Cameroon

Cameroon

 

Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Area

Land Boundaries

Total 4,591 km, Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Coastline

402 km

Maritime Claims

International Disputes

Demarcation of international boundaries in Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; dispute with Nigeria over land and maritime boundaries in the vicinity of the Bakasi Peninsula has been referred to the International Court of Justice

Climate

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

Terrain

Diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Fako 4,095 m

Natural Resources

Land Use

Irrigated Land

280 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment

Note: Sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa

PEOPLE

Population

14,261,557 (July 1996 est.)
13.521 million (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

46% (male 3,295,924; female 3,266,429)
44% (male 3,001,487; female 2,978,216)

15-64 Years

51% (male 3,602,037; female 3,627,625)
52% (male 3,523,100; female 3,562,247)

65 Years and Over

3% (male 213,176; female 256,366) (July 1996 est.)
4% (male 207,636; female 248,314) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

2.89% (1996 est.)
2.92% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

42.49 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
40.42 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

13.56 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
11.19 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

78.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
75.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total Fertility Rate

5.99 children born/woman (1996 est.)
5.8 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic Divisions

Religions

Languages

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

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)

Labor Force

NA

By occupation:

GOVERNMENT

Names

Digraph

CM

Type

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

Capital

Yaounde

Administrative Divisions

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

Independence

1 January 1960 (from UN trusteeship under French administration)

National Holiday

National Day, 20 May (1972)

Constitution

20 May 1972

Legal System

Based on French civil law system, with common law influence; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

Elections last held 1 March 1992 (next scheduled for March 1997); results - (180 seats) CPDM 88, UNDP 68, UPC 18, MDR 6

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court

Political Parties and Leaders

Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM), Paul BIYA, president, is government-controlled and was formerly the only party, but opposition parties were legalized in 1990

Other Political or Pressure Groups

Alliance for Change (FAC), Cameroon Anglophone Movement (CAM)

Member of

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

National Anthem

Flag

Three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

ECONOMY

Overview

Because of its offshore oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed, most diversified primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious problems facing other underdeveloped countries, such as political instability, a top-heavy civil service, and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise. The development of the oil sector led to rapid economic growth between 1970 and 1985. Growth came to an abrupt halt in 1986, precipitated by steep declines in the prices of major exports: coffee, cocoa, and petroleum. Export earnings were cut by almost one-third, and inefficiencies in fiscal management were exposed. In 1990-93, with support from the IMF and World Bank, the government began to introduce reforms designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, and recapitalize the nation's banks. Political instability, following suspect elections in 1992, brought IMF/WB structural adjustment to a halt; currently Cameroon receives only minimal assistance from those Bretton Woods institutions. Although the 50% devaluation of the currency of 12 January 1994 improved the potential for export growth, mismanagement remains the main barrier to economic improvement. The devaluation led to a spurt in inflation, to 48% in 1994, but inflation moderated in 1995. Progress toward privatization of remaining state industry remains slow.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $16.5 billion (1995 est.), $15.7 billion (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

1.8% (1995 est.)
-2.9% (1994 est.)

National Product Per Capita

$1,200 (1995 est.)
$1,200 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

48% (1994)
-0.8% (FY91/92)

Unemployment Rate

25% (1990 est.)

Budget

Exports

$1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993)

Commodities:

Partners:

Imports

$810 million (f.o.b., 1994)
$1.96 billion (c.i.f., 1993)

Commodities:

Partners:

External Debt

$6.6 billion (1993)
$6 billion (1991)

Industrial Production

Growth rate -2.1% (FY90/91); accounts for about 20% of GDP

Electricity

Industries

Agriculture

The agriculture and forestry sectors provide employment for the majority of the population, contributing about 25% to GDP and providing a high degree of self-sufficiency in staple foods; commercial and food crops include coffee, cocoa, timber, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, livestock, root starches

Economic Aid

Currency

1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange Rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990)

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

Fiscal Year

1 July - 30 June

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

Highways

Inland Waterways

2,090 km; of decreasing importance

Ports

Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko

Merchant Marine

Airports

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

36,737 telephones (1991 est.); available only to business and government

Radio

Television

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

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

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 3,112,339; males fit for military service 1,572,150; males reach military age (18) annually 151,300 (1996 est.)

Defense Expenditures

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

History
World Atlas