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 movement toward democratic reform political power remains firmly in the hands of an ethnic oligarchy.

Area
Total: s (UPC; Movement for the Defense of the Republic (MDR)
Land: 469,440 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than California

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: territorial sea:50 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
Extremes highest point: Fako 4,095 m

Natural resources:

Land use
Arable land: 13%
Permanent crops: 2%
Permanent pastures: 18%
Forests and woodland: 54%
Other: 13%

Irrigated land: 280 km² (1989 est.)

Population:
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Cameroonian(s)
Adjective: Cameroonian

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions:

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

Environment
Current issues: water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing
Current issues Natural hazards: recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases
International agreements: party to_Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83; signed, but not ratified_Desertification, Nuclear Test Ban, Tropical Timber 94
International agreements note: Sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa

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:

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 52.6 (1996 est.), 57.48 years (1995 est.)
Male: 51.55 years 91,996 est.), 55.41 years (1995 est.)
Female: 53.68 years (1996 est.), 59.6 years (1995 est.) (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)
Total population: 63.4%
Male: 75%
Female: 52.1%

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon
Conventional short form: Cameroon
Former: French Cameroon

Government 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
Chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982); election 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
Head of government: Prime Minister Simon ACHIDI ACHU (since 9 April 1992)
Cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president

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

International organization participation: 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

Flag description: 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.

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:

Agriculture products: 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

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate -2.1% (FY90/91; accounts for about 20% of GDP

Labor force: NA
By occupation Agriculture: 74.4%
By occupation Industry and transport: 11.4%
By occupation Other services: 14.2% (1983)

Unemployment rate: 25% (1990 est.)

Budget
Revenues: $1.6 billion
Expenditures: $2.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $226 million (FY92/93 est.)

Fiscal year: 1 July_30 June

Exports:
Commodities:
Partners:

Debt external:

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

Electricity
Capacity: 630,000 kW
Production: 2.7 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 196 kWh (1993)

Telephone system: 36,737 telephones (1991 est.); available only to business and government
Local: NA
Intercity: cable, microwave radio relay, and troposcatter
International: 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $102 million, NA of GDP (FY93/94)

Airports: 45
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 7
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 15 (1995 est.)
With paved runways under 914 m: 13

Waterways: 2,090 km; of decreasing importance

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