rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population; note—there
may be some migration but figures are not available
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: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 75.69 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 51.32 years male: 49.75 years female: 52.94 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.8 children born/woman (1999 est.)
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%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 33%, Muslim 16%
Languages: 24 major African language groups, English (official),
French (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 63.4%
male: 75%
female: 52.1% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon
conventional short form: Cameroon
former: French Cameroon
Data code: CM
Government type: unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in 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; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
head of government: Prime Minister Peter Mafany MUSONGE (since 19
September 1996)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 12 October 1997 (next to be held NA October
2004); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of
vote—Paul BIYA 93%; note—supporters of the opposition candidates
boycotted the elections, making a comparison of vote shares
relatively meaningless
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 11 May 1997 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—CDPM
109, SDF 43, UNDP 13, UDC 5, UPC-K 1, MDR 1, MLJC 1; note—7
contested seats will be filled in an election at a time to be set by
the Supreme Court
note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the
legislature, to be called Senate, which the government proposed to
establish in 1998
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the
president
Political parties and leaders: Cameroon People's Democratic
Movement or CPDM (government-controlled and the only party until
major opposition parties: Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC
Frederick KODOG]; Union of Cameroonian Democratic Forces or UFOC
Political pressure groups and leaders: Alliance for Change or
general]
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC,
C, 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, OPCW, PCA, UDEAC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John M. YATES embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde mailing address: B. P. 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521–2520
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
Economy—overview: Because of its 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 facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy civil service 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 government, however, has failed to press forward vigorously with these programs. The latest enhanced structural adjustment agreement was signed in October 1997; the parties hope this will prove more successful, yet government mismanagement and corruption remain problems. Inflation has been brought back under control. Progress toward privatization of remaining state industry may support economic growth in 1999–2000.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$29.6 billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: 5% (1998 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,000 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 42% industry: 22% services: 36% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: 40% (1984 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1998 est.)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: 30% (1998 est.)
Budget: