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 a slow movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of President Paul BIYA

Geography

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

• 6 00 N, 12 00 E

Map references:

• Africa

Area:

• total: 475,440 sq kmcountry comparison to the world: 53
• land: 472,710 sq km
• water: 2,730 sq km

Area - comparative:

• slightly larger than California

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

Coastline:

• 402 km

Maritime claims:

• territorial sea: 12 nm
• contiguous zone: 24 nm

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

Elevation extremes:

• lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
• highest point: Fako 4,095 m (on Mt. Cameroon)

Natural resources:

• petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Land use:

• arable land: 12.54%
• permanent crops: 2.52%
• other: 84.94% (2005)

Irrigated land:

• 260 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

• 285.5 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

• total: 0.99 cu km/yr (18%/8%/74%)
• per capita: 61 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

• volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes

Environment - current issues:

• waterborne diseases are prevalent;
  
• deforestation;
  
• overgrazing;
  
• desertification;
  
• poaching;
  
• overfishing

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

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

People ::CAMEROON

Population:

• 18,879,301country comparison to the world: 58
• 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 (July 2009 est.)

Age structure:

• 0-14 years: 40.9% (male 3,891,762/female 3,822,870)
• 15-64 years: 55.9% (male 5,298,143/female 5,250,493)
• 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 283,289/female 332,744) (2009 est.)

Median age:

• total: 19.2 years
• male: 19 years
• female: 19.3 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

• 2.19% (2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 41

Birth rate:

• 34.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 40

Death rate:

• 12.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 34

Net migration rate:

• NA (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

• urban population: 57% of total population (2008)
• rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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 (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

• total: 63.34 deaths/1,000 live birthscountry comparison to the world: 36
• male: 68.08 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 58.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

• total population: 53.69 yearscountry comparison to the world: 201
• male: 52.89 years
• female: 54.52 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

• 4.33 children born/woman (2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 42

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

• 5.1% (2007 est.)country comparison to the world: 15

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

• 540,000 (2007 est.)country comparison to the world: 19

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

• 39,000 (2007 est.)country comparison to the world: 15

Major infectious diseases:

• degree of risk: very high
• food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
• vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
• water contact disease: schistosomiasis
• respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
• animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Nationality:

• noun: Cameroonian(s)
• adjective: Cameroonian

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%

Religions:

• indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Languages:

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

Literacy:

• definition: age 15 and over can read and write
• total population: 67.9%
• male: 77%
• female: 59.8% (2001 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

• total: 9 years
• male: 10 years
• female: 8 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

• 3.3% of GDP (2006)country comparison to the world: 138

Government

• conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon
• conventional short form: Cameroon
• local long form: Republique du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroon
• local short form: Cameroun/Cameroon
• former: French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon

Government type:

• republic; multiparty presidential regime

Capital:

• name: Yaounde
• geographic coordinates: 3 52 N, 11 31 E
• time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

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

Independence:

• 1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

• Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)

Constitution:

• approved by referendum 20 May 1972; adopted 2 June 1972; revised January 1996

Legal system:

• based on French civil law system, with common law influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

• 20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

• chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
• head of government: Prime Minister Philemon YANG (since 30 June 2009)
• cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted by the prime minister(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
• elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held by October 2011); prime minister appointed by the president
• election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote - Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, Garga Haman ADJI 3.7%

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 22 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
• election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPDM 140, SDF 14, UDC 4, UNDP 4, MP 1, vacant 17
• note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established

Judicial branch:

• Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Court of Justice (consists of nine judges and six substitute judges; elected by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

• Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA]; Cameroon People's Democratic Movement or CPDM [Paul BIYA]; 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; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union of Peoples of Cameroon or UPC [Augustin Frederic KODOCK]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

• Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]; Southern Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN]

International organization participation:

• ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

• chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph FOE-ATANGANA
• chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
• telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790
• FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826

Diplomatic representation from the US:

• chief of mission: Ambassador Janet E. GARVEY
• embassy: Avenue Rosa Parks, Yaounde
• mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520
• telephone: [237] 2220 15 00; Consular: [237] 2220 16 03
• FAX: [237] 2220 16 00 Ext. 4531; Consular FAX: [237] 2220 17 52
• branch office(s): Douala

Flag description:

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

Economy

Economy - overview:

Because of its modest 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 stagnating per capita income, a relatively inequitable distribution of income, a top-heavy civil service, and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise. International oil and cocoa prices have a significant impact on the economy. 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 is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

• $42.55 billion (2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 94
• $43.2 billion (2008 est.)
• $41.82 billion (2007 est.)
• note: data are in 2009 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

• $21.82 billion (2009 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

• -1.5% (2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 136
• 3.3% (2008 est.)
• 3.5% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

• $2,300 (2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 180
• $2,300 (2008 est.)
• $2,300 (2007 est.)
• note: data are in 2009 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

• agriculture: 19.8%
• industry: 29.7%
• services: 50.4% (2009 est.)

Labor force:

• 7.313 million (2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 61

Labor force - by occupation:

• agriculture: 70%
• industry: 13%
• services: 17% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

• 30% (2001 est.)country comparison to the world: 176

Population below poverty line:

• 48% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

• lowest 10%: 2.3%
• highest 10%: 35.4% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

• 44.6 (2001)country comparison to the world: 44
• 47.7 (1996)

Investment (gross fixed):

• 18.1% of GDP (2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 118

Budget:

• revenues: $3.838 billion
• expenditures: $3.781 billion (2009 est.)

Public debt:

• 14.3% of GDP (2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 116
• 13.5% of GDP (2008 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

• 2.5% (2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 78
• 5.3% (2008 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

• 4.75% (31 December 2008)country comparison to the world: 86
• 5.25% (31 December 2007)

(Source: CIA World Fact book 2009)