2021 Edition

Background

Much of the area of present-day Cameroon was ruled by powerful chiefdoms before becoming a German colony in 1884 known as Kamerun. After World War I, the territory was divided between France and the UK as League of Nations mandates. 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; about four times the size of Pennsylvania

Climate

varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north

Coastline

402 km

Elevation

highest point

Fako on Mont Cameroun 4,045 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

667 m

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

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

agricultural land

20.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 13.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 3.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 4.2% (2018 est.)

forest

41.7% (2018 est.)

other

37.7% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Major aquifers

Lake Chad Basin

Major lakes (area sq km)

Fresh water lake(s)

Lake Chad (endorheic lake shared with Niger, Nigeria, and Chad) - 10,360-25,900 sq kmnote - area varies by season and year to year

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), Niger (2,261,741 sq km)Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)

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 as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

42.34% (male 5,927,640/female 5,820,226)

15-24 years

20.04% (male 2,782,376/female 2,776,873)

25-54 years

30.64% (male 4,191,151/female 4,309,483)

55-64 years

3.87% (male 520,771/female 552,801)

65 years and over

3.11% (male 403,420/female 460,248) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

35.91 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

11% (2018/19)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

19.3% (2018)

Current Health Expenditure

3.5% (2018)

Death rate

7.93 deaths/1,000 population (2021 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.  The activities of Boko Haram, other armed groups, and counterinsurgency operations have worsened food insecurity in the Far North region.   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 420,000 refugees and asylum seekers as of September 2020. These refugees and asylum seekers are primarily from the Central African Republic and Nigeria.  Internal and external displacement have grown dramatically in recent years.  Boko Haram's attacks and counterattacks by government forces in the Far North since 2014 have increased the number of internally displaced people.  Armed conflict between separatists and Cameroon's military in the the Northwest and Southwest since 2016 have displaced hundreds of thousands of the country's Anglophone minority.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

4.9

potential support ratio

20.3 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

81.1

youth dependency ratio

76.2

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 54.6% of population

improved: total

total: 76.5% of population

improved: urban

urban: 94% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 45.3% of population

unimproved: total

total: 23.5% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 6% of population

Education expenditures

3.1% of GDP (2019)

Ethnic groups

Bamileke-Bamu 24.3%, Beti/Bassa, Mbam 21.6%, Biu-Mandara 14.6%, Arab-Choa/Hausa/Kanuri 11%, Adamawa-Ubangi, 9.8%, Grassfields 7.7%, Kako, Meka/Pygmy 3.3%, Cotier/Ngoe/Oroko 2.7%, Southwestern Bantu 0.7%, foreign/other ethnic group 4.5% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

3% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

14,000 (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

500,000 (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.3 beds/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate

female

45.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

55.01 deaths/1,000 live births

total

50.09 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Languages

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

major-language sample(s)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

Life expectancy at birth

female

64.57 years (2021 est.)

male

61.07 years

total population

62.79 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

71.6% (2018)

male

82.6%

total population

77.1%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

respiratory diseases

meningococcal meningitis

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

4.164 million YAOUNDE (capital), 3.793 million Douala (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

529 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

18.8 years (2020 est.)

male

18.2 years

total

18.5 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.1 years (2018 est.)

note

note: median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Cameroonian

noun

Cameroonian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

11.4% (2016)

Physicians density

0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2011)

Population

28,524,175 (July 2021 est.)

note

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 distribution

population concentrated in the west and north, with the interior of the country sparsely populated as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

2.77% (2021 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 38.3%, Protestant 25.5%, other Christian 6.9%, Muslim 24.4%, animist 2.2%, other 0.5%, none 2.2% (2018 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 25.6% of population

improved: total

total: 57.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 83.3% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 74.4% of population

unimproved: total

total: 42.3% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 16.7% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

11 years (2016)

male

13 years

total

12 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.97 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.88 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.61 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

6.8% (2014 est.)

male

5.8%

total

6.3%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

58.1% of total population (2021)

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

etymology

founded as a German colonial settlement of Jaunde in 1888 and named after the local Yaunde (Ewondo) people

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

history

several previous; latest effective 18 January 1996

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 (vacant);  Deputy Chief of Mission (currently serving as Charge d'Affaires) Mary E. DASCHBACH

email address and website

YaoundeACS@state.govhttps://cm.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Avenue Rosa Parks, Yaoundé

FAX

[237] 22220-1500, Ext. 4531

mailing address

2520 Yaounde Place, Washington, DC  20521-2520

telephone

[237] 22251-4000/[237] 22220-1500

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Henri ETOUNDI ESSOMBA (since 27 June 2016)

email address and website

cs@cameroonembassyusa.orghttps://www.cameroonembassyusa.org/mainFolder/index.html

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 Joseph Dion NGUTE (since 4 January 2019); 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

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 magistrates' 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 - CDPM 81.1%, SDF 8.6%, UNDP 5.8%, UDC 1.16%, other 2.8%; seats by party - CPDM 63, SDF 7 National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPDM 139, UNDP 7, SDF 5, PCRN 5, UDC 4, FSNC 3, MDR 2, Union of Socialist Movements 2; 13 vacant; composition - NA

elections

Senate - last held on 25 March 2018 (next to be held in 2023) National Assembly - last held on 9 February 2020 (current term extended by President); note - the constitutional court has ordered a partial rerun of elections in the English speaking areas; date to be determined

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

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]Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation or PCRN [Cabral LIBII]Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon or FSNC [Issa Tchiroma BAKARY]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]Union of Socialist Movements

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

cassava, plantains, maize, oil palm fruit, taro, sugar cane, sorghum, tomatoes, bananas, vegetables

Budget

expenditures

6.556 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

5.363 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

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

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

B (2006)

Moody's rating

B2 (2016)

Standard & Poors rating

B- (2020)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$1.034 billion (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$932 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$7.364 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$9.375 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic 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

currency

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

Exchange rates 2013

494.42 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

591.45 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

593.01 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

593.01 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

605.3 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$7.3 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$7.73 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, cocoa beans, lumber, gold, natural gas, bananas (2019)

Exports - partners

China 17%, Netherlands 14%, Italy 9%, United Arab Emirates 8%, India 7%, United States 6%, Belgium 6%, Spain 5%, France 5% (2019)

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.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2014

46.6 (2014 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

35.4% (2001)

lowest 10%

37.5%

Imports

Imports 2018

$8.42 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$9.09 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports - commodities

crude petroleum, scrap vessels, rice, special purpose ships, packaged medicines (2019)

Imports - partners

China 28%, Nigeria 15%, France 9%, Belgium 6% (2019)

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)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

0.6% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

1% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

2.4% (2019 est.)

Labor force

9.912 million (2017 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

70%

industry

13%

services

17% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

37.5% (2014 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

32.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

36.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$90.87 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$94.25 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$94.94 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

5.7% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

4.6% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

3.5% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$3,600 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$3,600 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$3,600 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$2.26 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$3.235 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

15.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2001

30% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate 2014

4.3% (2014 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

6.8% (2014 est.)

male

5.8%

total

6.3%

Crude oil - exports

96,370 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

36,480 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

69,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

200 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

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.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

32% (2019)

electrification - total population

70% (2019)

electrification - urban areas

98% (2019)

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

2.69 (2020 est.)

total

713,845 (2020)

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 (2019)

Internet country code

.cm

Internet users

percent of population

23.2% (2019 est.)

total

9.15 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

only about 4 per 100 persons for fixed-line subscriptions; mobile-cellular usage has increased sharply, reaching a subscribership base of over 82 per 100 persons (2019)

general assessment

Cameroon’s 3G and LTE services are improving through growing competition and a government program to improve national connectivity and support digital economy; saturated use of transactions through m-commerce; developing broadband sector; improved submarine and terrestrial cable connectivity strengthened international bandwidth and lowered prices; pushing start of fiber link to Congo; fiber rollout continues with new government funding; operators opened new data center in 2020 and developed contracts for satellite broadband; government awarded contract to provide connectivity to universities (2020)

international

country code - 237; landing points for the SAT-3/WASC, SAIL, ACE, NCSCS, Ceiba-2, and WACS fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe, South America, and West Africa; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3.33 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

883,015 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

95.1 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

25,245,134 (2020)

Airports

total

33 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

3

2,438 to 3,047 m

5

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2017)

over 3,047 m

2

total

11

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

4

914 to 1,523 m

10

total

22

under 914 m

8 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

TJ

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 3, container ship 1,general cargo 35, oil tanker 24, other 31 (2021)

total

94

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

70,000 mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

265,136 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

3

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

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

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

paved

5,133 km (2016)

total

77,589 km (2016)

unpaved

72,456 km (2016)

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)

Maritime threats

tthe International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships; in 2020, there were 98 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region; although a 24% decrease from the total number of incidents in 2019, it included all three hijackings and 9 of 11 ships fired upon worldwide; while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping; in 2020, a record 130 crew members were kidnapped in 22 separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 95% of kidnappings worldwide; approximately 51% of all incidents of piracy and armed robbery are taking place off Nigeria, which is a decrease from the 71% in 2019 and an indication pirates are traveling further to target vessels; Nigerian pirates are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2021-002 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 9 January 2021, which states in part, "Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea.”

Military - note

the FAC is largely focused on the threat from the terror group Boko Haram along its frontiers with Nigeria and Chad (Far North region) and an insurgency from armed Anglophone separatist groups in the North-West and South-West regions (as of Feb 2021, this internal conflict has left an estimated 3,000 civilians dead and over 700,000 people displaced since fighting started in 2016); in addition, the FAC often deploys units to the border region with the Central African Republic to counter intrusions from armed militias and bandits

Military and security forces

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 Battalion (Bataillons d’Intervention Rapide, BIR), Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard (2021)

note

note(s) - the National Police (under the General Delegation of National Security) and the Gendarmerie are responsible for internal security; the Rapid Intervention Battalion (RIB) is a large brigade-sized force comprised of approximately 9 battalions, detachments, or groups (5 infantry, 1 airborne, 1 amphibious, 1 armored reconnaissance, and 1 counter-terrorism); the RIB maintains its own command and control structure and reports directly to the president, rather than the defense minister

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies widely; approximately 40,000 active duty troops; (25,000 ground forces, including the BIR and Presidential Guard; 2,000 Navy; 1,000 Air Force; 12,000 Gendarmerie) (2020)

Military deployments

750 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (Aug 2021)

note

note: Cameroon has committed approximately 2,000-2,500 troops to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram; national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own country territories, although cross‐border operations occur occasionally

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the FAC inventory includes a mix of mostly older or second-hand Chinese, Russian, and Western equipment, with a limited quantity of more modern weapons; since 2010, China is the leading supplier of armaments to the FAC (2020)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

1.3% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

1.3% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

1.1% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.1% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

1% of GDP (2020 est.)

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 (2019)

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 2008; Cameroon and Nigeria agreed on maritime delimitation in March 2008; sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River; only 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

1,052,591 (2021) (includes far north, northwest, and southwest)

refugees (country of origin)

345,471 (Central African Republic), 119,552 (Nigeria) (2021)

Trafficking in persons

current situation

human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Cameroon and Cameroonians abroad; deteriorating economic and education conditions and diminished police and judicial presence caused by conflict in the Northwest and Southwest has left displaced persons vulnerable to trafficking; parents may be lured by promises of education or a better life for their children in urban areas, and then the children are subject to forced labor and sex trafficking; teenagers and adolescents may be lured to cities with promises of employment and then become victims of forced labor and sex trafficking; children from neighboring countries are forced to work in spare parts shops or cattle grazing by business owners and herders; Cameroonians, often from rural areas, are exploited in forced labor and sex trafficking in the Middle East, Europe, the United States, and African countries

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — Cameroon does not meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, but is making significant efforts to do so; authorities investigated at least nine suspected trafficking cases, identified 77 victims, and provided some training on trafficking indicators to officials and teachers; however, officials prosecuted and convicted fewer traffickers; standard operating procedures for the identification and referral of trafficking victims were not implemented, and officials were not trained on the measures; the government did not report referring trafficking victims to government institutions for vulnerable children, but NGO-funded centers provided care for an unknown number of child victims; 2012 anti-trafficking legislation addressing victim and witness protection in conformity with international law was not passed for the eighth consecutive year (2020)

Terrorist group(s)

Boko Haram; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – West Africa

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

8.29 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

30.71 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

65.26 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north

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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

Nuclear Test Ban

Food insecurity

severe localized food insecurity

due to civil insecurity and population displacements - according to a March 2021 analysis, about 1.9 million people (7 percent of the total population) were projected to be severely food insecure in the June‑August 2021 period; this mainly results from the effects of Boko Haram incursions in the Far North Region, the socio‑political unrest in the Northwest and Southwest regions and COVID‑19 related economic shocks, which disrupted trade flows and agricultural practices, deteriorated livelihoods and displaced people (2021)

Land use

agricultural land

20.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 13.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 3.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 4.2% (2018 est.)

forest

41.7% (2018 est.)

other

37.7% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Lake Chad Basin

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

respiratory diseases

meningococcal meningitis

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major lakes (area sq km)

Fresh water lake(s)

Lake Chad (endorheic lake shared with Niger, Nigeria, and Chad) - 10,360-25,900 sq kmnote - area varies by season and year to year

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), Niger (2,261,741 sq km)Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

2.5% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

283.15 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

737 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

104.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

246.8 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

58.1% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

3,270,617 tons (2013 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

13,082 tons (2009 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

0.4% (2009 est.)