2002 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2002 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
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 movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of an ethnic oligarchy.
Geography
Area
total: 475,440 sq km water: 6,000 sq km land: 469,440 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 (on Cameroon Mountain) 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, Hazardous Wastes, 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; 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
Irrigated land
330 sq km (1998 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: 3% other: 84% (1998 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
volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes
Natural resources
petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower
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: 42.1% (male 3,443,505; female 3,367,571) 15-64 years: 54.5% (male 4,431,524; female 4,392,155) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 253,242; female 296,751) (2002 est.)
Birth rate
35.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate
12.08 deaths/1,000 population (2002 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%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
7.73% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
52,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
540,000 (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate
68.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Languages
24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)
Life expectancy at birth
55.23 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 4.72 children born/woman (2002 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
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Population
16,184,748 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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate
2.36% (2002 est.)
Religions
indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%
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 (2002 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 approved by referendum; 2 June 1972 formally adopted; revised January 1996
Country name
Republic of Cameroon conventional short form: Government type: unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in 1990) note: preponderance of power remains with the president
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador George McDade STAPLES embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [237] 23-40-14, 22-17-94 FAX: [237] 23-07-53 branch office(s): Douala
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826 telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790
Executive branch
President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982) elections: held 12 October 1997 (next to be held NA October 2004); prime minister appointed by the president head of government: Prime Minister Peter Mafany MUSONGE (since 19 September 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted by the prime minister election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote - Paul BIYA 92.6%; note - supporters of the opposition candidates boycotted the elections, making a comparison of vote shares relatively meaningless
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
Independence
1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
International organization participation
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, C, CCC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Court of Justice (consists of nine judges and 6 substitute judges, elected by the National Assembly)
Legal system
based on French civil law system, with common law influence; has not accepted 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 17 May 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RDCP 109, SDF 43, UNDP 13, UDC 5, UPC-K 1, MDR 1, MLDC 1; note - results from seven contested seats were canceled by the Supreme Court, further elections on 3 August 1997 gave these seats to the RDCP note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established
National holiday
Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)
Political parties and leaders
Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou NDAM NJOYA]; Democratic Rally of the Cameroon People or RDCP [Paul BIYA]; Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [leader Marcel YONDO]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MYC [Dieudonne TINA]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA, chairman]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union of Cameroonian Populations or UPC [Augustin Frederic KODOCK]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Southern Cameroon National Council [Frederick Ebong ALOBWEDE]; Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]
Suffrage
20 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture - products
coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber
Budget
revenues: $2.2 billion expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.)
Currency
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code
XAF
Debt - external
$10.9 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
on 23 January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce Cameroon's debt of $1.3 billion by $900 million; total debt relief now amounts to $1.26 billion
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. 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. In June 2000, the government completed an IMF-sponsored, three-year structural adjustment program; however, the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget transparency and privatization. International oil and cocoa prices have considerable impact on the economy.
Electricity - consumption
3.369 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production
3.623 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 2.57% hydro: 97.43% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro
Exports
$2.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities
crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton
Exports - partners
Italy 24%, France 18%, Netherlands 10% (2000 est.)
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
GDP
purchasing power parity - $26.4 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 44% industry: 20% services: 36% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
4.9% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$1.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities
machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food
Imports - partners
France 29%, Germany 7%, US 6%, Japan 6% (2000 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
4.2% (1999 est.)
Industries
petroleum production and refining, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2% (2000 est.)
Labor force
NA
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture 70%, industry and commerce 13%, other 17%
Population below poverty line
48% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate
30% (2001 est.)
Communications
Internet country code
.cm
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
29 (2002)
Internet users
20,000 (2000) note: in 2000, Cameroon also had 112 cyber-cafes
Radio broadcast stations
AM 11, FM 8, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios
2.27 million (1997)
Telephone system
available only to business and government domestic: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use
95,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular
300,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations
1 (1998)
Televisions
450,000 (1997)
Transportation
Airports
49 (2001)
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 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 10 (2001)
Highways
total: 34,300 km paved: 4,288 km unpaved: 30,012 km (1995)
Ports and harbors
Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko
Railways
total: 1,104 km narrow gauge: 1,104 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)
Waterways
2,090 km (of decreasing importance)
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure
$118.6 million (FY00/01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
1.4% (FY98/99)
Military manpower - availability
males age 15-49: 3,872,965 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service
males age 15-49: 1,959,357 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age
18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually
males: 174,308 (2002 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
oral arguments on the land and maritime boundary disputes between Cameroon and Nigeria were presented to the ICJ; disputes center around Bakasi Peninsula, where armed clashes continue, Bouram Island on Lake Chad, and the maritime boundary and economic zone dispute in the Gulf of Guinea, which also involves Equatorial Guinea; Lake Chad Basin Commission urges signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over lake region, the site of continuing armed clashes This page was last updated on 1 January 2002 Comoros