1992 Edition

Climate

varies with terrain from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north

Coastline

402 km

Comparative area

slightly larger than California

Disputes

demarcation of international boundaries in Lake Chad, the lack of which has led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaiting ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; boundary commission created with Nigeria to discuss unresolved land and maritime boundaries - has not yet convened

Environment

recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification

Land area

469,440 km2

Land boundaries

4,591 km; Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Land use

arable land 13%; permanent crops 2%; meadows and pastures 18%; forest and woodland 54%; other 13%; includes irrigated NEGL%

Natural resources

crude oil, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower potential

Note

sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa

Terrain

diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north

Territorial sea

50 nm

Total area

475,440 km2

Birth rate

44 births/1,000 population (1992)

Death rate

11 deaths/1,000 population (1992)

Ethnic divisions

over 200 tribes of widely differing background; Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%, non-African less than 1%

Infant mortality rate

81 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Labor force

NA; agriculture 74.4%, industry and transport 11.4%, other services 14.2% (1983); 50% of population of working age (15-64 years) (1985)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

55 years male, 60 years female (1992)

Literacy

54% (male 66%, female 43%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Nationality

noun - Cameroonian(s); adjective - Cameroonian

Net migration rate

0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)

Organized labor

under 45% of wage labor force

Population

12,658,439 (July 1992), growth rate 3.3% (1992)

Religions

indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 33%, Muslim 16%

Total fertility rate

6.4 children born/woman (1992)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Yaounde

Chief of State

President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)

Constitution

20 May 1972

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Paul PONDI; Chancery at 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 265-8790 through 8794 US: Ambassador Frances D. COOK; Embassy at Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde (mailing address is B. P. 817, Yaounde); telephone [237] 234014; FAX [237] 230753; there is a US Consulate General in Douala

Executive branch

president, Cabinet

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

Head of Government

interim Prime Minister Sadou HAYATOU (since 25 April 1991)

Independence

1 January 1960 (from UN trusteeship under French administration; formerly French Cameroon)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

Long-form name

Republic of Cameroon

Member of

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

National Assembly

next to be held 1 March 1992

National holiday

National Day, 20 May (1972)

Other political or pressure groups

NA

Political parties and leaders

Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (RDPC), Paul BIYA, president, is government-controlled and was formerly the only party; numerous small parties formed since opposition parties were legalized in 1990

President

last held 24 April 1988 (next to be held April 1993); results - President Paul BIYA reelected without opposition

Suffrage

universal at age 20

Type

unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized 1990)

Agriculture

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

Budget

revenues $1.2 billion; expenditures $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA million (FY89)

Currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural - francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $440 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $4.5 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $29 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $125 million

Electricity

755,000 kW capacity; 2,940 million kWh produced, 270 kWh per capita (1991)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 269.01 (January 1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987)

Exports

$2.1 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: petroleum products 56%, coffee, cocoa, timber, manufactures partners: EC (particularly France) about 50%, US 10%

External debt

$4.9 billion (December 1989 est.)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

exchange rate conversion - $11.5 billion, per capita $1,040; real growth rate 0.7% (1990 est.)

Imports

$2.1 billion (c.i.f., 1990 est.) commodities: machines and electrical equipment, transport equipment, chemical products, consumer goods partners: France 41%, Germany 9%, US 4%

Industrial production

growth rate - 6.4% (FY87); accounts for 30% of GDP

Industries

crude oil products, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, sawmills

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.6% (FY88)

Overview

Because of its offshore oil resources, Cameroon has one of the highest incomes per capita in tropical 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

cocoa, and petroleum. Export earnings were cut by almost one-third, and inefficiencies in fiscal management were exposed. In 1990-92, with support from the IMF and World Bank, the government has begun to introduce reforms designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, and recapitalize the nation's banks. Nationwide strikes organized by opposition parties in 1991, however, undermined these efforts.

precipitated by steep declines in the prices of major exports

coffee,

Unemployment rate

25% (1990 est.)

Airports

56 total, 50 usable; 10 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659 m; 5 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 21 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air

5 major transport aircraft

Highways

about 65,000 km total; includes 2,682 km paved, 32,318 km gravel and improved earth, and 30,000 km of unimproved earth

Inland waterways

2,090 km; of decreasing importance

Merchant marine

2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,122 GRT/33,509 DWT

Ports

Douala

Railroads

1,003 km total; 858 km 1.000-meter gauge, 145 km 0.600-meter gauge

Telecommunications

good system of open wire, cable, troposcatter, and radio relay; 26,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 11 AM, 11 FM, 1 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

Branches

Army, Navy (including naval infantry), Air Force; National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guards

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $219 million, 1.7% of GDP (1990 est.)

Manpower availability

males 15-49, 2,753,059; 1,385,706 fit for military service; 120,011 reach military age (18) annually