The 1996 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
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
Geography————
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria
Geographic coordinates: 6 00 N, 12 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total area: 475,440 sq km
land area: 469,440 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:
total: 4,591 km
border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km,
Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690
km
Coastline: 402 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 50 nm
International disputes: 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
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 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%
meadows and pastures: 18%
forest and woodland: 54%
other: 13%
Irrigated land: 280 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation;
overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing
natural hazards: recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous
gases
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical
Timber 83; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Nuclear Test
Ban, Tropical Timber 94
Geographic note: sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa
People———
Population: 14,261,557 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 46% (male 3,295,924; female 3,266,429)
15–64 years: 51% (male 3,602,037; female 3,627,625)
65 years and over: 3% (male 213,176; female 256,366) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.89% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 42.49 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 13.56 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 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
all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 78.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 52.6 years male: 51.55 years female: 53.68 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.99 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Cameroonian(s)
adjective: Cameroonian
Ethnic divisions: 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: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 63.4%
male: 75%
female: 52.1%
Government—————
Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon
conventional short form: Cameroon
former: French Cameroon
Data code: CM
Type of government: unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized 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) elected
for a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 11
October 1992 (next to be held NA October 1997); results - President
Paul BIYA reelected with about 40% of the vote amid widespread
allegations of fraud; SDF candidate John FRU NDI got 36% of the
vote; UNDP candidate Bello Bouba MAIGARI got 19% of the vote
head of government: Prime Minister Simon ACHIDI ACHU (since 9 April
1992) appointed by the president
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale): elections last held 1 March 1992 (next to be held NA March 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats (180 total) CPDM 88, UNDP 68, UPC 18, MDR 6
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Cameroon People's Democratic
Movement (CPDM) (government-controlled and the only party until
legalization of opposition parties in 1990), Paul BIYA, president
major opposition parties: National Union for Democracy and Progress
(UNDP); Social Democratic Front (SDF); Cameroonian Democratic Union
(UDC); Union of Cameroonian Populations (UPC);