Cameroon

unitary republic

Cameroon as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 119 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

LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Equatorial

Populationas each edition published it

13.13 million July 1994 est. · 11.09m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.91% 1994 est. · 2.9% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 56.66 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.84 children per woman 1994 est. · 5.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

77.1 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 120 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,500 1993 est. · $1,040 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 3% in 1993

Geography

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

22 fields

Coastline

402km

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

Irrigated land

280sq km

(1989 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

475,440 sq km

land area

469,440 sq km

comparative area

slightly larger than California

territorial sea

50 nm

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 in the vicinity of the Bakasi Peninsula, has not yet convened, but a commission was formed in January 1994 to study a flare-up of the dispute

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

arable land

13%

permanent crops

meadows and pastures

18%

forest and woodland

54%

other

13%

current issues

water-borne diseases are prevalent;
deforestation;
overgrazing;
desertification;
poaching

natural hazards

recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases

international agreements

party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber;
signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban

Note

sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa

People

22 fields

Population

13,132,191

(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 2.91% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth

40.53Death

11.41Net migration

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%

Literacy

15and over can read and write

age · (1990)

Infant mortality rate

77.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

57.07 years

male

55.03 years

female

59.17 years (1994 est.)

noun

Cameroonian(s)

adjective

Cameroonian

Languages

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

total population

55%

male

66%

female

45%

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

32 fields

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

chief of state

President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982);
election 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

head of government

Prime Minister Simon ACHIDI ACHU (since 9 April 1992)

cabinet

Cabinet; appointed by the president

National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

elections last held 1 March 1992 (next scheduled for March 1997); results - (180 seats) CPDM 88, UNDP 68, UPC 18, MDR 6

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);
Social Democratic Front (SDF);
Cameroonian Democratic Union (UDC);
Union of Cameroonian Populations (UPC)

Other political or pressure groups

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-19, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, 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

chief of mission

Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA

chancery

2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

(202) 265-8790 through 8794

chief of mission

Ambassador Harriet ISOM

embassy

Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde

mailing address

B. P. 817, Yaounde

telephone

[237] 23-40-14 and 23-05-12

FAX

[237] 23-07-53

consulate(s)

none (Douala closed July 1993)

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 and favorable agricultural | conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed, most diversified | primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa.

26 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,500

(1993 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

(1990 est.)

Unemployment rate

25%

(1990 est.)

External debt

$6billion

(1991)

Overview

Because of its offshore oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed, most diversified primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan 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 1990-93, with support from the IMF and World Bank, the government began to introduce reforms designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, and recapitalize the nation's banks. Political instability following suspect elections in 1992 brought IMF/WB structural adjustment to a halt. Although the 50% devaluation of the currency in January 1994 improves the potential for export growth, mismanagement remains and is the main barrier to economic improvement.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $19.1 billion (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

revenues

$1.7 billion

expenditures

$2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $422 million (FY90 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%

capacity

755,000 kW

production

2.19 billion kWh

consumption per capita

190 kWh (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

recipient

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 - 592.05 (January 1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989)

note

beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Communications

14 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

Railroads

1,003 km total; 858 km 1.000-meter gauge, 145 km 0.600-meter gauge

total

65,000 km

paved

2,682 km

unpaved

gravel, improved earth 32,318 km; unimproved earth 30,000 km

total

usable

with permanent-surface runways

with runways over 3,659 m

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

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

Defense Forces

Army, Navy (including Naval Infantry), Air Force, National | Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard

3 fields

Branches

Army, Navy (including Naval Infantry), Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 2,939,761;
fit for military service 1,481,750;
reach military age (18) annually 137,020 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $219 million, less than 2% of GDP (1990 est.)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Cameroon.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/cameroon/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →

Geography

total area

land area

comparative area

territorial sea

arable land

permanent crops

meadows and pastures

forest and woodland

other

current issues

natural hazards

international agreements

People

total population

male

female

noun

adjective

total population

male

female

by occupation

note

Government

conventional long form

conventional short form

former

chief of state

head of government

cabinet

major opposition parties

chief of mission

chancery

chief of mission

embassy

mailing address

consulate(s)

Economy

revenues

expenditures

commodities

partners

commodities

partners

capacity

production

consumption per capita

recipient

note

Communications

total

paved

unpaved

total

usable

with permanent-surface runways

with runways over 3,659 m

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Defense Forces

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