The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 1990 to 2025 Africa
Military and security forces Cameroon, in 36 editions.
The entry for Cameroon published Military and security forces in 36 editions of 36, from 1990 to 2025. The text changed in 26 editions. Each is shown as published. Military and security forces in every entry.
- editions changed the text
- 26
- the first edition with it
- 1990
- the latest edition with it
- 2025
Published as “Branches” (1990 to 1996), “Military branches” (1997 to 2018) and “Military and security forces” (2019 to 2025).
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.
2025 edition
Changed since 2024Published as “Branches”
- Army,
- Navy,
- Air Force;
- paramilitary Gendarmerie
Army, Navy, Air Force; paramilitary Gendarmerie
Published as “Branches”
- Army,
- Navy (including Marines),
- Air Force;
- paramilitary Gendarmerie
Army, Navy, Navy (including Marines), Air Force; paramilitary Gendarmerie
Published as “Branches”
- Army,
- Navy (including naval infantry),
- Air Force;
- National Gendarmerie,
- Presidential Guards
Army, Navy (including Marines), naval infantry), Air Force; paramilitary Gendarmerie National Gendarmerie,
Presidential Guards
Published as “Branches”
- Army,
- Navy (including Naval Infantry),
- Air Force,
- National Gendarmerie,
- Presidential Guard
Army, Navy (including naval infantry), Naval Infantry), Air Force; Force, National Gendarmerie,
Presidential Guards Guard
Published as “Branches”
- Army,
- Navy (including Naval Infantry),
- Air Force,
- National Gendarmerie,
- Presidential Guard
Army, Navy (including Naval Infantry), Air Force, National Gendarmerie,
Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard
Published as “Branches”
- Army,
- Navy (includes Naval Infantry),
- Air Force,
- National Gendarmerie,
- Presidential Guard
Army, Navy (including (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force, National
Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard
Published as “Branches”
- Army,
- Navy (includes Naval Infantry),
- Air Force,
- National Gendarmerie,
- Presidential Guard
Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force, National
National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard
The same text in 1997 and 1998.
Published as “Military branches”
- Army,
- Navy (includes Naval Infantry),
- Air Force,
- National Gendarmerie,
- Presidential Guard
Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force,
National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard
Published as “Military branches”
- Army,
- Navy (includes Naval Infantry),
- Air Force,
- National Gendarmerie,
- Presidential Guard
Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force,
Force, National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard
The same text in 2000 and 2001.
Published as “Military branches”
- Army,
- Navy (includes Naval Infantry),
- Air Force,
- National Gendarmerie,
- Presidential Guard
Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air
The same text in 2002 and 2003.
Published as “Military branches”
- Army,
- Navy (includes naval infantry),
- Air Force,
- National Gendarmerie,
- Presidential Guard
Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), naval infantry), Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard
Published as “Military branches”
- Army,
- Navy (includes Naval Infantry),
- Air Force
Army, Navy (includes naval infantry), Naval Infantry), Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard Force
Published as “Military branches”
- Cameroon Armed Forces:
- Army,
- Navy (includes Naval Infantry),
- Air Force
Cameroon Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force
The same text in 2006 and 2007.
Published as “Military branches”
- Cameroon Armed Forces:
- Army,
- Navy (includes naval infantry),
- Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC) (2006)
Cameroon Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC) (2006)
Published as “Military branches”
- Cameroon Armed Forces:
- Army,
- Navy (includes naval infantry),
- Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC) (2008)
Cameroon Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC) (2006) (2008)
Published as “Military branches”
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC) (2009)
Cameroon Armed Forces: Army, Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC) (2008) (2009)
Published as “Military branches”
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Fire Fighter Corps, Gendarmerie (2010)
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC) (2009) AAC), Fire Fighter Corps, Gendarmerie (2010)
Published as “Military branches”
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Fire Fighter Corps, Gendarmerie (2011)
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Fire Fighter Corps, Gendarmerie (2010) (2011)
Published as “Military branches”
- Special Rapid Intervention Brigade (Brigade Speciale d'Intervention Rapide, BSIR),
- Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC),
- Army (L'Armee de Terre),
- Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC),
- Fire Fighter Corps,
- Gendarmerie,
- Navy (Marine Nationale Republique (MNR), includes naval infantry) (2012)
Special Rapid Intervention Brigade (Brigade Speciale d'Intervention Rapide, BSIR), Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): FAC), Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Fire Fighter Corps, Gendarmerie (2011) Gendarmerie, Navy (Marine Nationale Republique (MNR), includes naval infantry) (2012)
The same text in 3 editions, 2013 to 2015.
Published as “Military branches”
- Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC),
- Army (L'Armee de Terre),
- Navy (Marine Nationale Republique (MNR), includes naval infantry),
- Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC),
- Fire Fighter Corps,
- Gendarmerie (2013)
Special Rapid Intervention Brigade (Brigade Speciale d'Intervention Rapide, BSIR), Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC), Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale Republique (MNR), includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Fire Fighter Corps, Gendarmerie, Navy (Marine Nationale Republique (MNR), includes naval infantry) (2012) Gendarmerie (2013)
Published as “Military branches”
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale Republique (MNR), includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Rapid Intervention Brigade, Fire Fighter Corps, Gendarmerie (2015)
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC), FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale Republique (MNR), includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Rapid Intervention Brigade, Fire Fighter Corps, Gendarmerie (2013) (2015)
The same text in 2017 and 2018.
Published as “Military branches”
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale Republique, MNR, includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Rapid Intervention Brigade, Fire Fighter Corps, Gendarmerie (2015)
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale Republique (MNR), Republique, MNR, includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Rapid Intervention Brigade, Fire Fighter Corps, Gendarmerie (2015)
The same text in 2019 and 2020.
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale Republique, MNR, includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard (2019)
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale Republique, MNR, includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Rapid Intervention Brigade, Fire Fighter Corps, Gendarmerie (2015) Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard (2019)
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale Republique, MNR, includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Rapid Intervention Battalion (Bataillons d’Intervention Rapide, BIR), Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard (2021)
- note(s) - the National Police (under the General Delegation of National Security) and the Gendarmerie are responsible for internal security;
- the Rapid Intervention Battalion (RIB) is a large brigade-sized force comprised of approximately 9 battalions, detachments, or groups (5 infantry, 1 airborne, 1 amphibious, 1 armored reconnaissance, and 1 counter-terrorism);
- the RIB maintains its own command and control structure and reports directly to the president, rather than the defense minister
Rewritten: too little of the 2020 text remains to mark the changes.
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale Republique, MNR, includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Rapid Intervention Battalion (Bataillons d’Intervention Rapide, BIR), Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard (2021)
note(s) - the National Police (under the General Delegation of National Security) and the Gendarmerie are responsible for internal security; the Rapid Intervention Battalion (RIB) is a large brigade-sized force comprised of approximately 9 battalions, detachments, or groups (5 infantry, 1 airborne, 1 amphibious, 1 armored reconnaissance, and 1 counter-terrorism); the RIB maintains its own command and control structure and reports directly to the president, rather than the defense minister
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale Republique, MNR, includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Rapid Intervention Battalion (Bataillons d’Intervention Rapide or BIR), National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard (2022)
note 1: the National Police and the National Gendarmerie are responsible for internal security; the Police report to the General Delegation of National Security, while the Gendarmerie reports to the Secretariat of State for Defense in charge of the Gendarmerie
note 2: the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) maintains its own command and control structure and reports directly to the president; the BIR is structured as a large brigade with up to 9 battalions, detachments, or groups consisting of infantry, airborne/airmobile, amphibious, armored reconnaissance, counterterrorism, and support elements, such as artillery and intelligence
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale Republique, MNR, includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Rapid Intervention Battalion (Bataillons d’Intervention Rapide, Rapide or BIR), National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard (2021) (2022)note(s) - note 1: the National Police (under the General Delegation of National Security) and the National Gendarmerie are responsible for internal security; the Police report to the General Delegation of National Security, while the Gendarmerie reports to the Secretariat of State for Defense in charge of the Gendarmerie
note 2: the Rapid Intervention Battalion (RIB) (BIR) maintains its own command and control structure and reports directly to the president; the BIR is structured as a large brigade-sized force comprised of approximately brigade with up to 9 battalions, detachments, or groups (5 consisting of infantry, 1 airborne, 1 airborne/airmobile, amphibious, 1 armored reconnaissance, and 1 counter-terrorism); the RIB maintains its own command counterterrorism, and control structure support elements, such as artillery and reports directly to the president, rather than the defense minister intelligence
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale Republique, MNR, includes naval infantry or fusiliers marin), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Rapid Intervention Battalion (Bataillons d’Intervention Rapide or BIR), National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard (2023)
note 1: the National Police and the National Gendarmerie are responsible for internal security; the Police report to the General Delegation of National Security, while the Gendarmerie reports to the Secretariat of State for Defense in charge of the Gendarmerie
note 2: the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) maintains its own command and control structure and reports directly to the president; the BIR is structured as a large brigade with up to 9 battalions, detachments, or groups consisting of infantry, airborne/airmobile, amphibious, armored reconnaissance, counterterrorism, and support elements, such as artillery and intelligence; the BIR receives better training, equipment, and pay than regular Army units
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale Republique, MNR, includes naval infantry), infantry or fusiliers marin), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Rapid Intervention Battalion (Bataillons d’Intervention Rapide or BIR), National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard (2022) (2023)
note 1: the National Police and the National Gendarmerie are responsible for internal security; the Police report to the General Delegation of National Security, while the Gendarmerie reports to the Secretariat of State for Defense in charge of the Gendarmerie
note 2: the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) maintains its own command and control structure and reports directly to the president; the BIR is structured as a large brigade with up to 9 battalions, detachments, or groups consisting of infantry, airborne/airmobile, amphibious, armored reconnaissance, counterterrorism, and support elements, such as artillery and intelligence intelligence; the BIR receives better training, equipment, and pay than regular Army units
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale Republique, MNR, includes naval infantry or fusiliers marin), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), National Gendarmerie (Gendamerie Nationale, GN), National Firefighting Corps (Corps National de Sapeurs-Pompiers, CNSP), Presidential Guard (Garde Présidentielle du Cameroun, GP)
General Delegation for National Security (Délégation Générale à la Sûreté Nationale or DGSN): Cameroon Police (2024)
note 1: the Police and the National Gendarmerie are responsible for internal security; the Gendarmerie conducts administrative, criminal, and military investigative functions; other missions include customs, air and maritime surveillance, and road traffic control; in times of conflict, it participates in internal defense
note 2: the Army includes the Rapid Intervention Brigade (Brigade d’Intervention Rapide or BIR), which maintains its own command and control structure and reports directly to the Chief of Defense staff and the Presidency; the BIR includes airborne/airmobile, amphibious, armored reconnaissance, artillery, and counterterrorism forces, as well as support elements, such as intelligence
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale Republique, MNR, includes naval infantry or fusiliers marin), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Rapid Intervention Battalion (Bataillons d’Intervention Rapide or BIR), National Gendarmerie, Gendarmerie (Gendamerie Nationale, GN), National Firefighting Corps (Corps National de Sapeurs-Pompiers, CNSP), Presidential Guard (2023) (Garde Présidentielle du Cameroun, GP)
General Delegation for National Security (Délégation Générale à la Sûreté Nationale or DGSN): Cameroon Police (2024)
note 1: the National Police and the National Gendarmerie are responsible for internal security; the Police report to the General Delegation of National Security, while the Gendarmerie reports to the Secretariat of State for Defense conducts administrative, criminal, and military investigative functions; other missions include customs, air and maritime surveillance, and road traffic control; in charge times of the Gendarmerie conflict, it participates in internal defense
note 2: the Army includes the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) Brigade (Brigade d’Intervention Rapide or BIR), which maintains its own command and control structure and reports directly to the president; Chief of Defense staff and the Presidency; the BIR is structured as a large brigade with up to 9 battalions, detachments, or groups consisting of infantry, includes airborne/airmobile, amphibious, armored reconnaissance, counterterrorism, artillery, and counterterrorism forces, as well as support elements, such as artillery and intelligence; the BIR receives better training, equipment, and pay than regular Army units intelligence
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army, Cameroon Navy (includes naval infantry or fusiliers marin), Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Firefighting Corps
General Delegation for National Security (Délégation Générale à la Sûreté Nationale or DGSN): Cameroon Police (2025)
note 1: the Army includes the Rapid Intervention Brigade (Brigade d’Intervention Rapide or BIR), which maintains its own command and control structure and reports directly to the Chief of Defense staff and the Presidency; the BIR includes airborne/airmobile, amphibious, armored reconnaissance, artillery, and counterterrorism forces, as well as support elements, such as intelligence
note 2: the Cameroon Police and the National Gendarmerie are responsible for internal security; the Gendarmerie conducts administrative, criminal, and military investigative functions; other missions include customs, air and maritime surveillance, and road traffic control; in times of conflict, it participates in internal defense
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Army, Cameroon Navy (Marine Nationale Republique, MNR, includes (includes naval infantry or fusiliers marin), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Force, National Gendarmerie (Gendamerie Nationale, GN), Gendarmerie, National Firefighting Corps (Corps National de Sapeurs-Pompiers, CNSP), Presidential Guard (Garde Présidentielle du Cameroun, GP)
General Delegation for National Security (Délégation Générale à la Sûreté Nationale or DGSN): Cameroon Police (2024) (2025)
note 1: the Police and the National Gendarmerie are responsible for internal security; the Gendarmerie conducts administrative, criminal, and military investigative functions; other missions include customs, air and maritime surveillance, and road traffic control; in times of conflict, it participates in internal defense Army includes the Rapid Intervention Brigade (Brigade d’Intervention Rapide or BIR), which maintains its own command and control structure and reports directly to the Chief of Defense staff and the Presidency; the BIR includes airborne/airmobile, amphibious, armored reconnaissance, artillery, and counterterrorism forces, as well as support elements, such as intelligence
note 2: the
note 2: the Cameroon Police and the National Gendarmerie are responsible for internal security; the Gendarmerie conducts administrative, criminal, and military investigative functions; other missions include customs, air and maritime surveillance, and road traffic control; in times of conflict, it participates in internal defense
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Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. “Cameroon: Military and security forces.” The World Factbook, 1990–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/cameroon/military-and-security-forces.