First French protectorate in 1843 and became French colony on March 10, 1893, the country acquires independence on August 7, 1960, under the leadership of Felix Houphouet-Boigny, first president of the Republic. The economy, mainly focused on the production of coffee and cocoa, experienced an exceptional boom during the first two decades, making Côte d’Ivoire a leading country in West Africa. In 1990, in addition to the economic crisis of the late 1970s, the country went through periods of social and political turbulence. These problems were exacerbated by the death of Félix Houphouët-Boigny in 1993.