During Medieval times, the region that is now Ivory Coast was at the centre of several major African trade routes, linking the empires which then existed in Ghana and Mali. European traders had been present in the region since the 15th century, but it was not until the 19th that the French undertook a determined penetration of the region.
The government of Ivory Coast takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Ivory Coast is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament.
The main Religions in Ivory Coast are Islam and Christianity. According to recent estimates by CIA, Islam (mainly Sunni) is practiced by 38.6% of the population, Christianity by 32.6%, 16.7% of the population is Irreligious, while 11.9% of the population follows Animism i.e., Traditional African religion and other religions.