The 1997 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
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 offshore 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 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. 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. Political instability, following suspect elections in 1992, has limited the effectiveness of aid programs. Currently, Cameroon receives only minimal assistance from the IMF and the World Bank. Although the 50% devaluation of the currency of 12 January 1994 improved the potential for export growth, mismanagement remains and is the main barrier to economic improvement. The devaluation led to a spurt in inflation to 48% in 1994, but it moderated in 1995–96. Progress toward privatization of remaining state industry remains slow.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $17.5 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.4% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,230 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 29% industry: 25% services: 46% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 6% (FY96/97 est.)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues : $2.23 billion expenditures: $2.23 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97 est.)
Industries: petroleum production and refining, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 630,000 kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 2.71 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 186 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber
Exports: total value: $1.9 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, aluminum, cocoa beans, coffee, cotton partners: EU (particularly France) about 50%, African countries
Imports: total value : $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: machines and electrical equipment, food, consumer goods, transport equipment, petroleum products partners: EU (France 42%, Germany), African countries, US 4%
Debt - external: $8.2 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 541.69 (January 1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991) 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
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Cameroon:Communications
Telephones: 36,737 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: available only to business and government domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 11, FM 11, shortwave 0
Radios: 2 million (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1995)
Televisions: NA
@Cameroon:Transportation
Railways: total: 1,104 km narrow gauge: 1,104 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)
Highways: total: 34,300 km paved : 4,288 km unpaved: 30,012 km (1995)
Waterways: 2,090 km; of decreasing importance
Ports and harbors: Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko
Merchant marine: total: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,122 GRT/33,509 DWT (1996 est.)
Airports: 44 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m : 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 12 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 22 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m : 15 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force,
National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15–49: 3,211,508 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 1,623,228 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 156,208 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $102 million (FY93/94)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: demarcation of international boundaries in vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; dispute with Nigeria over land and maritime boundaries in the vicinity of the Bakasi Peninsula has been referred to the International Court of Justice ______________________________________________________________________
CANADA
@Canada:Geography
Location: Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and North Pacific Ocean, north of the conterminous US
Geographic coordinates: 60 00 N, 95 00 W
Map references: North America
Area: total: 9,976,140 sq km land: 9,220,970 sq km water: 755,170 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than US
Land boundaries: total: 8,893 km border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)
Coastline: 243,791 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north
Terrain: mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Logan 5,950 m
Natural resources: nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural gas
Land use: arable land: 5% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures : 3% forests and woodland: 54% other: 38% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 7,100 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and