(1983)
note:
50% of population of working age (15–64 years) (1985)
@Cameroon, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Cameroon
conventional short form:
Cameroon
former:
French Cameroon
Digraph:
CM
Type:
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; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982); election last held 11
October 1992; 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)
cabinet:
Cabinet; appointed by the president
Legislative branch:
unicameral
National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale):
elections last held 1 March 1992 (next scheduled for March 1997);
results - (180 seats) CPDM 88, UNDP 68, UPC 18, MDR 6
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM), Paul BIYA, president, is
government-controlled and was formerly the only party, but opposition
parties were legalized in 1990
major opposition parties:
National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP); Social Democratic
Front (SDF); Cameroonian Democratic Union (UDC); Union of Cameroonian
Populations (UPC)
Other political or pressure groups:
NA
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-19, G-77, GATT,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO,
INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA,
UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNTAC, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA
chancery:
2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 265–8790 through 8794
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Harriet ISOM
embassy:
Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde
mailing address:
B. P. 817, Yaounde
telephone:
[237] 23–40-14 and 23–05-12
FAX:
[237] 23–07-53
consulate(s):
none (Douala closed July 1993)
Flag:
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
@Cameroon, Economy
Overview: Because of its offshore oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed, most diversified 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 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. In 1990–93, with support from the IMF and World Bank, the government began to introduce reforms designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, and recapitalize the nation's banks. Political instability following suspect elections in 1992 brought IMF/WB structural adjustment to a halt. Although the 50% devaluation of the currency in January 1994 improves the potential for export growth, mismanagement remains and is the main barrier to economic improvement. National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $19.1 billion (1993 est.) National product real growth rate: NA National product per capita: $1,500 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1990 est.) Unemployment rate: 25% (1990 est.) Budget: revenues: $1.7 billion expenditures: $2.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $422 million (FY90 est.) Exports: $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: petroleum products 51%, coffee, beans, cocoa, aluminum products, timber partners: EC (particularly France) about 50%, US, African countries Imports: $1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: machines and electrical equipment, food, consumer goods, transport equipment partners: EC about 60% (France 41%, Germany 9%), African countries, Japan, US 4% External debt: $6 billion (1991) Industrial production: growth rate 6.4% (FY87); accounts for 30% of GDP Electricity: capacity: 755,000 kW production: 2.19 billion kWh consumption per capita: 190 kWh (1991) Industries: petroleum production and refining, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, sawmills Agriculture: the agriculture and forestry sectors provide employment for the majority of the population, contributing nearly 25% to GDP and providing a high degree of self-sufficiency in staple foods; commercial and food crops include coffee, cocoa, timber, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, livestock, root starches Economic aid: recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70–90), $479 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970–90), $4.75 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979–89), $29 million; Communist countries (1970–89), $125 million Currency: 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 592.05 (January 1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989) 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