Cameroon

Cameroon

Introduction

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 permitted 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.

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 km
country comparison to the world: 54 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

290 sq km (2008)

Total renewable water resources

285.5 cu km (2003)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

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

Natural hazards

volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes
volcanism:Mt. Cameroon (elev. 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

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 and Society

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%

Languages

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

Religions

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

Population

19,711,291 (July 2011 est.)
country 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

Age structure

0-14 years: 40.5% (male 4,027,381/female 3,956,219)
15-64 years:56.2% (male 5,564,570/female 5,505,857)
65 years and over:3.3% (male 300,929/female 356,335) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 19.4 years
male:19.3 years
female:19.6 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

2.121% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41

Birth rate

33.04 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37

Death rate

11.83 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80

Urbanization

urban population: 58% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:3.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major cities – population

Douala 2.053 million

YAOUNDE (capital) 1.739 million (2009)

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 (2011 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

600 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
country comparison to the world: 18

Infant mortality rate

total: 60.91 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 33 male:65.48 deaths/1,000 live births
female:56.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 54.39 years
country comparison to the world: 200 male:53.52 years
female:55.28 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.17 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39

Health expenditures

5.6% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 126

Physicians density

0.19 physicians/1,000 population (2004)
country comparison to the world: 151

Hospital bed density

1.5 beds/1,000 population (2006)
country comparison to the world: 120

Drinking water source

improved:
urban: 92% of population
rural: 51% of population
total: 74% of population
unimproved:
urban: 8% of population
rural: 49% of population
total: 26% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access

improved:
urban: 56% of population
rural: 35% of population
total: 47% of population
unimproved:
urban: 44% of population
rural: 65% of population
total: 53% of population (2008)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

5.3% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

610,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14

HIV/AIDS – deaths

37,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11

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)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

16.6% (2006)
country comparison to the world: 48

Education expenditures

3.7% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 113

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: 10 years
male:11 years
female:9 years (2009)

Government

Country name

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

amended April 2008

Legal system

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

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

non-party state to the ICCt

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 (with no term limits per 2008 constitutional amendment)

election last held on 9 October 2011 (next to be held in October 2018)

prime minister appointed by the president
election results:President Paul BIYA reelected

percent of vote – Paul BIYA 78.0%, John FRU NDI 10.7%, Garga Haman ADJI 3.2%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 1.7%, Paul Abine AYAH 1.3%, other 5.1%

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 on 22 July 2007 (next to be held in July 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

Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement or CPDM [Paul BIYA]

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

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

ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, 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 Robert P. JACKSON
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

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

National symbol(s)

lion

National anthem

name: “O Cameroun, Berceau de nos Ancetres” (O Cameroon, Cradle of Our Forefathers)
lyrics/music:Rene Djam AFAME, Samuel Minkio BAMBA, Moise Nyatte NKO’O [French], Benard Nsokika FONLON [English]/Rene Djam AFAME
note:adopted 1957

Cameroon’s anthem, also known as “Chant de Ralliement” (The Rallying Song), has been used unofficially since 1948 although officially adopted in 1957

the anthem has French and English versions whose lyrics differ

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 confronting other underdeveloped countries, such as stagnant per capita income, a relatively inequitable distribution of income, a top-heavy civil service, endemic corruption, 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 is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs. Weak prices for oil led to the significant slowdown in growth in 2010. The government is under pressure to reduce its budget deficit, which by the government’s own forecast will hit 2.8% of GDP, but the presidential election in 2011 may make fiscal austerity difficult.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$44.33 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95 $43.04 billion (2009 est.)
$42.22 billion (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$22.48 billion (2010 est.)

GDP – real growth rate

3% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126 2% (2009 est.)
2.6% (2008 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$2,300 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184 $2,300 (2009 est.)
$2,300 (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: 19.7%
industry:31.4%
services:48.9% (2010 est.)

Labor force

7.836 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59

Labor force – by occupation

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

Unemployment rate

30% (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175

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: 41 47.7 (1996)

Investment (gross fixed)

19.3% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126

Budget

revenues: $3.881 billion
expenditures:$4.434 billion (2010 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

17.3% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.5% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85

Public debt

16.1% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119 15.1% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.3% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38 3% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate

NA% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89 4.25% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

14% (31 December 2010 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$3.264 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105 $3.188 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$5.344 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121 $5.103 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$1.587 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137 $1.58 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Agriculture – products

coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches

livestock

timber

Industries

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

Industrial production growth rate

4% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102

Electricity – production

5.421 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112

Electricity – consumption

4.883 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113

Electricity – exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity – imports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Oil – production

65,330 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55

Oil – consumption

30,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117

Oil – exports

101,300 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63

Oil – imports

46,490 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90

Oil – proved reserves

200 million bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59

Natural gas – production

20 million cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88

Natural gas – consumption

20 million cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111

Natural gas – exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78

Natural gas – imports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102

Natural gas – proved reserves

135.1 billion cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50

Current account balance

-$825.1 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127 -$1.137 billion (2009 est.)

Exports

$4.494 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114 $4.079 billion (2009 est.)

Exports – commodities

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

Exports – partners

Spain 15.1%, Netherlands 12.8%, China 9.4%, Italy 9.3%, France 6.5%, US 6.4% (2010)

Imports

$4.975 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114 $4.405 billion (2009 est.)

Imports – commodities

machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food

Imports – partners

France 19.1%, China 13.3%, Nigeria 12.4%, Belgium 5.5%, Germany 4% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$3.665 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95 $3.676 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt – external

$3.123 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127 $2.941 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs
495.28 (2010)
472.19 (2009)
447.81 (2008)
493.51 (2007)
522.59 (2006)

Transportation

Airports

34 (2010)
country comparison to the world:111

Airports – with paved runways

total: 11
over 3,047 m:2
2,438 to 3,047 m:5
1,524 to 2,437 m:3
914 to 1,523 m:1 (2010)

Airports – with unpaved runways

total: 23
1,524 to 2,437 m:3
914 to 1,523 m:14
under 914 m:6 (2010)

Pipelines

oil 886 km (2010)

Railways

total: 987 km
country comparison to the world: 88 narrow gauge:987 km 1.000-m gauge (2010)

Roadways

total: 50,000 km
country comparison to the world: 80 paved:5,000 km
unpaved:45,000 km (2004)

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)

Ports and terminals

Douala, Garoua, Limboh Terminal

Military

Military branches

Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L’Armee de Terre), Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l’Air du Cameroun, AAC), Fire Fighter Corps, Gendarmerie (2011)

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

the government periodically calls for volunteers (2010)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 4,667,251
females age 16-49:4,548,909 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 2,794,998
females age 16-49:2,718,110 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 215,248
female:211,636 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures

1.3% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 117

Transnational Issues

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 agree 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

refugees (country of origin): 20,000-30,000 (Chad)

3,000 (Nigeria)

24,000 (Central African Republic) (2007)

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Cameroon is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation

most victims are children trafficked within country: girls are primarily trafficked for domestic servitude and sexual exploitation and both boys and girls are trafficked for forced labor in sweatshops, bars, restaurants, street vending, mining, and on tea and cocoa plantations

children are trafficked into Cameroon from neighboring states for forced labor in agriculture, fishing, street vending, and spare-parts shops

Nigerian and Beninese children transiting Cameroon to Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, or adjacent countries often fall victim to traffickers

it is a source country for women transported by sex-trafficking rings to Europe

Cameroonian trafficking victims were reported in the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Cyprus, Norway, and Senegal
tier rating:Tier 2 Watch List – while the government modestly increased its efforts to prevent trafficking, including the creation of an inter-ministerial committee and a national action plan, it failed to convict or punish trafficking offenders, including complicit officials, under its child trafficking law, did not take steps to enact a 2006 draft law prohibiting the trafficking of adults, and did not exhibit significant efforts to protect victims of trafficking (2011)