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.

Geographic coordinates: 6 00 N 12 00 E

Area
Rank: 54
Land: 472,710 km²
Water: 2,730 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries
Border countries: (6) Central African Republic 901 km; Chad 1116 km; Republic of the Congo 494 km; Equatorial Guinea 183 km; Gabon 349 km; Nigeria 1975 km

Coastline: 402 km

Maritime claims
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 highest point: Fako 4,095 m (on Mt. Cameroon)

Natural resources: petroleum bauxite iron ore timber hydropower

Land use
Permanent crops: 2.94%
Other: 84.01% (2011)

Irrigated land: 256.5 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 285.5 km³ (2011)

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 1700 people in 1986

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

Population: 23,130,708
Rank: 54
Growth rate: 2.6% (2014 est.)
Growth rate rank: 26
Below poverty line: 48% (2000 est.)

Nationality
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%

Age structure
15-24 years: 19.6% (male 2,286,244/female 2,257,231)
25-54 years: 30.4% (male 3,529,203/female 3,491,125)
55-64 years: 3.9% (male 445,181/female 468,388)
65 years and over: 3.4% (male 337,490/female 386,740) (2014 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 79.1 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 6 %
Potential support ratio: 16.8 (2014 est.)

Median age
Male: 18.2 years
Female: 18.4 years (2014 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.6% (2014 est.)
Rank: 26

Birth rate: 36.58 births/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 19

Death rate: 10.4 deaths/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 41

Net migration rate: -0.15 migrant(s)/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 118

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 3.23% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: Douala 2.449 million; YAOUNDE (capital) 2.432 million (2011)

Environment
Current issues: waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 19.7

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 31
Male: 58.78 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 51.31 deaths/1000 live births (2014 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 202
Male: 56.09 years
Female: 58.65 years (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.82 children born/woman (2014 est.)
Rank: 20

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 23.4% (2011)

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 0.08 physicians/1000 population (2009)

Hospital bed density: 1.3 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 4.5% (2012 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 15
People living with hivaids: 600,500 (2012 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 16
Deaths: 34,600 (2012 est.)
Deaths rank: 11

Major infectious diseases
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria dengue fever and yellow fever
Water contact disease: schistosomiasis
Respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
Animal contact disease: rabies (2013)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 10.3% (2008)
Rank: 130

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 15.1% (2011)
Rank: 48

Education expenditures: 3.2% of GDP (2011)
Rank: 133

Literacy
Total population: 71.3%
Male: 78.3%
Female: 64.8% (2010 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 11 years
Female: 10 years (2011)

Country name
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
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 East (Est) Far North (Extreme-Nord) Littoral North (Nord) North-West (Nord-Ouest) West (Ouest) South (Sud) South-West (Sud-Ouest)

Independence: 1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Republic Day (National Day) 20 May (1972)

Constitution: several previous; latest effective 18 January 1996; amended 2008 (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
Head of government: Prime Minister Philemon YANG (since 30 June 2009)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted by the prime minister
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: bicameral legislature consisting of an upper house or Senate (100 seats; 70 indirectly elected by municipal councils 30 appointed by the President) and a 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; a senate was initially designated in 1996 by constitutional amendment but was only convened following a presidential decree in 2013
Elections: Senate last held on 14 April 2013 (next to be held NA); National Assembly last held on 30 September 2013 (next to be held in 2018)
Election results: Senate percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPDM 56 SDF 14; National Assembley percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPDM 148 SDF 18 UNDP 5 UDC 4 UPC 3 other 2

Judicial branch
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president with the advice of the Higher Judicial Council of Cameroon (a body chaired by the president and includes the minister of justice selected magistrates and representatives of the National Assembly); judge term NA; Constitutional Council members appointed by the president for single 9-year terms
Subordinate courts: Parliamentary Court of Justice (jurisdiction limited to cases involving the president and prime minister); appellate and first instance courts; circuit and magistrate's courts

Political parties and leaders: Union of Peoples of Cameroon or UPC [The PMB provisionary management bureau]

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU BDEAC C CEMAC EITI (candidate country) FAO FZ G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (national committees) ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA MONUSCO NAM OIC OIF OPCW PCA UN UNAMID UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chancery: 2,349 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008; current temporary address - 3,400 International Drive NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 265-8,790
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 387-3,826
From the us embassy: Avenue Rosa Parks Yaounde
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 817 Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy US Department of State Washington DC 20,521-2,520
From the us telephone: [237] 2,220 15 00; Consular: [237] 2,220 16 03
From the us FAX: [237] 2,220 15 00 Ext. 4,531; Consular FAX: [237] 2,220 17 52
From the us branch office: 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'

National symbols: lion

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Rene Djam AFAME Samuel Minkio BAMBA Moise Nyatte NKO'O [French] Benard Nsokika FONLON [English]/Rene Djam AFAME

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. Subsidies for electricity food and fuel have strained the budget. Cameroon has several large infrastructure projects under construction including a deep sea port in Kribi and the Lom Pangar Hydropower Project. It also recently opened a natural gas powered electricity generating plant. Cameroon must attract more investment to improve its inadequate infrastructure but its business environment is a deterrent to foreign investment.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 97

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 64

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 188

Gross national saving:
Rank: 71

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 16%
Investment in fixed capital: 21.7%
Investment in inventories: 0%
Exports of goods and services: 31.7%
Imports of goods and services: -35%: (2013 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 27.3%
Services: 52.1% (2013 est.)

Agriculture products: coffee cocoa cotton rubber bananas oilseed grains cassava (manioc tapioca); livestock; timber

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

Industrial production growth rate: 4.1% (2013 est.)
Rank: 70

Labor force: 8.426 million (2013 est.)
Rank: 56
By occupation industry: 13%
By occupation services: 17% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 30% (2001 est.)
Rank: 181

Population below poverty line: 48% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: 35.4% (2001)

Distribution of family income gini index: 47.7 (1996)
Rank: 43

Budget
Expenditures: $6.28 billion (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -4.3% of GDP (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 154

Taxes and other revenues: 18.3% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 173

Public debt: 16.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 140

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.9% (2012 est.)
Rank: 97

Central bank discount rate: 4.25% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 14% (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 49

Stock of narrow money: $3.482 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 110

Stock of broad money: $5.731 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 123

Stock of domestic credit: $2.772 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 126

Market value of publicly traded shares: $230 million (31 December 2012 est.)

Current account balance: -$956.2 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 132

Exports: $6.015 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 108
Commodities: crude oil and petroleum products lumber cocoa beans aluminum coffee cotton
Partners: China 15.2% Netherlands 9.7% Spain 9.1% India 8.6% Portugal 8.1% Italy 6% US 5.5% France 4% (2012)

Imports: $6.321 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 116
Commodities: machinery electrical equipment transport equipment fuel food
Partners: China 18.7% France 14.9% Nigeria 12.3% Belgium 5.2% US 4.4% India 4.2% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3.431 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 104

Debt external: $3.207 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 129

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 5.761 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 114
Consumption: 5.181 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 114
Exports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 120
Imports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 128
Installed generating capacity: 1.115 million kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 124
Generation sources fossil fuels: 27.8% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 184
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 66
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 72.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 20
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 168

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 63,520 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 57
Crude oil exports: 55,680 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 45
Crude oil imports: 34,220 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 61
Crude oil proven reserves: 200 million bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 59

Refined petroleum
Products production: 43,500 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 82
Products consumption: 29,410 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 114
Products exports: 13,370 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 80
Products imports: 6,018 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 143

Natural gas
Production: 150 million m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 80
Consumption: 210 million m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 101
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 81
Imports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 176
Proven reserves: 135.1 billion m³ (1 January 2013 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 50

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 8.126 million Mt (2011 est.)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 737,400 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 88
Mobile cellular: 13.1 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 64

Telephone system
Domestic: mobile-cellular usage in part a reflection of the poor condition and general inadequacy of the fixed-line network has increased sharply reaching a subscribership base of 50 per 100 persons
International: country code - 237; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2011)

Broadcast media: government maintains tight control over broadcast media; state-owned Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV) broadcasting on both a TV and radio network was the only officially recognized and fully licensed broadcaster until August 2007 when the government finally issued licenses to 2 private TV broadcasters and 1 private radio broadcaster; about 70 privately owned unlicensed radio stations operating but are subject to closure at any time; foreign news services required to partner with state-owned national station (2007)

Internet
Country code: .cm
Hosts: 10,207 (2012)
Hosts rank: 134
Users: 749,600 (2009)
Users rank: 106

Military expenditures:
Rank: 70

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 makes periodic calls for volunteers (2012)

Airports: 33 (2013)
Rank: 112
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 5
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 10
With unpaved runways: 8 (2013)

Pipelines: gas 53 km; liquid petroleum gas 5 km; oil 1107 km; water 35 km (2013)

Railways
Rank: 82
Narrow gauge: 1245 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways
Rank: 77
Paved: 4,108 km
Unpaved: 47,242 km

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
Oilgas terminal: Limboh Terminal

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 agreed 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