Cameroon Population: 20,549,221
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| Background | |
| French Cameroon became independent in 1960 as the Republic of Cameroon. The following year the southern portion of neighboring British Cameroon voted to merge with the new country to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. In 1972, a new constitution replaced the federation with a unitary state, the United Republic of Cameroon. The country has generally enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite slow movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of President Paul BIYA. |
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| Geography | |
| Sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout the country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano | |
| Location: | Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria |
| Geographic coordinates: | 6 00 N, 12 00 E |
| Area: | total: 475,440 sq km land: 472,710 sq km water: 2,730 sq km Size comparison: slightly larger than California |
| 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 |
| Coastline: | 402 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm |
| 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 (on Mt. Cameroon) |
| Natural resources: | petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower |
| Land use: | arable land: 12.6% permanent crops: 2.52% other: 84.86% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 290 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes volcanism: Mt. Cameroon (elev. 4,095 m), which last erupted in 2000, is the most frequently active volcano in West Africa; lakes in Oku volcanic field have released fatal levels of gas on occasion, killing some 1,700 people in 1986 |
| Current Environment Issues: | waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing |
| International Environment Agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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| People | |
| Population: | 20,549,221 (July 2013 est.) 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 40% (male 4,151,140/female 4,076,797) 15-24 years: 20.3% (male 2,107,067/female 2,066,718) 25-54 years: 31.9% (male 3,317,740/female 3,240,609) 55-64 years: 4.3% (male 419,751/female 468,077) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 319,597/female 381,725) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 19.6 years male: 19.5 years female: 19.7 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.082% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 32.49 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 11.66 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| 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: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 59.7 deaths/1,000 live births male: 64.19 deaths/1,000 live births female: 55.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 54.71 years male: 53.82 years female: 55.63 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 4 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 5.3% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 610,000 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 37,000 (2009 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Cameroonian(s) adjective: Cameroonian |
| 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% |
| Languages: | 24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official) |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 75.9% male: 84% female: 67.8% (2001 est.) |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon conventional short form: Cameroon local long form: Republique du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroon local short form: Cameroun/Cameroon former: French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon |
| Government type: | republic; multiparty presidential regime |
| Capital: | name: Yaounde geographic coordinates: 3 52 N, 11 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions: | 10 regions (regions, singular - region); Adamaoua, Centre, East (Est), Far North (Extreme-Nord), Littoral, North (Nord), North-West (Nord-Ouest), West (Ouest), South (Sud), South-West (Sud-Ouest) |
| Independence: | 1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship) |
| National holiday: | Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972) |
| Constitution: | approved by referendum 20 May 1972; adopted 2 June 1972; revised January 1996; amended April 2008 |
| Legal system: | mixed legal system of English common law, French civil law, and customary law |
| Suffrage: | 20 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982) head of government: Prime Minister Philemon YANG (since 30 June 2009) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted by the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (with no term limits per 2008 constitutional amendment); election last held on 9 October 2011 (next to be held in October 2018); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote - Paul BIYA 78.0%, John FRU NDI 10.7%, Garga Haman ADJI 3.2%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 1.7%, Paul Abine AYAH 1.3%, other 5.1% |
| 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 on 22 July 2007 (next to be held in February 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPDM 140, SDF 14, UDC 4, UNDP 4, MP 1, vacant 17 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 six substitute judges; elected by the National Assembly) |
| Political parties and leaders: | Cameroon People's Democratic Movement or CPDM [Paul BIYA]; Cameroon People's Party [Edith Kah WALLA]; Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA]; Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [Marcel YONDO]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA]; Progressive Movement or MP; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union of Peoples of Cameroon or UPC [Augustin Frederic KODOCK] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]; Southern Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN] |
| International organization participation: | ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, EITI (candidate country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph FOE-ATANGANA chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; current temporary address - 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 286-0984 FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Robert P. JACKSON embassy: Avenue Rosa Parks, Yaounde mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [237] 2220 15 00; Consular: [237] 2220 16 03 FAX: [237] 2220 15 00 Ext. 4531; Consular FAX: [237] 2220 17 52 branch office(s): Douala |
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| Economy | |
| Because of its modest 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 confronting other underdeveloped countries, such as stagnant per capita income, a relatively inequitable distribution of income, a top-heavy civil service, endemic corruption, 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. The IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs. Subsidies for electricity, food, and fuel have strained the budget. Cameroon recently began several large infrastructure projects, including a deep sea port in Kribi, a natural gas powered electricity generating plant, and several hydroelectric dams. Cameroon must attract more investment to improve its inadequate infrastructure, but its business environment is a deterrent to foreign investment. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $50.32 billion (2012 est.) $48.07 billion (2011 est.) $46.13 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $24.51 billion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 4.7% (2012 est.) 4.2% (2011 est.) 2.9% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $2,300 (2012 est.) $2,300 (2011 est.) $2,300 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 19.8% industry: 30.9% services: 49.3% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 8.264 million (2012 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 70% industry: 13% services: 17% (2001 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 30% (2001 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 48% (2000 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 35.4% (2001) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 44.6 (2001) 47.7 (1996) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.9% (2012 est.) 2.9% (2011 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 19.8% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $5.243 billion expenditures: $5.61 billion (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 14.7% of GDP (2012 est.) 13.9% of GDP (2011 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, cassava (manioc); livestock; timber |
| Industries: | petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 4% (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 5.589 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 5.049 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 20 million cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 20 million cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 135.1 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$946.4 million (2012 est.) -$1.365 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $6.538 billion (2012 est.) $5.544 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton |
| Exports - partners: | Spain 13.4%, China 11.4%, Netherlands 9.8%, Italy 8.9%, France 6.4%, US 5.9%, India 5.7%, Germany 4.8%, Belgium 4.1% (2011) |
| Imports: | $6.597 billion (2012 est.) $6.108 billion (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food |
| Imports - partners: | China 16.8%, France 16.6%, Nigeria 12.3%, Belgium 5.3%, Italy 4.3%, US 4.2% (2011) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $3.851 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $3.245 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $3.343 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $3.147 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $230 million (31 December 2012 est.) |
| Exchange rates: | Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per dollar - 514.1 (2012 est.) 471.87 (2011 est.) 495.28 (2010 est.) 472.19 (2009) 447.81 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | 1 July - 30 June |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 669,000 (2011) country comparison to the world: 90 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 10.486 million (2011) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: system includes cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter; Camtel, the monopoly provider of fixed-line service, provides connections for only about 3 per 100 persons; equipment is old and outdated, and connections with many parts of the country are unreliable domestic: mobile-cellular usage, in part a reflection of the poor condition and general inadequacy of the fixed-line network, has increased sharply, reaching a subscribership base of 50 per 100 persons international: country code - 237; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2011) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .cm |
| Internet hosts: | 10,207 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 749,600 (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 34 (2012) country comparison to the world: 112 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 7 (2012) |
| Pipelines: | oil 886 km (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 1,245 km narrow gauge: 1,245 km 1.000-m gauge (2008) |
| Roadways: | total: 50,000 km paved: 5,000 km unpaved: 45,000 km note: there are 28,857 km of national roads (2008) |
| Waterways: | (major rivers in the south, such as the Wouri and the Sanaga, are largely non-navigable; in the north, the Benue, which connects through Nigeria to the Niger River, is navigable in the rainy season only to the port of Garoua) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Douala, Garoua, Limboh Terminal |
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| Military | |
| 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) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18-23 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription; high school graduation required; service obligation 4 years; the government makes periodic calls for volunteers (2012) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 4,667,251 females age 16-49: 4,548,909 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 2,794,998 females age 16-49: 2,718,110 (2010 est.) |
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