1998 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1998 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 475,440 sq km land: 469,440 sq km water: 6,000 sq km
Area-comparative
slightly larger than California
Climate
varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north
Coastline
402 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Fako 4,095 m
Environment-current issues
water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing
Environment-international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban
Geographic coordinates
6 00 N, 12 00 E
Geography-note
sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa
Irrigated land
210 sq km (1993 est.)
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
Land use
arable land: 13% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 78% other: 3% (1993 est.)
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria
Map references
Africa
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 50 nm
Natural hazards
recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases
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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 46% (male 3,468,861; female 3,436,814) 15-64 years: 51% (male 3,795,748; female 3,829,824) 65 years and over: 3% (male 224,881; female 273,305) (July 1998 est.)
Birth rate
42.06 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate
13.96 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
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%
Infant mortality rate
76.88 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Languages
24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 51.44 years male: 49.9 years female: 53.03 years (1998 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.4% male: 75% female: 52.1% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Cameroonian(s) adjective: Cameroonian
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Population
15,029,433 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate
2.81% (1998 est.)
Religions
indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 33%, Muslim 16%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate
5.86 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest
Constitution
20 May 1972
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon conventional short form: Cameroon former: French Cameroon
Data code
CM
Executive branch
chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982) head of government: Prime Minister Peter Mafany MUSONGE (since 19 September 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 12 October 1997 (next to be held NA October 2004); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote-Paul BIYA 93%; note - supporters of the opposition candidates boycotted the elections, making a comparison of vote shares relatively meaningless
FAX
[237] 23-07-53
Flag 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
Government type
unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized 1990)
Independence
1 January 1960 (from UN trusteeship under French administration)
International organization participation
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, C, 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, UNITAR, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790 through 8794 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles H. TWINING embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde mailing address: B. P. 817, Yaounde; Pouch: American Embassy DOS, Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [237] 23-40-14, 23-05-12
Judicial branch
Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president Political parties and leaders: Cameroon People's Democratic Movement or CPDM (government-controlled and the only party until legalization of opposition parties in 1990) [Paul BIYA, president] major opposition parties: Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou NDAM NJOYA]; Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA, leader]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MLJC [ Marcel YANDO, leader]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA, chairman]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI, leader]; Union of Cameroonian Populations or UPC [Augustin Frederick KODOG, leader]; Union of Cameroonian Democratic Forces or UFOC [Victorin Hameni BIELEU] Political pressure groups and leaders: Alliance for Change or FAC; Cameroon Anglophone Movement or CAM [Vishe FAI, secretary general]
Legal system
based on French civil law system, with common law influence; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 11 May 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-CDPM 109, SDF 43, UNDP 13, UDC 5, UPC-K 1, MDR 1, MLJC 1; note-7 contested seats will be filled in an election at a time to be set by the Supreme Court note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the legislature, to be called Senate, which the government says will be established in 1998
National capital
Yaounde
National holiday
National Day, 20 May (1972)
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture-products
coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber
Budget
revenues: $2.23 billion expenditures: $2.23 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97 est.)
Currency
1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Debt-external
$10 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid
France signed two loan agreements totaling $55 million in September 1997 and the Paris Club agreed in October 1997 to reduce the official debt by 50% and to reschedule it on favorable terms with a consolidation of payments due through 2000
Economy-overview
Because of its 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. 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: petroleum, coffee, and cocoa. Export earnings were cut by almost one-third, and inefficiencies in fiscal management were exposed. 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 government, however, failed to press forward vigorously with these programs. The latest enhanced structural adjustment agreement was signed in October 1997; the parties hope this will prove more successful, yet government mismanagement remains a problem. Inflation, which rose to 48% after the devaluation of 1994, has been brought back under control. Progress toward privatization of remaining state industry remains slow. President BIYA's new government of December 1997 has replaced old hands in the government economic control structure with promising technocrats.
Electricity-capacity
627,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita
201 kWh (1995)
Electricity-production
2.715 billion kWh (1995)
Exchange rates
CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1-608.36 (January 1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993) 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
total value: $1.9 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton partners: EU (particularly France, Italy, and Spain) about 60%, African countries, Korea, Taiwan, and China
Fiscal year
1 July-30 June Communications
GDP
purchasing power parity-$30.9 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector
agriculture: 32% industry: 27% services: 41% (1995 est.)
GDP-per capita
purchasing power parity-$2,100 (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate
5% (1997 est.)
Imports
total value: $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: machines and electrical equipment, food, consumer goods, transport equipment, petroleum products partners: EU (France 40%), African countries, US 7%
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
petroleum production and refining, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber
Inflation rate-consumer price index
3% (1997 est.)
Labor force
NA
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 (1997)
Televisions
NA
Unemployment rate
NA%
Transportation
Airports
52 (1997 est.) Airports-with 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 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 14 (1997 est.)
Highways
total: 34,300 km paved: 4,288 km unpaved: 30,012 km (1995 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,122 GRT/33,509 DWT (1996 est.)
Railways
total: 1,104 km narrow gauge: 1,104 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)
Waterways
2,090 km; of decreasing importance Ports and harbors: Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard
Military expenditures-dollar figure
$102 million (FY93/94)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP
NA%
Military manpower-availability
males age 15-49: 3,287,626 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 1,663,852 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-military age
18 years of age
Military manpower-reaching military age annually
males: 160,640 (1998 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes-international
demarcation of international boundaries in the 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 ICJ with a ruling expected in 1998