1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 475,440 sq km land area: 469,440 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than California
Climate
varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north
Coastline
402 km
Environment
current issues: water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing natural hazards: recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Nuclear Test Ban, Tropical Timber 94
International disputes
demarcation of international boundaries in Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; dispute with Nigeria over land and maritime boundaries in the vicinity of the Bakasi Peninsula has been referred to the International Court of Justice
Irrigated land
280 sq km (1989 est.)
Land boundaries
total 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%
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria
Map references
Africa
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 50 nm
Natural resources
petroleum, 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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 44% (female 2,978,216; male 3,001,487) 15-64 years: 52% (female 3,562,247; male 3,523,100) 65 years and over: 4% (female 248,314; male 207,636) (July 1995 est.)
Birth rate
40.42 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
11.19 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
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
75.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Labor force
NA by occupation: agriculture 74.4%, industry and transport 11.4%, other services 14.2% (1983)
Languages
24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 57.48 years male: 55.41 years female: 59.6 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1987) total population: 55% male: 66% female: 45%
Nationality
noun: Cameroonian(s) adjective: Cameroonian
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
13.521 million (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
2.92% (1995 est.)
Religions
indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 33%, Muslim 16%
Total fertility rate
5.8 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest
Capital
Yaounde
Constitution
20 May 1972
Digraph
CM
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790 through 8794
Executive branch
chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982); election last held 11 October 1992; results - President Paul BIYA reelected with about 40% of the vote amid widespread allegations of fraud; SDF candidate John FRU NDI got 36% of the vote; UNDP candidate Bello Bouba MAIGARI got 19% of the vote head of government: Prime Minister Simon ACHIDI ACHU (since 9 April 1992) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president
FAX
[237] 23-07-53 consulate(s): none (Douala closed September 1993)
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
Independence
1 January 1960 (from UN trusteeship under French administration)
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
Member of
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-19, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Names
conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon conventional short form: Cameroon former: French Cameroon
National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
elections last held 1 March 1992 (next scheduled for March 1997); results - (180 seats) CPDM 88, UNDP 68, UPC 18, MDR 6
National holiday
National Day, 20 May (1972)
Other political or pressure groups
Alliance for Change (FAC), Cameroon Anglophone Movement (CAM)
Political parties and leaders
Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM), Paul BIYA, president, is government-controlled and was formerly the only party, but opposition parties were legalized in 1990 major opposition parties: National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP); Social Democratic Front (SDF); Cameroonian Democratic Union (UDC); Union of Cameroonian Populations (UPC); Movement for the Defense of the Republic (MDR)
Suffrage
20 years of age; universal
Type
unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized 1990)
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador Harriet W. ISOM embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde mailing address: B. P. 817, Yaounde telephone: [237] 23-40-14
Economy
Agriculture
the agriculture and forestry sectors provide employment for the majority of the population, contributing about 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: $1.6 billion expenditures: $2.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $226 million (FY92/93 est.)
Currency
1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Economic aid
recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $479 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-90), $4.75 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $29 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $125 million
Electricity
capacity: 630,000 kW production: 2.7 billion kWh consumption per capita: 196 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 529.43 (January 1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948
Exports
$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton partners: EC (particularly France) about 40%, African countries, US
External debt
$6 billion (1991)
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
Imports
$1.96 billion (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: machines and electrical equipment, food, consumer goods, transport equipment partners: EC about 60% (France 38%, Germany 9%), African countries, Japan, US 5%
Industrial production
growth rate -2.1% (FY90/91); accounts for about 20% of GDP
Industries
petroleum production and refining, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
-0.8% (FY91/92)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $15.7 billion (1994 est.)
National product per capita
$1,200 (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate
-2.9% (1994 est.)
Overview
Because of its offshore oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed, most diversified primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan 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, precipitated by steep declines in the prices of major exports: coffee, cocoa, and petroleum. Export earnings were cut by almost one-third, and inefficiencies in fiscal management were exposed. In 1990-93, with support from the IMF and World Bank, the government began to introduce reforms designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, and recapitalize the nation's banks. Political instability, following suspect elections in 1992, brought IMF/WB structural adjustment to a halt. Although the 50% devaluation of the currency in January 1994 improved the potential for export growth, mismanagement remains and is the main barrier to economic improvement.
Unemployment rate
25% (1990 est.)
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 11, FM 11, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Telephone system
26,000 telephones; telephone density - 2 telephones/1,000 persons; available only to business and government local: NA intercity: cable, microwave radio relay, and troposcatter international: 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations
Television
broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 60 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 20 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 9 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 21
Highways
total: 65,000 km paved: 2,682 km unpaved: gravel, improved earth 32,318 km; unimproved earth 30,000 km
Inland waterways
2,090 km; of decreasing importance
Merchant marine
total: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,122 GRT/33,509 DWT
Ports
Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko
Railroads
total: 1,111 km narrow gauge: 1,111 km 1.000-m gauge
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $102 million, NA% of GDP (1994) ________________________________________________________________________ CANADA
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 3,038,007; males fit for military service 1,532,303; males reach military age (18) annually 147,293 (1995 est.)