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Cameroon Country Guide
Explore Cameroon in Africa
The landscape offers diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north. The average density of population is approximately 39 per km². The notable climate conditions in Cameroon can be described as varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north. Potential threats by nature are volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes.
To reach someone in Cameroon dial +237 prior to a number. There are 323,800 installed telephones. And there are 7,397,000 registered mobile phones. The cellular networks commonly support frequencies of 900 MHz. Websites registered in this country end with the top level domain ".cm". If you want to bring electric equipment on your trip (e.g. laptop power supply), note the local power outlet of 220V - 50Hz.
About the flag and history of Cameroon
Three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow, with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; the vertical tricolor recalls the flag of France; red symbolizes unity, yellow the sun, happiness, and the savannahs in the north, and green hope and the forests in the south; the star is referred to as the "star of unity" note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia.
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 permitted the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite slow movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of President Paul BIYA.
Geography Quick-Facts
| Summary | Continent: Africa Neighbours: Chad, Central African Republic, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of the Congo, Nigeria Capital: Yaoundé |
| Size | 475,440 square kilometers (km² or sqkm) or 183,568 square miles (mi² or sqmi) slightly larger than California |
| Population | 18,467,000 |
| Currency | Name Franc, Currency Code:XAF |
| Country Top Level Domain (cTLD) | .cm |
| Telephone Country Prefix | +237 |
| Mobile Phone Connections | 7,397,000 |
| Landline Phone Connections | 323,800 |
Country Position in World Rankings
Information about single country attributes and how these compare against the rest of the world. The information below is compiled with data from 2013. As such, it may differ a bit to the Information above in the text (which is from 2010).
Geography
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 475,440 (sq km) | 54 |
People and Society
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,549,221 | 58 |
| Population growth rate | 2.04 (%) | 49 |
| Birth rate | 31.93 (births/1,000 population) | 36 |
| Death rate | 11.51 (deaths/1,000 population) | 31 |
| Maternal mortality rate | 690.00 (deaths/100,000 live births) | 9 |
| Infant mortality rate | 58.51 (deaths/1,000 live births) | 28 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 55.02 (years) | 202 |
| Total fertility rate | 4.00 (children born/woman) | 40 |
| Health expenditures | 5.10 (% of GDP) | 140 |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 5.30 (%) | 13 |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 610,000 | 14 |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 37,000 | 11 |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 10.30 (%) | 130 |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 16.60 (%) | 45 |
| Education expenditures | 3.20 (% of GDP) | 137 |
Economy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | 51,610,000,000 | 95 |
| GDP - real growth rate | 4.70 (%) | 70 |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | 2,400 | 186 |
| Labor force | 8,264,000 | 57 |
| Unemployment rate | 30.00 (%) | 178 |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 44.60 | 43 |
| Investment (gross fixed) | 19.80 (% of GDP) | 100 |
| Taxes and other revenues | 21.00 (% of GDP) | 157 |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -1.50 (% of GDP) | 71 |
| Public debt | 14.70 (% of GDP) | 137 |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.90 (%) | 75 |
| Commercial bank prime lending rate | 14.00 (%) | 57 |
| Stock of narrow money | 3,973,000,000 | 109 |
| Stock of broad money | 6,279,000,000 | 121 |
| Stock of domestic credit | 2,810,000,000 | 132 |
| Industrial production growth rate | 4.00 (%) | 75 |
| Current account balance | -946,400,000 | 110 |
| Exports | 6,538,000,000 | 104 |
| Imports | 6,597,000,000 | 115 |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | 3,851,000,000 | 100 |
| Debt - external | 3,343,000,000 | 132 |
Energy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 5,589,000,000 (kWh) | 115 |
| Electricity - consumption | 5,049,000,000 (kWh) | 113 |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 1,115,000 (kW) | 122 |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 27.80 (% of total installed capacity) | 183 |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 72.20 (% of total installed capacity) | 21 |
| Crude oil - production | 61,580 (bbl/day) | 57 |
| Crude oil - exports | 64,740 (bbl/day) | 44 |
| Crude oil - imports | 32,490 (bbl/day) | 64 |
| Crude oil - proved reserves | 200,000,000 (bbl) | 61 |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 42,520 (bbl/day) | 87 |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 29,410 (bbl/day) | 116 |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 17,470 (bbl/day) | 77 |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 5,715 (bbl/day) | 151 |
| Natural gas - production | 20,000,000 (cu m) | 89 |
| Natural gas - consumption | 20,000,000 (cu m) | 113 |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 135,100,000,000 (cu m) | 50 |
| Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy | 7,361,000 (Mt) | 111 |
Communications
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | 669,000 | 90 |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 10,486,000 | 72 |
| Internet hosts | 10,207 | 134 |
| Internet users | 749,600 | 106 |
Transportation
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Airports | 34 | 112 |
| Railways | 1,245 (km) | 82 |
| Roadways | 50,000 (km) | 78 |
Military
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Military expenditures | 1.30 (% of GDP) | 111 |
Data based on CIA facts book 2010 & 2013, wikipedia, national statistical offices and their census releases
List of current world heritage sites
| Name | Since |
|---|---|
| Dja Faunal Reserve This is one of the largest and best-protected rainforests in Africa, with 90% of its area left undisturbed. Almost completely surrounded by the Dja River, which forms a natural boundary, the reserve is especially noted for its biodiversity and a wide ... | 1987 |
| Sangha Trinational Situated in the north-western Congo Basin, where Cameroon, Central African Republic and Congo meet, the site encompasses three contiguous national parks totalling around 750,000 ha. Much of the site is unaffected by human activity and features a wide ... | 2012 |