Côte d'Ivoire is, according to the WHR 2022, the third African country where people feel happiest, after Mauritius and Libya. It is also the first in Francophone Africa. In 2021, the country became the country that prospered the most in the world in the last ten years. 

Côte d'Ivoire is the happiest country in West Africa, according to the 2022 edition of the World Happiness Report (WHR) that has been assessing happiness in economies over the past since 2012. 

To establish its ranking, WHR experts rely on the Gallup survey, which evaluates the subjective perception of happiness by target populations in different countries. This survey is cross-referenced with six indicators of happiness, namely: the level of GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and corruption.

Côte d'Ivoire scored 5.2 out of 10, making it the 88th happiest country in the world. This performance is mainly due to the level of GDP per capita, followed respectively by the level of freedom, social support, and healthy life expectancy.

In Africa, it is preceded by Mauritius (52nd in the world) and Libya (86th in the world). These three countries, along with South Africa (91st) and Gambia (93rd), make up the top 5 in Africa. They are followed respectively by Algeria (96th), Liberia (97th), Congo (99th), Morocco (100th), and Mozambique (101st), forming the African top 10.

Previous reports had already highlighted the economic performance achieved by Côte d'Ivoire, the leading economy in the WAEMU. Since the end of the 2011 post-electoral crisis, the country has had a dynamic and growing economy materialized by remarkable macroeconomic performance.

With yearly growth averaging 8% between 2013 and 2019, Côte d'Ivoire is, according to the Legatum Institute, the country that procured the most in the world over the last ten years. According to IMF figures, its GDP per capita increased from $1,700 in 2012 to $2,500 in 2021.

Moutiou Adjibi Nourou