44 | 649 418 | 522 577 | 1 171 995 | 4.43 |
| 45–49 | 489 000 | 423 104 | 912 104 | 3.45 |
| 50–54 | 393 651 | 356 058 | 749 709 | 2.83 |
| 55–59 | 280 097 | 241 108 | 521 205 | 1.97 |
| 60–64 | 214 207 | 181 241 | 395 448 | 1.49 |
| 65–69 | 137 997 | 128 232 | 266 229 | 1.01 |
| 70–74 | 92 168 | 90 147 | 182 315 | 0.69 |
| 75–79 | 51 684 | 52 248 | 103 932 | 0.39 |
| 80–84 | 30 133 | 33 822 | 63 955 | 0.24 |
| 85–89 | 10 708 | 11 076 | 21 784 | 0.08 |
| 90–94 | 4 816 | 5 966 | 10 782 | 0.04 |
| 95+ | 10 015 | 10 926 | 20 941 | 0.08 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Percent |
| 0–14 | 5 739 192 | 5 261 566 | 11 000 758 | 41.59 |
| 15–64 | 7 568 563 | 7 214 283 | 14 782 846 | 55.88 |
| 65+ | 337 521 | 332 417 | 669 938 | 2.53 |
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total | % |
| Total | 15 344 990 | 14 044 160 | 29 389 150 | 100 |
| 0–4 | 1 906 918 | 1 789 383 | 3 696 301 | 12.58 |
| 5–9 | 2 046 712 | 1 909 238 | 3 955 950 | 13.46 |
| 10–14 | 1 874 880 | 1 698 142 | 3 573 022 | 12.16 |
| 15–19 | 1 698 488 | 1 529 343 | 3 227 831 | 10.98 |
| 20–24 | 1 527 341 | 1 470 418 | 2 997 759 | 10.20 |
| 25–29 | 1 209 371 | 1 239 670 | 2 449 041 | 8.33 |
| 30–34 | 1 163 625 | 1 148 477 | 2 312 102 | 7.87 |
| 35–39 | 1 033 936 | 913 966 | 1 947 902 | 6.63 |
| 40–44 | 865 312 | 665 742 | 1 531 054 | 5.21 |
| 45–49 | 609 354 | 440 056 | 1 049 410 | 3.57 |
| 50–54 | 458 662 | 360 814 | 819 476 | 2.79 |
| 55–59 | 308 261 | 267 244 | 575 505 | 1.96 |
| 60–64 | 252 433 | 222 897 | 475 330 | 1.62 |
| 65–69 | 162 331 | 141 412 | 303 743 | 1.03 |
| 70–74 | 103 482 | 100 911 | 204 393 | 0.70 |
| 75–79 | 54 911 | 59 487 | 114 398 | 0.39 |
| 80–84 | 30 402 | 39 502 | 69 904 | 0.24 |
| 85–89 | 12 545 | 17 461 | 30 006 | 0.10 |
| 90–94 | 5 885 | 9 391 | 15 276 | 0.05 |
| 95–99 | 2 842 | 3 831 | 6 673 | 0.02 |
| 100+ | 4 164 | 5 903 | 10 067 | 0.03 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Percent |
| 0–14 | 5 828 510 | 5 396 763 | 11 225 273 | 38.20 |
| 15–64 | 9 126 783 | 8 258 627 | 17 385 410 | 59.16 |
| 65+ | 376 562 | 377 898 | 754 460 | 2.57 |
| Unknown | 13 135 | 10 872 | 24 007 | 0.08 |

### Demographic and Health Surveys

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):
| Year | Total | Total | Urban | Urban | Rural | Rural |
| Year | CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR |
| 1994 | 41.3 | 5.7 (4.7) | 38.8 | 4.7 (3.7) | 42.5 | 6.4 (5.4) |
| 1998–99 | 39.3 | 5.2 (4.5) | 36.5 | 4.0 (3.4) | 40.7 | 6.0 (5.2) |
| 2005 | 38.4 | 4.6 | 35.1 | 3.6 | 40.8 | 5.5 |
| 2011–12 | 36.8 | 5.0 (4.1) | 31.9 | 3.7 (3.2) | 40.3 | 6.3 (5.0) |
| 2021 | 32.4 | 4.3 (3.9) | 29.9 | 3.6 (3.3) | 35.4 | 5.3 (4.9) |
Fertility data as of 2011-2012 (DHS Program):
| Region | Total fertility rate | Percentage of women age 15-49 currently pregnant | Mean number of children ever born to women age 40–49 |
| Centre | 6.1 | 10.6 | 6.9 |
| Centre-Est | 4.6 | 7.7 | 5.4 |
| Centre-Nord | 5.4 | 9.6 | 6.1 |
| Centre-Ouest | 5.4 | 11.0 | 5.7 |
| Nord | 6.1 | 9.7 | 6.9 |
| Nord-Est | 6.0 | 11.5 | 6.6 |
| Nord-Ouest | 6.8 | 12.4 | 7.1 |
| Ouest | 6.1 | 12.4 | 6.2 |
| Sud | 4.8 | 10.6 | 6.0 |
| Sud-Ouest | 5.0 | 15.5 | 5.9 |
| Ville d'Abidjan | 3.1 | 6.9 | 4.2 |

## Ethnic groups

Ethnic groups in Ivory Coast :
| Ethnic groups | Ethnic groups | | |
| Akan | Akan | 28.9% | 28.9% |
| Other (includes Pakistanis and Lebanese) | Other (includes Pakistanis and Lebanese) | 24.2% | 24.2% |
| Voltaic or Gur | Voltaic or Gur | 16.1% | 16.1% |
| Northern Mandé | Northern Mandé | 14.5% | 14.5% |
| Krou | Krou | 8.5% | 8.5% |
| Southern Mandé | Southern Mandé | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Unspecified | Unspecified | 0.9% | 0.9% |
Ivory Coast has more than 60 ethnic groups, usually classified into five principal divisions: Akan (east and center, including Lagoon peoples of the southeast), Krou (southwest), Southern Mandé (west), Northern Mandé (northwest), Sénoufo/Lobi (north center and northeast). The Baoulés, in the Akan division, probably comprise the largest single subgroup with 15%-20% of the population. They are based in the central region around Bouaké and Yamoussoukro. The Bétés in the Krou division, the Sénoufos in the north, and the Malinkés in the northwest and the cities are the next largest groups, with 10%-15% of the national population. Most of the principal divisions have a significant presence in neighboring countries.

## Migration
### Immigration

Of the more than 5 million non-Ivorian Africans living in Ivory Coast, one-third to one-half are from Burkina Faso; the rest are from Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, Benin, Senegal, Liberia, and Mauritania.
Non-Africans in the country include French people, Lebanese people, Vietnamese people, Spaniards, Americans and Canadians.

### Emigration

The table below shows the number of people born in Ivory Coast who have migrated to OECD countries only (the table only includes communities consisting of at least 1,000 members).
| Country | Ivorian-born population | See also |
| France | 63,441 | Ivorians in France |
| Canada | 22,625 | |
| United States | 7,595 | Ivorian Americans |
| Italy | 28,385 | |
| United Kingdom | 2,794 | Ivorians in the United Kingdom |
| Belgium | 1,363 | |
| Switzerland | 1,100 | |

## Languages

French is the official language, while there are 60 living indigenous languages spoken in Ivory Coast. The Dioula dialect of Bambara is the most widely spoken one. Other language groups include the Gur languages, the Kru languages (including the Bété languages, Dida, Nyabwa, Wè, and Western Krahn), the Kwa languages (including Akan, Anyin, and Baoulé), and the Senufo languages.

## Religion

Religions of IVORY COAST (2014 est.) :
| Religions | Religions | percent | percent |
| Islam | Islam | 42.5% | 42.5% |
| Roman Catholic | Roman Catholic | 16.6% | 16.6% |
| Pentecostal | Pentecostal | 13.4% | 13.4% |
| No religion | No religion | 12.6% | 12.6% |
| Evangelical | Evangelical | 7.8% | 7.8% |
| Other Christian | Other Christian | 4.2% | 4.2% |
| Animist | Animist | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Other | Other | 0.7% | 0.7% |
The economic development and relative prosperity of Ivory Coast fostered huge demographic shifts during the 20th century. "In 1922, an estimated 100,000 out of 1.6 million (or 6 percent) of people in Côte d'Ivoire were Muslims. By contrast, at independence (in 1960), their share of the population had increased rapidly, and Muslims were moving southward to the cocoa-producing areas and the southern cities. By 1998, [...], Muslims constituted a majority in the north of the country, and approximately 38.6 percent of the total population. This was a significantly larger population than the next largest religious group, Christians, who constituted approximately 29.1 percent of the total." In earlier decades, this shift was mainly due to large-scale immigration from neighboring countries of the interior, that has been going on since colonial times and continued to be promoted during the Houphouet-Boigny era. Since the 1990s, the widening conversion gap between different religious groups has started to tilt the demographic balance in favor of Christians.According to the last census of 2021 Muslims make up 42.5% of population (42.9% in 2014) and Christians 39.8% (33.9% in 2014).