. ▁ ▁Sol utions ▁proposed ▁to ▁decrease ▁un emp loyment ▁included ▁divers ifying ▁jobs ▁in ▁small ▁trade . ▁This ▁division ▁of ▁work ▁encourag ed ▁far mers ▁and ▁the ▁agricult ural ▁sector . ▁Self - emp loyment ▁policy , ▁established ▁by ▁the ▁I vor ian ▁government , ▁allowed ▁for ▁very ▁strong ▁growth ▁in ▁the ▁field ▁with ▁an ▁increase ▁of ▁ 1 4 2 % ▁in ▁seven ▁years ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁ ▁Eth nic ▁groups ▁ ▁Eth nic ▁groups ▁in ▁I v ory ▁Coast ▁include ▁Ak an ▁( 4 2 . 1 % ), ▁Vol ta iques ▁or ▁G ur ▁( 1 7 . 6 % ), ▁Northern ▁Mand és ▁( 1 6 . 5 % ), ▁Kr ous ▁( 1 1 % ), ▁Southern ▁Mand és ▁( 1 0 % ), ▁and ▁others ▁( 2 . 8 %, ▁including ▁ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁Leb an ese ▁and ▁ 4 5 , 0 0 0 ▁French ; ▁ 2 0 0 4 ). ▁About ▁ 7 7 % ▁of ▁the ▁population ▁is ▁considered ▁I vor ian . ▁ ▁Since ▁I v ory ▁Coast ▁has ▁established ▁itself ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁successful ▁West ▁African ▁nations , ▁about ▁ 2 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁population ▁( about ▁ 3 . 4   mill ion ) ▁consists ▁of ▁workers ▁from ▁neighbour ing ▁Liber ia , ▁Bur k ina ▁F aso , ▁and ▁Guinea . ▁ ▁About ▁ 4 % ▁of ▁the ▁population ▁is ▁of ▁non - A fr ican