1996 Edition

Description

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

Location

6 00 N, 12 00 E -- Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly larger than California

land area

469,440 sq km

total area

475,440 sq km

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

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

natural hazards

recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases

Geographic coordinates

6 00 N, 12 00 E

Geographic note

sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa

International disputes

demarcation of international boundaries in vicinity of 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

border countries

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

total

4,591 km

Land use

arable land

13%

forest and woodland

54%

meadows and pastures

18%

other

13%

permanent crops

2%

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

Terrain

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

highest point

Fako 4,095 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 46% (male 3,295,924; female 3,266,429) 15-64 years: 51% (male 3,602,037; female 3,627,625) 65 years and over: 3% (male 213,176; female 256,366) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

42.49 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

13.56 deaths/1,000 population (1996 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

78.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

53.68 years (1996 est.)

male

51.55 years

total population

52.6 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

52.1%

male

75%

total population

63.4%

Nationality

adjective

Cameroonian

noun

Cameroonian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

14,261,557 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

2.89% (1996 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

all ages

1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

5.99 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Yaounde

Constitution

20 May 1972

Data code

CM

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA

telephone

[1] (202) 265-8790 through 8794

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

chief of state

President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982) elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 11 October 1992 (next to be held NA October 1997); 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) appointed by the president

FAX

[237] 23-07-53

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)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-19, G-77, 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, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

based on French civil law system, with common law influence; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form

Republic of Cameroon

conventional short form

Cameroon

former

French Cameroon

National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

elections last held 1 March 1992 (next to be held NA March 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats (180 total) 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) (government-controlled and the only party until legalization of opposition parties in 1990), Paul BIYA, president

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

21 years of age; universal

Type of government

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

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Charles H. TWINING

embassy

Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde

mailing address

B. P. 817, Yaounde

telephone

[237] 23-40-14, 23-05-12

Agriculture

coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber

Budget

expenditures

$2.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $226 million (FY92/93 est.)

revenues

$1.6 billion

Currency

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $449 million (1993)

Economic 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 to 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; currently Cameroon receives only minimal assistance from those Bretton Woods institutions. Although the 50% devaluation of the currency of 12 January 1994 improved the potential for export growth, mismanagement remains the main barrier to economic improvement. The devaluation led to a spurt in inflation, to 48% in 1994, but inflation moderated in 1995. Progress toward privatization of remaining state industry remains slow.

Electricity

capacity

630,000 kW

consumption per capita

196 kWh (1993)

production

2.7 billion kWh

Exchange rates

CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991)

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

$1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities

crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, aluminum, cocoa beans, coffee, cotton

partners

EU (particularly France) about 50%, African countries, US

External debt

$6.6 billion (1993)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power parity - $16.5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

29%

industry

24%

services

47% (1994 est.)

GDP per capita

$1,200 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

1.8% (1995 est.)

Imports

$810 million (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities

machines and electrical equipment, food, consumer goods, transport equipment, petroleum products

partners

EU (France 38%, Germany), African countries, Japan 5%, US 5%

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

petroleum production and refining, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

48% (1994)

Labor force

NA

by occupation

agriculture 74.4%, industry and transport 11.4%, other services 14.2% (1983)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Branches

Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $102 million, NA% of GDP (FY93/94)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

3,112,339

males fit for military service

1,572,150

males reach military age (18) annually

151,300 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 11, FM 11, shortwave 0

Radios

2 million (1993 est.)

Telephone system

available only to business and government

domestic

cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter

international

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

36,737 (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1995)

Televisions

NA Defense

Airports

total

45

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

3

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

4

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

1

with paved runways over 3 047 m

2

with paved runways under 914 m

13

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

7

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

15 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

2,666 km

total

64,626 km

unpaved

61,960 km (1987 est.)

Merchant marine

total

2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,122 GRT/33,509 DWT (1995 est.)

Ports

Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko

Railways

narrow gauge

1,104 km 1.000-m gauge

total

1,104 km (1995 est.)

Waterways

2,090 km; of decreasing importance