Cameroon

Republic of Cameroon

unitary republic

Cameroon as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 77 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalYaounde

Area475,440 km2

LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Equatorial Guinea

Populationas each edition published it

12.76 million July 1993 est. · 11.09m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.9% 1993 est. · 2.37% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

56.66 years 1993 est. · 64.2 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.88 children per woman 1993 est. · 5.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

78.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 120 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,040 1990 est. · $4,900 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

3% 1990 est. · 3.7% in 2025

Geography

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Equatorial Guinea | and Nigeria

14 fields

Land useshare of 475,440 km2

arable land 13%permanent crops 2%meadows and pastures 18%forest and woodland 54%other 13%irrigated 280 km2 (1989 est.)

Area

475,440km2

land area: 469,440 km2comparative area: slightly larger than California

Coastline

402km

territorial sea: 50 nm

Land boundaries

4,591km

total · Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

International disputes

demarcation of international boundaries in Lake Chad, the lack of which has led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaiting ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria;
boundary commission, created with Nigeria to discuss unresolved land and maritime boundaries, has not yet convened

Climate

varies with terrain from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north

Terrain

diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north

Natural resources

petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower potential

Environment

recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases;
deforestation;
overgrazing;
desertification

Note

sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa

People

14 fields

Population

12,755,873

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 2.9% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

40.66Death

11.63Net migration

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years56.66

54.65 · 58.74

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy54%

66% · 43%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Ethnic divisions

Cameroon Highlanders 31%Equatorial Bantu 19%Kirdi 11%Fulani 10%Northwestern Bantu 8%Eastern Nigritic 7%other African 13%non-African less than 1%

Religions

indigenous beliefs 51%Christian 33%Muslim 16%

Infant mortality rate

78.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Cameroonian(s)
adjective:: Cameroonian

Languages

24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)

Labor force

NA; by occupation: agriculture 74.4%, industry and transport 11.4%, other services 14.2% (1983) note: 50% of population of working age (15-64 years) (1985)

Government

Unitary republic

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

40%

President Paul BIYA reelected with about of the vote amid widespread allegations of fraud 40%SDF candidate John FRU NDI got of the vote 36%UNDP candidate Bello Bouba MAIGARI got of the vote 19%

Names

conventional long form:: Republic of Cameroon
conventional short form:: Cameroon
former:: French Cameroon

Type

unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized 1990)

Administrative divisions

10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest

Independence

1 January 1960 (from UN trusteeship under French administration)

Legal system

based on French civil law system, with common law influence; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders

Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM), Paul BIYA, president, is government-controlled and was formerly the only party, but opposition parties were legalized in 1990

major opposition parties:: National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP)
major oppositon parties:: Social Democratic Front (SDF)
major opposition parties:: Cameroonian Democratic Union (UDC); Union of Cameroonian Populations (UPC)

Other political or pressure groups

Elections

National Assembly:: last held 1 March 1992 (next scheduled for March 1997); results - (180 seats) CPDM 88, UNDP 68, UPC 18, MDR 6
President:: last held 11 October 1992;
results - President Paul BIYA reelected with about 40% of the vote amid widespread allegations of fraud;
SDF candidate John FRU NDI got 36% of the vote;
UNDP candidate Bello Bouba MAIGARI got 19% of the vote

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

Leaders

Chief of State:: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Simon ACHIDI ACHU (since 9 April 1992)

ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-19, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNTAC, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Paul PONDI
chancery:: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: (202) 265-8790 through 8794

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Harriet ISOM
embassy:: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde
mailing address:: B. P. 817, Yaounde
telephone:: [237] 234-014
FAX:: [237] 230-753
consulate:: Douala

Flag

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band;
uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy

Because of its offshore oil resources, Cameroon has one of the highest | incomes per capita in tropical Africa.

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,040

(1990 est.)

Real growth rate

(1990 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 6.4% (FY87); accounts for 30% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

(1990 est.)

Unemployment rate

25%

(1990 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$1.7 billionExpenditures

$2.4 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $422 million (FY90 est.)

Overview

Because of its offshore oil resources, Cameroon has one of the highest incomes per capita in tropical Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious problems facing other underdeveloped countries, such as political instability, a top-heavy civil service, and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise.

The development of the oil sector led rapid economic growth between 1970 and 1985. Growth came to an abrupt halt in 1986 precipitated by steep declines in the prices of major exports: coffee, cocoa, and petroleum. Export earnings were cut by almost one-third, and inefficiencies in fiscal management were exposed.

In 1990-92, with support from the IMF and World Bank, the government has begun to introduce reforms designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, and recapitalize the nation's banks. Nationwide strikes organized by opposition parties in 1991, however, undermined these efforts.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $11.5 billion (1990 est.)

Exports

$1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:: petroleum products 51%, coffee, beans, cocoa, aluminum products, timber
partners:: EC (particularly France) about 50%, US, African countries

Imports

$1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1991)

commodities:: machines and electrical equipment, food, consumer goods, transport equipment
partners:: EC about 60%, France 41%, Germany 9%, African countries, Japan, US 4%

External debt

$6 billion (1991)

Electricity

755,000 kW capacity; 2,190 million kWh produced, 190 kWh per capita (1991)

Industries

petroleum production and refining, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, sawmills

Agriculture

the agriculture and forestry sectors provide employment for the majority of the population, contributing nearly 25% to GDP and providing a high degree of self-sufficiency in staple foods;
commercial and food crops include coffee, cocoa, timber, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, livestock, root starches

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $479 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-90), $4.75 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $29 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $125 million

Currency

1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 274.06 (January 1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Communications

7 fields

Networkskm

Railroads

1,003Inland waterways

2,090

Railroads: ; 858 km 1.000-meter gauge, 145 km 0.600-meter gauge · Inland waterways: ; of decreasing importance

total:: 59
usable:: 51
with permanent-surface runways:: 11
with runways over 3,659 m:: 0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:: 6
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:: 51

Telecommunications

good system of open wire, cable, troposcatter, and microwave radio relay;
26,000 telephones, 2 telephones per 1,000 persons, available only to business and government;
broadcast stations - 11 AM, 11 FM, 1 TV;
2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations