2018 Edition

Background

French Cameroon became independent in 1960 as the Republic of Cameroon. The following year the southern portion of neighboring British Cameroon voted to merge with the new country to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. In 1972, a new constitution replaced the federation with a unitary state, the United Republic of Cameroon. The country has generally enjoyed stability, which has enabled the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite slow movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of President Paul BIYA.

Area

land

472,710 sq km

total

475,440 sq km

water

2,730 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

elevation extremes

0 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean

mean elevation

667 m

note

4045 highest point: Fako on Mont Cameroun

Environment Current Issues

waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation and overgrazing result in erosion, desertification, and reduced quality of pastureland; poaching; overfishing; overhunting

Environment International Agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Geographic Coordinates

6 00 N, 12 00 E

Geography Note

sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa because of its central location on the continent and its position at the west-south juncture of the Gulf of Guinea; 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

290 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

border countries (6)

Central African Republic 901 km, Chad 1116 km, Republic of the Congo 494 km, Equatorial Guinea 183 km, Gabon 349 km, Nigeria 1975 km

total

5,018 km

Land Use

arable land: 13.1% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 3.3% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 4.2% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

20.6% (2011 est.)

forest

41.7% (2011 est.)

other

37.7% (2011 est.)

Location

Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Map References

Africa

Maritime Claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural Hazards

volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoesvolcanism: Mt. Cameroon (4,095 m), which last erupted in 2000, is the most frequently active volcano in West Africa; lakes in Oku volcanic field have released fatal levels of gas on occasion, killing some 1,700 people in 1986

Natural Resources

petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Population Distribution

population concentrated in the west and north, with the interior of the country sparsely populated

Terrain

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

Age Structure

0-14 years

42.15% (male 5,445,142 /female 5,362,166)

15-24 years

19.6% (male 2,524,031 /female 2,502,072)

25-54 years

31.03% (male 4,001,963 /female 3,954,258)

55-64 years

3.99% (male 499,101 /female 524,288)

65 years and over

3.23% (male 384,845 /female 443,099) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

35 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

14.8% (2014)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

34.4% (2014)

Death Rate

9.4 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Demographic Profile

Cameroon has a large youth population, with more than 60% of the populace under the age of 25. Fertility is falling but remains at a high level, especially among poor, rural, and uneducated women, in part because of inadequate access to contraception. Life expectancy remains low at about 55 years due to the prevalence of HIV and AIDs and an elevated maternal mortality rate, which has remained high since 1990. Cameroon, particularly the northern region, is vulnerable to food insecurity largely because of government mismanagement, corruption, high production costs, inadequate infrastructure, and natural disasters. Despite economic growth in some regions, poverty is on the rise, and is most prevalent in rural areas, which are especially affected by a shortage of jobs, declining incomes, poor school and health care infrastructure, and a lack of clean water and sanitation. Underinvestment in social safety nets and ineffective public financial management also contribute to Cameroon’s high rate of poverty.International migration has been driven by unemployment (including fewer government jobs), poverty, the search for educational opportunities, and corruption. The US and Europe are preferred destinations, but, with tighter immigration restrictions in these countries, young Cameroonians are increasingly turning to neighboring states, such as Gabon and Nigeria, South Africa, other parts of Africa, and the Near and Far East. Cameroon’s limited resources make it dependent on UN support to host more than 320,000 refugees and asylum seekers as of September 2017. These refugees and asylum seekers are primarily from the Central African Republic and more recently Nigeria.

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.9 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio

17 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

85.9 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio

80 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 94.8% of population

rural: 52.7% of population

total: 75.6% of population

unimproved: urban: 5.2% of population

rural: 47.3% of population

total: 24.4% of population (2015 est.)

Education Expenditures

2.8% of GDP (2013)

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%

Health Expenditures

4.1% of GDP (2014)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

3.7% (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids Deaths

24,000 (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

510,000 (2017 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

1.3 beds/1,000 population (2010)

Infant Mortality Rate

female

46.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

53.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

49.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

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

Life Expectancy At Birth

female

60.9 years (2018 est.)

male

58 years (2018 est.)

total population

59.4 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)

female

68.9% (2015 est.)

male

81.2% (2015 est.)

total population

75% (2015 est.)

Major Infectious Diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies (2016)

degree of risk

very high (2016)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)

respiratory diseases

meningococcal meningitis (2016)

vectorborne diseases

malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever (2016)

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis (2016)

Major Urban Areas Population

3.656 million Douala, 3.412 million YAOUNDE (capital) (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

596 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median Age

female

18.7 years (2018 est.)

male

18.5 years

total

18.6 years

Mother S Mean Age At First Birth

19.7 years (2011 est.)

note

median age at first birth among women 25-29

Nationality

adjective

Cameroonian

noun

Cameroonian(s)

Net Migration Rate

-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

11.4% (2016)

Physicians Density

0.08 physicians/1,000 population (2010)

Population

25,640,965 (July 2018 est.)

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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected

Population Growth Rate

2.54% (2018 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 38.4%, Protestant 26.3%, other Christian 4.5%, Muslim 20.9%, animist 5.6%, other 1%, non-believer 3.2% (2005 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

improved: urban: 61.8% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 26.8% of population (2015 est.)

total: 45.8% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 38.2% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 73.2% of population (2015 est.)

total: 54.2% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

female

11 years (2015)

male

13 years (2015)

total

12 years (2015)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

0.95 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

0.87 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

4.58 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

female

12.7% (2014 est.)

male

9% (2014 est.)

total

10.6% (2014 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.63% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

56.4% of total population (2018)

Administrative Divisions

10 regions (regions, singular - region); Adamaoua, Centre, East (Est), Far North (Extreme-Nord), Littoral, North (Nord), North-West (Nord-Ouest), West (Ouest), South (Sud), South-West (Sud-Ouest)

Capital

geographic coordinates

3 52 N, 11 31 E

name

Yaounde

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Cameroon

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; amendment drafts require approval of at least one-third of the membership in either house of Parliament; passage requires absolute majority vote of the Parliament membership; passage of drafts requested by the president for a second reading in Parliament requires two-thirds majority vote of its membership; the president can opt to submit drafts to a referendum, in which case passage requires a simple majority; constitutional articles on Cameroon’s unity and territorial integrity and its democratic principles cannot be amended; amended 2008 (2017)

history

several previous; latest effective 18 January 1996 (2017)

Country Name

conventional long form

Republic of Cameroon

conventional short form

Cameroon

etymology

in the 15th century, Portuguese explorers named the area near the mouth of the Wouri River the Rio dos Camaroes (River of Prawns) after the abundant shrimp in the water; over time the designation became Cameroon in English; this is the only instance where a country is named after a crustacean

former

Kamerun, French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon

local long form

Republique du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroon

local short form

Cameroun/Cameroon

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

branch office(s)

Douala

chief of mission

Ambassador Peter Henry BARLERIN (since 20 December 2017)

embassy

Avenue Rosa Parks, Yaounde

FAX

[237] 22220 1500 Ext. 4531; Consular FAX: [237] 22220 1752

mailing address

P.O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520

telephone

[237] 22220 1500; Consular: [237] 22220 1603

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

chancery

3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC, 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Essomba ETOUNDI (since 27 June 2016)

FAX

[1] (202) 387-3826

telephone

[1] (202) 265-8790

Executive Branch

cabinet

Cabinet proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president

chief of state

President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)

election results

Paul BIYA reelected president; percent of vote - Paul BIYA (CPDM) 71.3%, Maurice KAMTO (MRC) 14.2%, Cabral LIBII (Univers) 6.3%, other 8.2%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 7-year term (no term limits); election last held on 7 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2025); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Philemon YANG (since 30 June 2009); Deputy Prime Minister Amadou ALI (since 2014)

Flag Description

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow, with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; the vertical tricolor recalls the flag of France; red symbolizes unity, yellow the sun, happiness, and the savannahs in the north, and green hope and the forests in the south; the star is referred to as the "star of unity"

note

uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Government Type

presidential republic

Independence

1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

International Law Organization Participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt

International Organization Participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial Branch

highest courts

Supreme Court of Cameroon (consists of 9 titular and 6 surrogate judges and organized into judicial, administrative, and audit chambers); Constitutional Council (consists of 11 members)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges appointed by the president with the advice of the Higher Judicial Council of Cameroon, a body chaired by the president and includes the minister of justice, selected magistrates, and representatives of the National Assembly; judge term NA; Constitutional Council members appointed by the president for single 9-year terms

subordinate courts

Parliamentary Court of Justice (jurisdiction limited to cases involving the president and prime minister); appellate and first instance courts; circuit and magistrate's courts

Legal System

mixed legal system of English common law, French civil law, and customary law

Legislative Branch

description

bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:Senate or Senat (100 seats; 70 members indirectly elected by regional councils and 30 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPDM 63, SDF 7; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPDM 148, SDF 18, UNDP 5, UDC 4, UPC 3, other 2; composition - men 74, women 26, percent of women 26% National Assembly - last held on 30 September 2013 (next delayed until October 2019); composition - men 124, women 56, percent of women 31.3%; note - total Parliament percent of women 29.3%

elections

Senate - last held on 25 March 2018 (next to be held in 2023) National Assembly - last held on 30 September 2013 (next delayed until October 2019)

National Anthem

lyrics/music

Rene Djam AFAME, Samuel Minkio BAMBA, Moise Nyatte NKO'O [French], Benard Nsokika FONLON [English]/Rene Djam AFAME

name

"O Cameroun, Berceau de nos Ancetres" (O Cameroon, Cradle of Our Forefathers)

note

adopted 1957; Cameroon's anthem, also known as "Chant de Ralliement" (The Rallying Song), has been used unofficially since 1948 and officially adopted in 1957; the anthem has French and English versions whose lyrics differ

National Holiday

State Unification Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)

National Symbol S

lion; national colors: green, red, yellow

Political Parties And Leaders

Alliance for Democracy and DevelopmentCameroon People's Democratic Movement or CPDM [Paul BIYA]Cameroon People's Party or CPP [Edith Kah WALLA]Cameroon Renaissance Movement or MRC [Maurice KAMTO]Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA]Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [Marcel YONDO]National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA]Progressive Movement or MP [Jean-Jacques EKINDI]Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]Union of Peoples of Cameroon or UPC [Provisionary Management Bureau]

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, cassava (manioc, tapioca); livestock; timber

Budget

expenditures

6.556 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

5.363 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-3.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

4.25% (31 December 2009)

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

13% (31 December 2017 est.)

12.5% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current Account Balance

-$932 million (2017 est.)

-$1.034 billion (2016 est.)

Debt External

$9.375 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$7.364 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

46.5 (2014 est.)

44.6 (2001)

Economy Overview

Cameroon’s market-based, diversified economy features oil and gas, timber, aluminum, agriculture, mining and the service sector. Oil remains Cameroon’s main export commodity, and despite falling global oil prices, still accounts for nearly 40% of exports. Cameroon’s economy suffers from factors that often impact underdeveloped countries, such as stagnant per capita income, a relatively inequitable distribution of income, a top-heavy civil service, endemic corruption, continuing inefficiencies of a large parastatal system in key sectors, 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. The IMF continues to press for economic reforms, including increased budget transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs. The Government of Cameroon provides subsidies for electricity, food, and fuel that have strained the federal budget and diverted funds from education, healthcare, and infrastructure projects, as low oil prices have led to lower revenues.Cameroon devotes significant resources to several large infrastructure projects currently under construction, including a deep seaport in Kribi and the Lom Pangar Hydropower Project. Cameroon’s energy sector continues to diversify, recently opening a natural gas-powered electricity generating plant. Cameroon continues to seek foreign investment to improve its inadequate infrastructure, create jobs, and improve its economic footprint, but its unfavorable business environment remains a significant deterrent to foreign investment.

Exchange Rates

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar -

605.3 (2017 est.)

593.01 (2016 est.)

593.01 (2015 est.)

591.45 (2014 est.)

494.42 (2013 est.)

Exports

$4.732 billion (2017 est.)

$4.561 billion (2016 est.)

Exports Commodities

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

Exports Partners

Netherlands 15.6%, France 12.6%, China 11.7%, Belgium 6.8%, Italy 6.3%, Algeria 4.8%, Malaysia 4.4% (2017)

Fiscal Year

1 July - 30 June

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services

21.6% (2017 est.)

government consumption

11.8% (2017 est.)

household consumption

66.3% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-20.9% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

21.6% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.3% (2017 est.)

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

16.7% (2017 est.)

industry

26.5% (2017 est.)

services

56.8% (2017 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$34.99 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$3,700 (2017 est.)

$3,700 (2016 est.)

$3,600 (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$89.54 billion (2017 est.)

$86.47 billion (2016 est.)

$82.63 billion (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Real Growth Rate

3.5% (2017 est.)

4.6% (2016 est.)

5.7% (2015 est.)

Gross National Saving

25.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

25.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

23.9% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%

35.4% (2014 est.)

lowest 10%

35.4% (2001)

Imports

$4.812 billion (2017 est.)

$4.827 billion (2016 est.)

Imports Commodities

machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food

Imports Partners

China 19%, France 10.3%, Thailand 7.9%, Nigeria 4.1% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

3.3% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

0.6% (2017 est.)

0.9% (2016 est.)

Labor Force

9.912 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture

70%

industry

13%

services

17% (2001 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

$230 million (31 December 2012 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

30% (2001 est.)

Public Debt

36.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

32.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

$3.235 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$2.26 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$4.857 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.86 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$6.154 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$5.714 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

$4.857 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.86 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes And Other Revenues

15.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

4.3% (2014 est.)

30% (2001 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

7.672 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

96,370 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

36,480 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

75,720 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

200 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

electrification - rural areas

17% (2013)

electrification - total population

55% (2013)

electrification - urban areas

88% (2013)

population without electricity

10.1 million (2013)

Electricity Consumption

6.411 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

52% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

47% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

55 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

1.558 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

8.108 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

906.1 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

910.4 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

135.1 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

45,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

8,545 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

14,090 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

39,080 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2017 est.)

total

42,117 (2017 est.)

Broadcast Media

government maintains tight control over broadcast media; state-owned Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV), broadcasting on both a TV and radio network, was the only officially recognized and fully licensed broadcaster until August 2007, when the government finally issued licenses to 2 private TV broadcasters and 1 private radio broadcaster; about 70 privately owned, unlicensed radio stations operating but are subject to closure at any time; foreign news services required to partner with state-owned national station (2007)

Internet Country Code

.cm

Internet Users

percent of population

25% (July 2016 est.)

total

6,090,201 (July 2016 est.)

Telephone System

domestic

only about 3 per 100 persons for fixed-line subscriptions; mobile-cellular usage has increased sharply, reaching a subscribership base of over 79 per 100 persons (2017)

general assessment

equipment is old and outdated, and connections with many parts of the country are unreliable;  3G service and LTE service both developing given growing competition, along with a fast-developing mobile broadband sector (2017)

international

country code - 237; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); by September 2018 the country is expected to be connected to the SAIL submarine cable, providing a direct link to Brazil and with onward connectivity to other countries in the Americas; the cable will considerably improve international bandwidth and lead to better prices for consumers (2017)

Telephones Fixed Lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

699,055 (2017 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

79 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

19,706,027 (2017 est.)

Airports

33 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

3 (2017)

2,438 to 3,047 m

5 (2017)

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2017)

over 3,047 m

2 (2017)

total

11 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

4 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

10 (2013)

total

22 (2013)

under 914 m

8 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

TJ (2016)

Merchant Marine

by type

general cargo 4, other 15 (2017)

total

19 (2017)

National Air Transport System

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

0 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

267,208 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

3 (2015)

number of registered air carriers

1 (2015)

Pipelines

53 km gas, 5 km liquid petroleum gas, 1107 km oil, 35 km water (2013)

Ports And Terminals

note

Garoua (Benoue)

oil terminal(s)

Limboh Terminal

river port(s)

Douala (Wouri)

Railways

narrow gauge

987 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)

note

railway connections generally efficient but limited; rail lines connect major cities of Douala, Yaounde, Ngaoundere, and Garoua; passenger and freight service provided by CAMRAIL

total

987 km (2014)

Roadways

note

there are 28,857 km of national roads

paved

4,108 km (2011)

total

51,350 km (2011)

unpaved

47,242 km (2011)

Waterways

(major rivers in the south, such as the Wouri and the Sanaga, are largely non-navigable; in the north, the Benue, which connects through Nigeria to the Niger River, is navigable in the rainy season only to the port of Garoua) (2010)

Military Branches

Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale Republique, MNR, includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Rapid Intervention Brigade, Fire Fighter Corps, Gendarmerie (2015)

Military Expenditures

1.6% of GDP (2016)

1.25% of GDP (2015)

1.25% of GDP (2014)

1.33% of GDP (2013)

1.34% of GDP (2012)

Military Service Age And Obligation

18-23 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription; high school graduation required; service obligation 4 years; periodic government calls for volunteers (2012)

Disputes International

Joint Border Commission with Nigeria reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately ceded sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a full phase-out of Nigerian control and patriation of residents in 2008Cameroon and Nigeria agreed on maritime delimitation in March 2008sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem Riveronly Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

IDPs

238,099 (2018)

refugees (country of origin)

267,813 (Central African Republic), 101,404 (Nigeria) (2018)

Terrorist Groups Foreign Based

Boko Haram

aim(s): establish an Islamic caliphate across Africaarea(s) of operation: conducts lethal bombing attacks and assaults, displacing thousands of people, especially in the Far North Regionnote: violently opposes any political or social activity associated with Western society, including voting, attending secular schools, and wearing Western dress (April 2018)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)-West Africa

aim(s): implement ISIS's strict interpretation of Sharia; replace the Nigerian Government with an Islamic statearea(s) of operation: based primarily in Northeast Nigeria along the border with Niger, with its largest presence in northeast Nigeria and the Lake Chad region; targets primarily regional military installations (April 2018)