The 1997 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

West; possibly becoming money-laundering center; high-level narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving government, military, and police; possible small-scale opium, heroin, and amphetamine production; large producer of cannabis for the international market ______________________________________________________________________

      CAMEROON

      @Cameroon:Geography

      Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between

       Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

      Geographic coordinates: 6 00 N, 12 00 E

      Map references: Africa

      Area: total: 475,440 sq km land: 469,440 sq km water: 6,000 sq km

      Area - comparative: slightly larger than California

      Land boundaries:

       total : 4,591 km

       border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km,

       Republic of the 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 highest point: Fako 4,095 m

      Natural resources: petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower potential

      Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 78% other : 3% (1993 est.)

      Irrigated land: 210 sq km (1993 est.)

      Natural hazards: recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases

      Environment - current issues: water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing

      Environment - international agreements: party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Nuclear Test Ban

      Geography - note: sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa

      @Cameroon:People

      Population: 14,677,510 (July 1997 est.)

      Age structure: 0–14 years: 46% (male 3,387,450; female 3,356,237) 15–64 years: 51% (male 3,712,809; female 3,736,245) 65 years and over: 3% (male 219,975; female 264,894) (July 1997 est.)

      Population growth rate: 2.86% (1997 est.)

      Birth rate: 42.22 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

      Death rate: 13.64 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

      Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

      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 total population: 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

      Infant mortality rate: 77.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth: total population: 52.27 years male: 51.22 years female: 53.35 years (1997 est.)

      Total fertility rate: 5.93 children born/woman (1997 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.)

      @Cameroon: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 1990)

      National 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 MUSONGA (since 19 September 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections : president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 11 October 1992 (next to be held NA October 1997); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote - Paul BIYA 40%, SDF candidate John FRU NDI 36%, UNDP candidate Bello Bouba MAIGARI 19%; note - election held amid widespread allegations of fraud

      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 I; note - 7 contested seats will be filled in an election at a time to be set by the Supreme Court

      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 legalization of opposition parties in 1990) [Paul BIYA, president] major opposition parties: Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou NDAM NJOYA]; Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA, leader]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA, chairman]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI, leader]; Union of Cameroonian Populations or UPC [Ndeh NTUMAZAH, leader]

      Political pressure groups and leaders: Alliance for Change or FAC;

       Cameroon Anglophone Movement or CAM

      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, 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 telephone: [1] (202) 265–8790 through 8794

      Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles H. TWINING embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde mailing address : B. P. 817, Yaounde; Pouch American Embassy DOS, Washington, DC 20521–2520 telephone: [237] 23–40-14, 23–05-12 FAX: [237] 23–07-53

      Flag description: three equal vertical