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Introduction |
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Background: |
The former French
Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in 1961 to form the
present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed stability, which
has permitted the development of agriculture, roads, and
railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite movement
toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the
hands of an ethnic oligarchy.
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Summary of
Religious Bodies in Cameroon
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Christians 54.2%
Roman Catholic 26.5%
Protestant 20.7%
Independent 3.9%
Unaffiliated 2.7%
Marginal 0.4%
Ethnoreligions 23.7%
Muslims 21.2%
Nonreligious 0.3%
Atheists 0.1%
Source: World Christian
Encyclopedia, 2001, Oxford University Press. Vol 1: p
166
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Geography |
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Location: |
Western Africa,
bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and
Nigeria
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Geographic
coordinates: |
6 00 N, 12 00 E
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Map references: |
Africa
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Area: |
total:
475,440 sq km
land: 469,440 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km
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Area -
comparative: |
slightly larger
than California
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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
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Coastline: |
402 km
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Maritime claims: |
territorial sea:
50 nm
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Climate: |
varies with
terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north
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Terrain: |
diverse, with
coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center,
mountains in west, plains in north
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Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Fako (on Mount Cameroon) 4,095 m
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Natural
resources: |
petroleum, bauxite,
iron ore, timber, hydropower
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Land use: |
arable land:
12.81%
permanent crops: 2.58%
other: 84.61% (2001)
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Irrigated land: |
330 sq km (1998
est.)
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Natural hazards: |
volcanic activity
with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and
Lake Monoun volcanoes
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Environment -
current issues: |
waterborne diseases
are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification;
poaching; overfishing
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Environment -
international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography -
note: |
sometimes referred
to as the hinge of Africa; throughout the country there are
areas of thermal springs and indications of current or prior
volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in
Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano
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People |
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Population: |
16,380,005
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into
account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can
result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and
death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in
the distribution of population by age and sex than would
otherwise be expected (July 2005 est.)
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Age structure: |
0-14 years:
41.7% (male 3,457,180/female 3,375,668)
15-64 years: 55% (male 4,537,281/female 4,477,163)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 239,634/female 293,079)
(2005 est.)
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Median age: |
total: 18.6
years
male: 18.45 years
female: 18.76 years (2005 est.)
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Population
growth rate: |
1.93% (2005 est.)
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Birth rate: |
34.67 births/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Death rate: |
15.4 deaths/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Net migration
rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2005 est.)
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Sex ratio: |
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality
rate: |
total: 68.26
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 72.14 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 64.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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Life expectancy
at birth: |
total
population: 47.84 years
male: 47.04 years
female: 48.67 years (2005 est.)
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Total fertility
rate: |
4.47 children
born/woman (2005 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult
prevalence rate: |
6.9% (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS -
people living with HIV/AIDS: |
560,000 (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS -
deaths: |
49,000 (2003 est.)
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Nationality: |
noun:
Cameroonian(s)
adjective: Cameroonian
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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%
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Religions: |
indigenous beliefs
40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%
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Languages: |
24 major African
language groups, English (official), French (official)
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Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79%
male: 84.7%
female: 73.4% (2003 est.)
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Government |
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Country name: |
conventional
long form: Republic of Cameroon
conventional short form: Cameroon
former: French Cameroon
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Government type: |
unitary republic;
multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in
1990)
note: preponderance of power remains with the president
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Capital: |
Yaounde
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Administrative
divisions: |
10 provinces;
Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, Nord-Ouest,
Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest
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Independence: |
1 January 1960
(from French-administered UN trusteeship)
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National
holiday: |
Republic Day
(National Day), 20 May (1972)
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Constitution: |
20 May 1972
approved by referendum; 2 June 1972 formally adopted; revised
January 1996
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Legal system: |
based on French
civil law system, with common law influence; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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Suffrage: |
20 years of age;
universal
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Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
head of government: Prime Minister Ephraim INONI (since 8
Dec 2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from
proposals submitted by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a
seven-year term; election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be
held NA October 2011); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent
of vote - Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA
4.5%, Garga Haman ADJI 3.7%
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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 23 June 2002 (next to be held NA
2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - RDCP 133, SDF 21, UDC 5, other 21
note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the
legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be
established
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Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court
(judges are appointed by the president); High Court of Justice
(consists of 9 judges and 6 substitute judges, elected by the
National Assembly)
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Political
parties and leaders: |
Cameroonian
Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou NDAM NJOYA]; Democratic Rally of
the Cameroon People or RDCP [Paul BIYA]; Movement for the
Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for
the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [leader
Marcel YONDO]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MYC [Dieudonne
TINA]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari
BELLO BOUBA]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI];
Union of Cameroonian Populations or UPC [Augustin Frederic
KODOCK]
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Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Southern Cameroon
National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN]; Human Rights Defense Group
[Albert MUKONG, president]
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International
organization participation: |
ABEDA, ACCT, ACP,
AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTO
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Flag
description: |
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
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Economy |
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Economy -
overview: |
Because of its 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 a top-heavy civil
service and a generally unfavorable climate for business
enterprise. 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. In June 2000, the
government completed an IMF-sponsored, three-year structural
adjustment program; however, the IMF is pressing for more
reforms, including increased budget transparency, privatization,
and poverty reduction programs. International oil and cocoa
prices have considerable impact on the economy.
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GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $30.17 billion (2004 est.)
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GDP - real
growth rate: |
4.9% (2004 est.)
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GDP - per
capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)
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GDP -
composition by sector: |
agriculture:
43.7%
industry: 20.1%
services: 36.2% (2004 est.)
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Labor force: |
6.68 million (2004
est.)
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Labor force - by
occupation: |
agriculture 70%,
industry and commerce 13%, other 17%
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Unemployment
rate: |
30% (2001 est.)
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Population below
poverty line: |
48% (2000 est.)
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Household income
or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
1.9%
highest 10%: 36.6% (1996)
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Distribution of
family income - Gini index: |
47.7 (1996)
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Inflation rate
(consumer prices): |
1% (2004 est.)
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Investment
(gross fixed): |
16.1% of GDP (2004
est.)
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Budget: |
revenues:
$2.493 billion
expenditures: $2.248 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
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Public debt: |
69.1% of GDP (2004
est.)
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Agriculture -
products: |
coffee, cocoa,
cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches;
livestock; timber
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Industries: |
petroleum
production and refining, aluminum production, food processing,
light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair
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Industrial
production growth rate: |
4.2% (1999 est.)
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Electricity -
production: |
3.571 billion kWh
(2002)
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Electricity -
production by source: |
fossil fuel:
2.7%
hydro: 97.3%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
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Electricity -
consumption: |
3.321 billion kWh
(2002)
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Electricity -
exports: |
0 kWh (2002)
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Electricity -
imports: |
0 kWh (2002)
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Oil -
production: |
94,000 bbl/day
(2004 est.)
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Oil -
consumption: |
22,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.)
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Oil - exports: |
NA
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Oil - imports: |
NA
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Oil - proved
reserves: |
80 million bbl
(2004 est.)
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Natural gas -
production: |
0 cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas -
consumption: |
0 cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas -
exports: |
0 cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas -
imports: |
0 cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas -
proved reserves: |
55.22 billion cu m
(2004)
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Current account
balance: |
$-149.1 million
(2004 est.)
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Exports: |
$2.445 billion
f.o.b. (2004 est.)
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Exports -
commodities: |
crude oil and
petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee,
cotton
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Exports -
partners: |
Spain 16.2%, Italy
14.1%, France 10.2%, UK 9.9%, US 9.6%, Netherlands 5.1% (2004)
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Imports: |
$1.979 billion
f.o.b. (2004 est.)
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Imports -
commodities: |
machinery,
electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food
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Imports -
partners: |
France 28.2%,
Nigeria 9.4%, Belgium 7.6%, US 4.8%, Germany 4.6%, China 4.4%,
Italy 4% (2004)
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Reserves of
foreign exchange and gold: |
$687.5 million
(2004 est.)
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Debt - external: |
$8.46 billion (2004
est.)
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Currency (code): |
Communaute
Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority
is the Bank of the Central African States
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Currency code: |
XAF
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Exchange rates: |
Communaute
Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29 (2004),
581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)
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Fiscal year: |
1 July - 30 June
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Communications |
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Telephones -
main lines in use: |
110,900 (2002)
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Telephones -
mobile cellular: |
1.077 million
(2003)
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Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: available only to business and government
domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric
scatter
international: country code - 237; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine
cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
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Radio broadcast
stations: |
AM 2, FM 9,
shortwave 3 (2002)
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Radios: |
2.27 million (1997)
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Television
broadcast stations: |
1 (2002)
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Televisions: |
450,000 (1997)
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Internet country
code: |
.cm
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Internet hosts: |
479 (2004)
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Internet Service
Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2002)
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Internet users: |
60,000 (2002)
note: Cameroon also had more than 100 cyber-cafes in 2001
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Transportation |
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Railways: |
total: 1,008
km
narrow gauge: 1,008 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
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Highways: |
total:
34,300 km
paved: 4,288 km
unpaved: 30,012 km (1999 est.)
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Waterways: |
navigation mainly
on Benue River; limited during rainy season (2004)
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Pipelines: |
gas 90 km; liquid
petroleum gas 9 km; oil 1,120 km (2004)
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Ports and
harbors: |
Douala, Limboh
Terminal
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Merchant marine: |
total: 1
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 169,593 GRT/357,023 DWT
by type: petroleum tanker 1 (2005)
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Airports: |
47 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with
paved runways: |
total: 11
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: 1 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with
unpaved runways: |
total: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)
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Military |
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Military
branches: |
Cameroon Armed
Forces: Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force
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Military
manpower - military age and obligation: |
18 years of age for
voluntary military service; no conscription (1999)
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Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 18-49:
3,410,440 (2005 est.)
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Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 18-49:
1,720,385 (2005 est.)
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Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
188,662 (2005 est.)
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Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$221.1 million
(2004)
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Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.6% (2004)
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Transnational Issues |
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Disputes -
international: |
ICJ ruled in 2002
on the entire Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritime boundary but
the parties formed a Joint Border Commission, which continues to
meet regularly to resolve differences bilaterally and have
commenced with demarcation in less-contested sections of the
boundary, starting in Lake Chad in the north; implementation of
the ICJ ruling on the Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria
maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea is impeded by
imprecisely defined coordinates, the unresolved Bakassi
allocation, and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea
and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River;
Nigeria initially rejected cession of the Bakasi Peninsula, then
agreed, but has yet to withdraw its forces while much of the
indigenous population opposes cession; only Nigeria and Cameroon
have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the
delimitation treaty which also includes Chad and Niger
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Refugees and
internally displaced persons:: |
refugees
(country of origin): 39,261 (Chad) 16,983 (Nigeria) 9,634
(Cote d'Ivoire) (2004)
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