The Republic of Cote d’Ivoire is a West African country split between the north and south following a 2002-03 civil war.  Since the former French colony gained independence in 1960, it has experienced two coups d’etat and one civil war.   The official language is French, although many of the local languages are widely used including Baoulé, Dioula, Dan, Anyin and Cebaara Senufo.   The main religions are Islam (38.6 per cent), Christianity (32.8 per cent), (primarily Roman Catholic) and various indigenous religions (11.6 per cent).

• 1960 – Cote d’Ivoire gains independence from France on August 7. Felix Houphouet-Boigny, a parliament member who spearheaded the independence movement, becomes the country’s first president.
• 1979 – The country prospers economically, becoming the world’s leading cocoa producer, and is conspicuous for its religious and ethnic harmony under Houphouet-Boigny’s leadership.
• 1990 – Hundreds of civil servants launch a strike, joined by students protesting institutional corruption. The unrest forces the government to support and implement a multi-party democracy.
• 1993 – Houphouet-Boigny passes away and his ally Henri Konan Bédié succeeds him.
• 1995 – Bedie sweeps a presidential re-election. After taking office, he reportedly jails several hundred opposition supporters. He institutes the word “Ivoirite”, which initially referred to the cultural identity of all those living in Cote d’Ivoire.

But nationalist and xenophobic ideas spread by politics and the press lead to the term referring only to the south of the country.  It excludes the predominantly Muslim north, which had many immigrants from neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso – who make up about one third of the country’s population.   Before the 2000 presidential elections, a law quickly passed by the government requires both parents of a presidential candidate to be born within Côte d’Ivoire.

This leads to the disqualification of the presidential candidate and former prime minister Alassane Ouattara, whose parents were allegedly Burkinabe immigrants, a claim that he contested.

• 1999 – A group of rebel officers stage a military coup, putting General Robert Guéï in power. Bédié flees into exile in France.
• 2000 – Guéï claims victory over Laurent Gbagbo, leader of the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI), the opposition party in a disputed presidential election. The election sparks a public uprising that resulted in about 180 deaths and leads to Gbagbo replacing Guéï.
• 2002 – Northern rebels who long voiced discontent over discrimination and marginalisation launch an armed uprising against government forces throughout the country, including the main city Abidjan. France sends troops to support Cote d’Ivoire’s military. Thousands are killed in the conflict.
• The government retains control over the south, but loses the north to the rebels as a result of the civil war.
• 2003 – Gbagbo and rebel leaders sign accords creating a “government of national unity” although clashes between the two sides continue.
• 2004 – 120 people are killed when rallying opposition supporters clash with troops, and subsequent mob violence leads to foreign nationals being expelled.
• 2005 – The presidential election that should have been held in 2005 is postponed until 2010.
• 2010 – December 3 – Preliminary results announced by the country’s electoral commission shows a loss for Gbagbo in favour of his rival Alassane Ouattara, who reaped 54 per cent of the vote.

The ruling FPI contests the results before the Constitutional Council, alleging massive fraud in the northern parts controlled by the rebels of the Forces Nouvelles de Côte d’Ivoire (FNCI).   December 4-6 The Constitutional Council declares the results of seven northern departments unlawful and that Gbagbo had won the elections with 51 per cent of the vote. These charges are refuted by international observers.

The report of the poll results causes severe tension and violent incidents throughout the country.  Thabo Mbeki, the former South African president, arrives in Cote d’Ivoire on a mediation mission aimed at resolving the political crisis as fears of a resurgence of civil war escalated.

December 7-9 Economic Community of West African States suspends Cote d’Ivoire from all its decision-making bodies after President Laurent Gbagbo continued to ignore calls and pressure to step down. The UN security council backs Alassane Ouattara as the winner of Cote d’Ivoire’s disputed presidential election after days of deliberation. The African Union says it has suspended the country’s membership until Ouattara is installed in power.

• December 15 – The government of Cote d’Ivoire President Laurent Gbagbo orders the United Nations and French peacekeeping missions to leave the country, which they defy.
• December 16 – Protests over the disputed election turn violent in Abidjan and other cities. Ouattara’s camp said 30 people died in clashes while Gbagbo’s spokeswoman said 20 died, including 10 police officers killed by protesters.
• December 17 – Raila Odinga, the Kenyan prime minister, calls for African nations to remove Gbagbo from office by force if necessary, further ratcheting up pressure on the incumbent.
• December 19 – The United Nations warns that it has received growing reports of human rights abuses, including hundreds of reports of abductions. The UN special envoy to Cote d’Ivoire puts the number of people killed at more than 50, with 200 injured and 270 detained. The US state department orders most of its personnel to leave, and the EU imposes a travel ban on 19 pro-Gbagbo Ivorian officials.
• December 20 – The UN extends the mandate for its peacekeeping force in Cote d’Ivoire, while US White House spokesman Robert Gibbs says “it is time for [Gbagbo] to go”.
• December 21 – UN secretary general warns of a “real risk” of renewed civil war in Cote d’Ivoire. Gbagbo says he is ready to welcome a delegation of international representatives “to solve the crisis”.
• December 22 – Gbagbo says he is “ready” for talks with rival Alassane Ouattara.
• December 23 – The United Nations formally recognises Alassane Ouattara as the president of Cote d’Ivoire. The UN human rights office, meanwhile, puts the number of dead in post-election violence at 173, with 114 others either missing or tortured. The Ivorian military renews its commitment to support incumbent president Gbagbo, even as the West African central bank blocks funds to him.
• December 24 – The West African regional bloc ECOWAS threatens Gbagbo with the use of “legitimate force” if he does not stand down.
• December 25 – Over 14,000 people flee to neighbouring Liberia, as fears mount that the crisis could rekindle a civil war.
• December 27 – The internationally recognised president Alassane Ouattara calls a nationwide general strike in protest against Gbagbo’s refusal to step down. The strike is not entirely successful, as many businesses remain open.
• December 28 – A West African presidential delegation, representing ECOWAS, confronts Gbagbo, delivering an ultimatum to either step down willingly, or face the use of force. Gbagbo is given until January 3, the date of the next meeting, to respond.
• December 29 – Youssoufou Bamba, the new Ouattara-appointed Ivorian ambassador to the UN, says his country is “on the brink of genocide”. After adopting a conciliatory tone during talks with ECOWAS, Gbagbo again goes on the offensive, with supporters being urged to “seize’ Ouattara’s headquarters at the Golf Hotel in Abidjan by January 1.
• December 30 – The UN alleges that pro-Gbagbo security forces are blocking access to suspected sites of “mass graves”. UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon warns that if Gbagbo supporters storm the UN-protected headquarters of Ouattara, it could push the country into civil war.
• December 31 – West African military chiefs say a plan to military oust Gbagbo from power is ready, but will only be used as a “last resort”, if diplomatic efforts to force him to step down fail.
• January 1 – Top ally of Ouattara accuses Gbagbo of using stalling tactics to stay in power and urges the “international community to intervene with legitimate force” to remove him.
• January 2 – Raila Odinga, the Kenyan prime minister, named by the African Union to try to broker an end to the stand-off between Gbagbo and Ouattara, meets with Goodluck Jonathan, the Nigerian president, en route for Abidjan.
• January 3 – Odinga and three African heads; Benin’s Boni Yayi, Sierra Leone’s Ernest Koroma and Cape Verde’s Pedro Pires, representing the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union meet Gbagbo in Abidjan to urge him to step down.
• January 4 – Gbagbo agrees to further talks and promises to lift a blockade around the temporary headquarters of Ouattara. ECOWAS and the African Union say Gbagbo “agreed to negotiate a peaceful end to the crisis without any preconditions”.
• February 7 – Violent clashes between pro-Laurent Gbagbo security forces and Ouattara are reported in Abobo neighbourhood. The UNHCR report that the number of refugees increased to over 36,000.
• February 10 – Group of experts from the AU high-level panel tasked with investigating and resolving the persistent political crisis complete four day visit to Abidjan.
• February 11 – United Nations Operation in Cote d’Ivoire report 22 new deaths during the week in Abidjan. UNOCI says that total deaths since post election violence started had now surpassed 296.
• February 22 – Fighting resumes for two days as security forces conduct raids of opposition neighbourhoods. Opposition forces respond by ambushing government paramilitary police.
• February 24 – Violence reported in Abidjan and forces supporting Ouattara enter a town in the north, and say they are heading south, raising concerns of a return to civil war.
• March 25 – UN Refugee agency estimates that up to one million people have been displaced since the post-election violence began.
• March 30 – Ouattara’s forces capture the city of San Pedro, the world’s largest port for the export of cocoa. Gbabgo’s security forces guarding the barricaded hotel in which Ouattarra was trapped in, flee the scence. Ouattara decides to stay on at the hotel during this time.
• March 31 – Assistant secretary of state for African Affairs Johnnie Carson calls on all sides to exercise restraint. He adds that protection of civilians should be of the “highest priority”. Pro-Ouattara forces reach Abidjan.
• April 3 – Caritas, the Catholic charity, reports that over 1,000 civilians are killed in the town of Duekoue, with Ouattara’s forces alleged to be responsible for the crime. The UN evacuate civilian staff from Abidjan.
• April 4 – The French army take over Abidjan’s airport. Reports suggest it is to facilitate the evacuation of foreign nationals. State television accuse the French of planning a genocide of the Ivorian people.

With the background painted here are the latest developments:

Laurent Gbagbo, Cote d’Ivoire’s incumbent president, said that the Ivorian army had called for a ceasefire but denied reports that he was ready to surrender.  In a telephone interview on Tuesday with France’s LCI television, he reiterated that he considered himself the winner of last November’s elections.   Gbagbo said the discussion over who won last year’s elections continued and he said face-to-face talks with president-elect Alassane Ouattara was the only way to return the country to peace.  “The army has called for the suspension of hostilities … and it is currently discussing the conditions of a ceasefire with the other forces on the ground, but on a political level no decision has yet been taken,” Gbagbo said.

An UN official, whom the Reuters news agency did not name, said that Gbagbo was not physically in UN custody but was “still negotiating” and had “expressed a willingness to surrender”.   Gbagbo is in a bunker inside the presidential residence with his family, officials said.  Reports said troops backing Ouattara have encircled the residence.

Gbagbo’s latest comments came as French officials and a diplomat said he was negotiating his departure terms after French and UN forces launched a military offensive on Monday. The French channel said the interview was conducted by phone from his residence at 1730 GMT, and lasted about 20 minutes.    Ahoua Don Mello, a government spokesman for Gbagbo, said they were also negotiating judicial and security conditions for Gbagbo’s camp and his relatives,” adding that they are talking to the French government which is relaying the talks to the Ouattara camp.

Alain Juppe, the French foreign minister, said negotiators are close to convincing Gbagbo to leave.   YJ Choi, UN special representative for Cote d’Ivoire told Al Jazeera: ‘the war is over’.  “We are aware,” Juppe said, asked if he was aware of Gbagbo being in negotiations to leave. “If there are possibilities to see him leave power then we are ready,” he said.

Meanwhile, YJ Choi, the special representative of the United Nations secretary-general for Cote d’Ivoire told Al Jazeera “the war is over”.   “All the generals who are fighting for Gbagbo have deserted him, it is over. There is no army, there is no flighting,” he said.  Soldiers loyal to Gbagbo have asked for a ceasefire in the face of the offensive launched by Ouattara’s forces last week.  General Philippe Mangou told AFP news agency on Tuesday that his troops had stopped fighting and requested a ceasefire after UN and French troops backed Ouattara’s forces.

Ally Coulibaly, the ambassador to France appointed by Ouattara, told French radio station RFI that he understood Gbagbo was negotiating his surrender, but admitted Abidjan was a “rumour mill”.   “What I have learned is that since yesterday he [Gbagbo] has been seeking to negotiate. It is not too late,” said the diplomat, a close advisor to Ouattara.   Coulibaly said he did not know through what channels Gbagbo was negotiating or whether a mediator was involved.

Gbagbo’s options limited – There were conflicting reports about Gbagbo’s moves throughout the day.   Al Jazeera’s Haru Mutasa, reporting from Bassam, just outside Abidjan, quoted a UN official as saying “we cannot confirm his surrender but we are ready to offer protection if requested.”   Reuters news agency had earlier reported that he had surrendered.  Our correspondent said Gbagbo’s options are limited.  “The fighting seems to have stopped for a while, which means perhaps something could be happening. No one knows where Gbagbo is but wherever he is, his options are clearly limited. The only option he could have is accept some kind of exit package, maybe going into exile.”

French president Nicolas Sarkozy spoke to Ouattara twice on Tuesday to discuss the situation in Cote d’Ivoire.   Sarkozy said in a statement that he had authorised the French force to help in the operation following an appeal from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who said the use of force was necessary to prevent further attacks on civilians.  “In the past few days, forces loyal to Mr Gbagbo have intensified and escalated their use of heavy weapons such as mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns against the civilian population in Abidjan,” Ban said in a statement.

Following four months of attempts to negotiate Gbagbo’s departure, the UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution giving the 12,000-strong peacekeeping operation the right “to use all necessary means to carry out its mandate to protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence … including to prevent the use of heavy weapons against the civilian population.”

People living outside Abidjan were “on edge” after hearing that an “all-out assault by Ouattara’s forces is imminent”.   “The disturbing thing is the checkpoints and barricades being manned by young men who are unemployed, some of them intoxicated, armed with machetes, [who] decide who goes in and out of Abidjan,” she said.   Adam Gaye, a west African analyst, told Al Jazeera that Ouattara’s government will be tainted by the loss of life in the uprising against Gbagbo.   Barack Obama, the US president, has renewed his call for Gbagbo to immediately leave power to help end violence.

“To end this violence and prevent more bloodshed, former president Gbagbo must stand down immediately, and direct those who are fighting on his behalf to lay down their arms,” Obama said in a statement on Tuesday.