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| 12. Ivory Coast |
| 1960, Aug. 7 |
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| Ivory Coast gained independence from France. Félix Houphouët-Boigny became the country's first prime minister and remained in power for over 30 years. | 1 |
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| 1968–69 |
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| Student leaders were arrested after staging a series of protests against government policies. | 2 |
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| 1970 |
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| Authorities quelled antigovernment unrest in the city of Gagnoa. | 3 |
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| 1971 |
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| Houphouët-Boigny began secret communications with the South African government. Other African leaders criticized the move. | 4 |
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| 1974–75 |
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| Houphouët-Boigny traveled to South Africa and met with government officials. | 5 |
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| 1980 |
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| The government began to open up the political system and held the country's first free elections. Over 600 candidates vied for 147 seats in the National Assembly. | 6 |
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| 1981 |
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| Unemployment in Ivory Coast reached a record high of 100,000. Inflation began to rise faster than wages, prompting a series of strikes in 1982–83. Questions about the Ivory Coast's reliance on export-oriented economy were raised. | 7 |
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| 1986, Jan |
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| Henri Konan Bédié was reelected president of the National Assembly, strengthening his claim to be Houphouët-Boigny's successor. | 8 |
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| 1993, Nov |
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| Houphouët-Boigny died. | 9 |
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| 1998, Sept |
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| Thousands protested as Pres. Henri Konan Bedie passed a constitutional revision that would increase substantially his powers as chief executive. Pres. Bedie was further criticized for his political support of “ivoirite,” a concept that roughly translates as “pure Ivoirian pride” and that was used to disqualify Bedie's main political rival, Alassane D. Ouattara, from running in elections. Ouattara was allegedly born in Burkina Faso, and his political backing lay mainly in support from northern Muslims. | 10 |
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| 1999, Sept |
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| Pres. Bedie ordered the arrest of hundreds of members of the Rally of the Republicans (RDR), an opposition party. Political unrest stemmed from their subsequent incarceration. | 11 |
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| Dec. 24 |
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| Pres. Bedie was overthrown by Gen. Robert Guei in the Ivory Coast's first military coup since gaining independence in 1960. Guei suspended the constitution; his dictatorial rule that followed encouraged a virtual halt in foreign economic aid to Ivory Coast. | 12 |
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