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The Republic of Cameroon, approximately the size
of the State of California, forms a bridge between western
and central Africa. The country shares borders with Nigeria
to the West and Chad, the Central African Republic, The Republic
of the Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea to the East and
South.
Capital City: Yaoundé, (population:
approx. - 800,000);
Main commercial Centers: Douala (population:
1.2 million - approx.) Other important cities: Bafoussam,
Bamenda, Buea, Garoua, Kumba, Limbe, Maroua and Nkongsamba
Official Languages: French and English
Population: 14 million (est. – 1997)
- Women 51 percent
- Men 49 percent
- 60 percent of the population is under the age of 19
- Urban population: 46 percent
Literacy Rate: 63 percent
- Women 52 percent
- Men 75 percent
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Economic Facts
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While GDP increased between three and five percent
from 1997 to 1999, this follows a decade of poor economic
performance spurred by the decline in the world prices
of Cameroon's major exports. The economic policies of
the government also contributed to Cameroon's economic
difficulties, including bad loans by government-controlled
banks that caused many of the banks to close and inefficient
public enterprises to go bankrupt. Transparency International
has twice (in both 1998 and 1999) declared Cameroon
the most corrupt country of 87 polled around the world.
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Privatization of the country's 120 public enterprises
has been slow, half-hearted and less than transparent.
The Cameroon Government still holds public monopolies
of the petroleum, energy, water, telecommunications,
aluminum and cotton industries; and owns the national
airline, shipping line, and an investment fund.
- An agreement with Chad for the construction and operation
of an oil pipeline was signed in 1995; however, construction
has not yet begun and some investors privately worry about
the Cameroon Government's ability to meet its obligations.
In a recently published open letter to The World Bank.
86 international non-governmental organizations highlighted
the concerns expressed by civil society organizations
in both Chad and Cameroon about the preparation of the
project due to "the lack of accountability to affected
populations, lack of transparency and absence of the rule
of law."
- Cameroon's main export products include coffee, tea,
cocoa, spices, timber, textile, petroleum and palm oil.
- Cameroon's major exports include industrial and transportation
equipment, food and beverages, energy and lubricants.
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