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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 59 usable: 51 with permanent-surface runways: 11 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 6 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 51

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

about 65,000 km total; includes 2,682 km paved, 32,318 km gravel and improved earth, and 30,000 km of unimproved earth

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

2,090 km; of decreasing importance

Merchant marine [time series]

2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,122 GRT/33,509 DWT

Ports [time series]

Douala

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

1,003 km total; 858 km 1.000-meter gauge, 145 km 0.600-meter gauge

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

good system of open wire, cable, troposcatter, and microwave radio relay; 26,000 telephones, 2 telephones per 1,000 persons, available only to business and government; broadcast stations - 11 AM, 11 FM, 1 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $219 million, less than 2% of GDP (1990 est.)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 2,844,280; fit for military service 1,432,563; reach military age (18) annually 125,453 (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

the agriculture and forestry sectors provide employment for the majority of the population, contributing nearly 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

Budget [time series]

revenues $1.7 billion; expenditures $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $422 million (FY90 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-90), $479 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-90), $4.75 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $29 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $125 million

Electricity [time series]

755,000 kW capacity; 2,190 million kWh produced, 190 kWh per capita (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 274.06 (January 1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988)

Exports [time series]

$1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: petroleum products 51%, coffee, beans, cocoa, aluminum products, timber partners: EC (particularly France) about 50%, US, African countries

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$6 billion (1991)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July - 30 June

Imports [time series]

$1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: machines and electrical equipment, food, consumer goods, transport equipment partners: EC about 60%, France 41%, Germany 9%, African countries, Japan, US 4%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 6.4% (FY87); accounts for 30% of GDP

Industries [time series]

petroleum production and refining, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, sawmills

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3% (1990 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $11.5 billion (1990 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$1,040 (1990 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

3% (1990 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Because of its offshore oil resources, Cameroon has one of the highest incomes per capita in tropical 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 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 1990-92, with support from the IMF and World Bank, the government has begun to introduce reforms designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, and recapitalize the nation's banks. Nationwide strikes organized by opposition parties in 1991, however, undermined these efforts.

Unemployment rate [time series]

25% (1990 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 475,440 km2 land area: 469,440 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than California

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

402 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

demarcation of international boundaries in Lake Chad, the lack of which has led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaiting ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; boundary commission, created with Nigeria to discuss unresolved land and maritime boundaries, has not yet convened

Irrigated land [time series]

280 km2 (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land: 13% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 18% forest and woodland: 54% other: 13%

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 50 nm

Natural resources [time series]

petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower potential

Note [time series]

sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Yaounde

Constitution [time series]

20 May 1972

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Paul PONDI chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 265-8790 through 8794

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

National Assembly: last held 1 March 1992 (next scheduled for March 1997); results - (180 seats) CPDM 88, UNDP 68, UPC 18, MDR 6 President: last held 11 October 1992; results - President Paul BIYA reelected with about 40% of the vote amid widespread allegations of fraud; SDF candidate John FRU NDI got 36% of the vote; UNDP candidate Bello Bouba MAIGARI got 19% of the vote

Executive branch [time series]

president, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

1 January 1960 (from UN trusteeship under French administration)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982) Head of Government: Prime Minister Simon ACHIDI ACHU (since 9 April 1992)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-19, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNTAC, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon conventional short form: Cameroon former: French Cameroon

National holiday [time series]

National Day, 20 May (1972)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

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 major opposition parties: National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP) major oppositon parties: Social Democratic Front (SDF) major opposition parties: Cameroonian Democratic Union (UDC); Union of Cameroonian Populations (UPC)

Suffrage [time series]

20 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Harriet ISOM embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde mailing address: B. P. 817, Yaounde telephone: [237] 234-014 FAX: [237] 230-753 consulate: Douala

People

Birth rate [time series]

40.66 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

11.63 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%, non-African less than 1%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

78.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

NA by occupation: agriculture 74.4%, industry and transport 11.4%, other services 14.2% (1983) note: 50% of population of working age (15-64 years) (1985)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 56.66 years male: 54.65 years female: 58.74 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 54% male: 66% female: 43%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Cameroonian(s) adjective: Cameroonian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

12,755,873 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.9% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 33%, Muslim 16%

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.88 children born/woman (1993 est.)