Background: Powerful chiefdoms ruled much of the area of present-day Cameroon before it became a German colony known as Kamerun in 1884. After World War I, the territory was divided between France and the UK as League of Nations mandates. 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 enabled the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Nonetheless, unrest and violence in the country's two western, English-speaking regions have persisted since 2016. Movement toward democratic reform is slow, and political power remains firmly in the hands of President Paul BIYA.

Area
Total: 475,440 km²
Land: 472,710 km²
Water: 2,730 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than California; about four times the size of Pennsylvania

Land boundaries
Total: 5,018 km
Border countries (6): (6) Central African Republic 901 km; Chad 1,116 km; Republic of the Congo 494 km; Equatorial Guinea 183 km; Gabon 349 km; Nigeria 1975 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
Highest point: Fako on Mont Cameroun 4,045 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 667 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 20.9% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 13.1% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 3.6% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 4.2% (2023 est.)
Forest: 41% (2023 est.)
Other: 38.1% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 290 km² (2012)

Natural hazards: volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes
Volcanism: Mt. Cameroon (4,095 m), which last erupted in 2000, is the most frequently active volcano in West Africa; lakes in the Oku volcanic field sometimes release fatal levels of gas, which killed about 1,700 people in 1986

Geography
Note: sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa because of its central location on the continent and its position at the west-south juncture of the Gulf of Guinea; 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
Total: 30,966,105 (2024 est.)
Male: 15,429,588
Female: 15,536,517
Distribution: population concentrated in the west and north, with the interior of the country sparsely populated, as shown in this population distribution map
Growth rate: 2.71% (2024 est.)

Languages: 24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)
Major-language sample(s): ; The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English); The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

Religions: Roman Catholic 33.1%, Muslim 30.6%, Protestant 27.1% other Christian 6.1%, animist 1.3%, other 0.7%, none 1.2% (2022 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 41.5% (male 6,477,438/female 6,364,987)
15-64 years: 55.3% (male 8,488,522/female 8,638,519)
65 years and over: 3.2% (2024 est.) (male 463,628/female 533,011)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 80.8 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 75 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.8 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 17.2 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 18.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 18.6 years
Female: 19.2 years

Population growth rate: 2.71% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 34.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 7.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: population concentrated in the west and north, with the interior of the country sparsely populated, as shown in this population distribution map

Urbanization
Urban population: 59.3% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 3.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 4.509 million YAOUNDE (capital), 4.063 million Douala (2023)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 258 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 46.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 50.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 41.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 64.2 years (2024 est.)
Male: 62.3 years
Female: 66.1 years

Total fertility rate: 4.44 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 18.4% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 47.5% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 30.4% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 16.8% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 72.6% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 39.8% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 11% (2018 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 3.6% (2024 est.); 3.7% (2023 est.); 3.7% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Yaounde
Geographic coordinates: 3 52 N, 11 31 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: Germans founded the city in 1888, but the name comes from the native Ewondo people; the meaning of the name is unclear

Administrative divisions: 10 regions (régions, singular - région); Adamaoua, Centre, East (Est), Far North (Extrême-Nord), Littoral, North (Nord), North-West (Nord-Ouest), West (Ouest), South (Sud), South-West (Sud-Ouest)

Legal system: mixed 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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
Head of government: Prime Minister Joseph NGUTE (since 4 January 2019)
Cabinet: Cabinet proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 7-year term (no term limits); prime minister appointed by the president
Most recent election date: 12 October 2025
Election results: 2025- Paul BIYA reelected president; percent of vote - Paul BIYA (CPDM) 53.7%, Issa Tchiroma BAKARY (CNSF) 35.2%, Cabral LIBII (PCRN) 3.4%, Bello Boubou MAIGARI (UNDP)2.4%, other 5.3%
2018: Paul BIYA reelected president; percent of vote - Paul BIYA (CPDM) 71.3%, Maurice KAMTO (MRC) 14.2%, Cabral LIBII (Univers) 6.3%, other 8.2% (2018)
Expected date of next election: October 2,032

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Parlement - Parliament
Legislative structure: bicameral

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (left side), red, and yellow, with a small five-pointed yellow star centered in the red band

National anthem
Title: 'O Cameroun, Berceau de Nos Ancêtres' (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
History: adopted 1957; lyrics were changed slightly to the current version in 1978

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 3 (two natural and one cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 3.7% (2024 est.); 3.2% (2023 est.); 3.7% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 3.7% (2024 est.); 3.2% (2023 est.); 3.7% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 74.5% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 10.5% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 21.4% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 14.7% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -21.1% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 17.4% (2024 est.)
Industry: 25.6% (2024 est.)
Services: 49.9% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

Industrial production growth rate: 1.9% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 11.119 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 3.6% (2024 est.); 3.7% (2023 est.); 3.7% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 3.6% (2024 est.); 3.7% (2023 est.); 3.7% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $6.385 billion (2021 est.)
Expenditures: $7.624 billion (2021 est.)
Note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 11.3% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $8.353 billion (2023 est.); $8.641 billion (2022 est.); $7.447 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: crude petroleum, natural gas, gold, cocoa beans, wood (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $10.294 billion (2023 est.); $9.759 billion (2022 est.); $9.025 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: garments, refined petroleum, plastic products, wheat, rice (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 1.798 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 6.161 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 60 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 2.238 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 71% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 94%
Access electrification - rural areas: 25%
Generation sources fossil fuels: 36.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 63.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Imports: 300 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 64,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 41,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 200 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 2.356 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 534.691 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Exports: 1.821 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 135.071 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 6.707 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 200 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 5.658 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 1.049 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 4.271 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 896,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 26.2 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 83 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 42% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 603,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2022 est.)

Military expenditures: 1% of GDP (2024 est.); 1% of GDP (2023 est.); 1% of GDP (2022 est.); 1% of GDP (2021 est.); 1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 37 (2025)

Heliports: 1 (2025)

Railways
Total: 987 km (2014)
Narrow gauge: 987 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge
Note: railway connections generally efficient but limited; rail lines connect major cities of Douala, Yaounde, Ngaoundere, and Garoua; passenger and freight service provided by CAMRAIL

Merchant marine
Total: 198 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 2, general cargo 91, oil tanker 42, other 63