Cameroon

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

unitary republic

Cameroon as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 114 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

Position6 00 N, 12 00 E

Area475,440 sq km land: 469,440 sq km water: 6,000 sq km

LocationWestern Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Populationas each edition published it

15.8 million July 2001 est. · 11.09m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.41% 2001 est. · 2.9% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

54.59 years 2001 est. · 56.66 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.8 children per woman 2001 est. · 5.7 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

69.83 deaths per 1,000 live births 2001 est. · 120 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,700 2000 est. · $1,040 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4.4% 2000 est. · 3% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of an ethnic oligarchy.

Geography

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

18 fields

Coastline

402km

territorial sea: 50 NM

Irrigated land

210sq km

(1993 est.)

Location

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Geographic coordinates

6 00 N, 12 00 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 475,440 sq km land: 469,440 sq km water: 6,000 sq km

Land boundaries

total: 4,591 km border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km

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

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Fako 4,095 m

Natural resources

petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Land use

arable land: 13% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 78% other: 3% (1993 est.)

Natural hazards

recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note

sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa

People

18 fields

Per 1,000 population

Birth

36.12 (2001 est.)Death

11.99 (2001 est.)Net migration

Net migration: (2001 est.) NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Ethnic groups

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 40%Christian 40%Muslim 20%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

7.73%

(1999 est.)

Population

15,803,220 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS;
this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 42.37% (male 3,385,898; female 3,310,504) 15-64 years: 54.28% (male 4,305,354; female 4,271,958) 65 years and over: 3.35% (male 244,419; female 285,087) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate

2.41% (2001 est.)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

69.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 54.59 years male: 53.76 years female: 55.44 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.8 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

540,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

52,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun: Cameroonian(s) adjective: Cameroonian

Languages

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

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.4% male: 75% female: 52.1% (1995 est.)

Government

Unitary republic

20 fields

National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale, 173 seatsone dot, one seat

RDCP 109SDF 43UNDP 13UDC 5UPC-K 1MDR 1MLJC 1

Country name

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

Government type

unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in 1990) note: preponderance of power remains with the president

Capital

Yaounde

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday

Republic Day, 20 May (1972)

Constitution

20 May 1972 approved by referendum;
2 June 1972 formally adopted;
revised January 1996

Legal system

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

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982) head of government: Prime Minister Peter Mafany MUSONGE (since 19 September 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted by the Prime Minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 12 October 1997 (next to be held NA October 2004);
prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Paul BIYA reelected;
percent of vote - Paul BIYA 92.6%;
note - supporters of the opposition candidates boycotted the elections, making a comparison of vote shares relatively meaningless

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term of the legislature) elections: last held 17 May 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - RDCP 109, SDF 43, UNDP 13, UDC 5, UPC-K 1, MDR 1, MLJC 1;
note - results from 7 contested seats were cancelled by the Supreme Court, further elections on 3 August 1997 gave these seats to the RDPC note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president);
High Court of Justice (consists of nine judges and 6 substitute judges, elected by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders

Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou NDAM NJOYA];
Democratic Rally of the Cameroon People or RDCP [Paul BIYA];
Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA];
Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [leader NA];
Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MLJC [Marcel YONDO];
National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA, chairman];
Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI];
Union of Cameroonian Populations has two sections UPC-N [Ndeh NTUMAZAH] and UPC-K [Augustin Frederic KODOCK]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Cameroon Anglophone Movement or CAM [Vishe FAI, secretary general]; Southern Cameroon National Council [Nfor Ngala NFOR, acting]

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, C, CCC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

FAX

[1] (202) 387-3826

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador John M. YATES embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde;
pouch:
American Embassy,
Department of State,
Washington,
DC 20521-2520 telephone: [237] 23-40-14,
22-25-89,
23-05-12,
22-17-94

FAX

[237] 23-07-53 branch office(s): Douala

Flag description

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

32 fields

Real growth rate

4.4%

(2000 est.)industrial production growth: 4.2% (1999 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

(2000 est.)

Unemployment rate

30%

(1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

48%

(2000 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

18%

France

29%

24%

Italy

10%

Netherlands

Germany

Japan

Exports $2.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)Imports $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)(2000 est.)

Electricity

Electricity production

3.47 billion (1999)Electricity consumption

3.227 billion (1999)

Economy - overview

Because of its oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious problems facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy civil service and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise.

Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF and World Bank programs designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize the nation's banks. In June 2000, the government completed an IMF-sponsored, three-year structural adjustment program;

however, the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget transparency and privatization. Higher oil prices in 2000 helped to offset the country's lower cocoa export revenues. A rebound in the cocoa market should increase growth to over 5% in 2001.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $26 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 43.4% industry: 20.1% services: 36.5% (1999 est.)

Labor force

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 70%, industry and commerce 13%, other 17%

Budget

revenues: $2.1 billion expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 2.59% hydro: 97.41% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Agriculture - products

coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches;
livestock;
timber

Exports

$2.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton

Imports

$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities

machines and electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food

Debt - external

$10.9 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

on 23 January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce Cameroon's debt of $1.3 billion by $900 million; total debt relief now amounts to $1.26 billion

Currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code

XAF

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996);
note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Communications

10 fields

Mobile cellular

4,200

(1997)

Internet users

(2000)

Fixed lines

75,000

(1997) · country code .cm

Telephone system

general assessment: available only to business and government domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 11, FM 8, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios

2.27 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1998)

Televisions

450,000 (1997)

Internet users

20,000 (2000)

Transportation

7 fields

Military

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

7 fields

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.4%

(FY98/99)

Transnational Issues