Cameroon Population: 18,879,301
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| 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 a 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: | Western 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: 469,440 sq km water: 6,000 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: 12.54% permanent crops: 2.52% other: 84.94% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 260 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes |
| 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: | 18,879,301 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 (July 2009 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 40.9% (male 3,891,762/female 3,822,870) 15-64 years: 55.9% (male 5,298,143/female 5,250,493) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 283,289/female 332,744) (2009 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 19.2 years male: 19 years female: 19.3 years (2008 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.19% (2009 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 34.59 births/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
| Death rate: | 12.41 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | NA (2009 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: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 63.34 deaths/1,000 live births male: 68.08 deaths/1,000 live births female: 58.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 53.69 years male: 52.89 years female: 54.52 years (2009 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 4.33 children born/woman (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 5.1% (2007 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 540,000 (2007 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 39,000 (2007 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: 67.9% male: 77% female: 59.8% (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 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 (National Day), 20 May (1972) |
| Constitution: | 20 May 1972 approved by referendum, adopted 2 June 1972; revised January 1996 |
| Legal system: | based on French civil law system, with common law influence; accepts 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 Ephraim INONI (since 8 December 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held by October 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote - Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, Garga Haman ADJI 3.7% |
| 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 22 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012) 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: | Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA]; Cameroon People's Democratic Movement or CPDM [Paul BIYA]; 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: | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph FOE-ATANGANA 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 Janet E. GARVEY 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 16 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 facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy civil service and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise. International oil and cocoa prices have a significant impact on the economy. 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. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | $42.76 billion (2008 est.) $41.16 billion (2007) $39.84 billion (2006) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | $25 billion (2008 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 3.9% (2008 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | $2,300 (2008 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 43.5% industry: 16% services: 40.5% (2008 est.) |
| Labor force: | 6.716 million (2008 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) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 4.4% (2008 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | 17.6% of GDP (2008 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $5.371 billion expenditures: $4.319 billion (2008 est.) |
| Public debt: | 11.9% of GDP (2008 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber |
| Industries: | petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 4.7% (2008 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 3.903 billion kWh (2006 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 3.323 billion kWh (2006 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2007 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2007 est.) |
| Oil - production: | 87,400 bbl/day (2008 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 24,500 bbl/day (2006 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 108,800 bbl/day (2005) |
| Oil - imports: | 50,750 bbl/day (2005) |
| Oil - proved reserves: | 200 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 20 million cu m (2006 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 20 million cu m (2006 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2007 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2007 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 135.1 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) |
| Current account balance: | $377 million (2008 est.) |
| Exports: | $5.246 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton |
| Exports - partners: | Spain 19.8%, Italy 15.7%, France 11.7%, South Korea 9.4%, Netherlands 6.1%, US 5.7% (2007) |
| Imports: | $4.362 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food |
| Imports - partners: | France 23.4%, Nigeria 12.8%, China 9%, Belgium 5.8%, US 4% (2007) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $3.788 billion (31 December 2008 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $2.36 billion (31 December 2008 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $NA |
| Currency (code): | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States |
| Exchange rates: | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar 438.77 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004) |
| Fiscal year: | 1 July - 30 June |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 130,700 (2006) |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 4.536 million (2007) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; equipment is old and outdated, and connections with many parts of the country are unreliable; mobile-cellular usage, in part a reflection of the poor condition and general inadequacy of the fixed-line network, increased more than 6-fold between 2002 and 2007 reaching a subscribership base of 25 per 100 persons domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter 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) (2007) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2001) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 1 (2001) |
| Internet country code: | .cm |
| Internet hosts: | 69 (2008) |
| Internet users: | 370,000 (2006) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 45 (2007) |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 8 (2007) |
| Pipelines: | oil 889 km (2008) |
| Railways: | total: 987 km narrow gauge: 987 km 1.000-m gauge (2006) |
| Roadways: | total: 50,000 km paved: 5,000 km unpaved: 45,000 km (2004) |
| Waterways: | navigation mainly on Benue River; limited during rainy season (2008) |
| Ports and terminals: | Douala, Limboh Terminal |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Cameroon Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC) (2009) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; the government makes periodic calls for volunteers (2006) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 4,321,175 females age 16-49: 4,228,625 (2008 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 2,645,601 females age 16-49: 2,574,948 (2009 est.) |
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