Cameroon

Republic of Cameroon

unitary republicIndependence 1 January 1960 (from UN trusteeship under French

Cameroon as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 80 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 sq km

LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between

Populationas each edition published it

13.52 million July 1995 est. · 11.09m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.92% 1995 est. · 2.9% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

57.48 years 1995 est. · 56.66 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.8 children per woman 1995 est. · 5.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

75.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 120 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,200 1994 est. · $1,040 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-2.9% 1994 est. · 3% in 1993

Geography

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

14 fields

Land useshare of 475,440 sq km

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

Area

475,440sq km

land area: 469,440 sq kmcomparative 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

International disputes

demarcation of international boundaries in Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria;
dispute with Nigeria over land and maritime boundaries in the vicinity of the Bakasi Peninsula has been referred to the International Court of Justice

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

current issues:: water-borne diseases are prevalent;
deforestation;
overgrazing;
desertification;
poaching;
overfishing
natural hazards:: recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83;
signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Nuclear Test Ban, Tropical Timber 94

Note

sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa

People

15 fields

Population

13.521million

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 2.92% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

40.42Death

11.19Net migration

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years57.48

55.41 · 59.6

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy55%

66% · 45%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1987)

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%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 44% (female 2,978,216; male 3,001,487)
15-64 years:: 52% (female 3,562,247; male 3,523,100)
65 years and over:: 4% (female 248,314; male 207,636) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

75.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 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)

Government

Unitary republic; President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982); Prime Minister Simon ACHIDI ACHU (since 9 April 1992)

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

Executive branch

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);
Movement for the Defense of the Republic (MDR)

Other political or pressure groups

Alliance for Change (FAC), Cameroon Anglophone Movement (CAM)

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

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA
chancery:: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 265-8790 through 8794

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Harriet W. ISOM
embassy:: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde
mailing address:: B. P. 817, Yaounde
telephone:: [237] 23-40-14

FAX

[237] 23-07-53; consulate(s): none (Douala closed September 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.

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,200

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

-2.9%

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -2.1% (FY90/91); accounts for about 20% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

-0.8%

(FY91/92)

Unemployment rate

25%

(1990 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$1.6 billionExpenditures

$2.3 billion

expenditures including capital expenditures of $226 million (FY92/93 est.)

Installed generating capacity, 630,000 kW

Electricity production

2.7 billionElectricity consumption per capita

196 (1993)

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 improved the potential for export growth, mismanagement remains and is the main barrier to economic improvement.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $15.7 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993)

commodities:: petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton
partners:: EC (particularly France) about 40%, African countries, US

Imports

$1.96 billion (c.i.f., 1993)

commodities:: machines and electrical equipment, food, consumer goods, transport equipment
partners:: EC about 60% (France 38%, Germany 9%), African countries, Japan, US 5%

External debt

$6 billion (1991)

Industries

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

Agriculture

the agriculture and forestry sectors provide employment for the majority of the population, contributing about 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

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 - 529.43 (January 1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990) 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

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 60 in all

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

1,524 to 2,438 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

65,000Railroads

1,111Inland waterways

2,090

Highways: paved: 2,682 km · unpaved: gravel, improved earth 32,318 km; unimproved earth 30,000 km · Railroads: narrow gauge: 1,111 km 1.000-m gauge · Inland waterways: ; of decreasing importance