| |
Cameroon is located in Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, Equatorial Guinea and Atlantic Ocean. The neighboring countries are Nigeria to the west, Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south.
|
| |
| |
Cameroon is the world's 53rd-largest country. Cameroon is often described as "Africa in miniature" because it showcases all major climates and vegetation of the continent such as the coast, desert, mountains, rainforest and savanna. Cameroon is divided into five major geographic zones illustrious by dominant physical, climatic, and vegetative features. As stated geographical terrain is diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north.
The total land boundary is 4,591 km and the coastline stretches upto 402 km. It claims a territorial sea of 12 nm and contiguous zone stretching 24 nm.The lowest point in Cameroon is Atlantic Ocean 0 m and the highest point is Fako at 4,095 m on Mt. Cameroon.Climate varies with terrain, from tropical climate along coast to semiarid and hot in northern region. The natural resources to be found are petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber and hydropower. |
| |
| People |
| |
The total population is estimates to be 18,467,692, the population is virtually evenly divided between urban and rural dwellers.The chief ethnic groups are Cameroon Highlanders comprising 31% of the total population, Equatorial Bantu with 19%, Kirdi with 11%, Fulani comprising 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13% and non-African less than 1%. Each of the ethnic groups has its own exclusive cultural forms. Typical celebrations incorporate births, deaths, plantings, harvests, and religious rituals.
40% of the population follows indigenous beliefs, the rest of the 40% follow Christianity and 20% follow Islam. English and French is the official language, there are also 24 major African language groups.
Music and dance are an integral part of Cameroonian ceremonies, festivals, social gatherings, and storytelling. Both monogamous and polygamous marriage are practiced, Cameroonian family is in an average large and extended |
| |
| Government |
| |
Republic of Cameroon operates under the republic and multiparty presidential regime. Whereby the president is the chief of the state and prime minister is the head of the state. The Cabinet is appointed by the president from proposals submitted by the prime minister. The president is elected by popular vote for a seven-year term and is eligible for a second term.
Cameroon is administratively divided into 10 provinces Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud and Sud-Ouest. In comparison to other African countries, Cameroon enjoys political and social stability.
Capital: Yaounde
Independence Day: 1 January 1960
President: Paul Biya
Prime Minister: Ephraim Inoni |
| |
| Economy |
| |
Cameroon has one of the gifted prime commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa, because of its modest oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions. It faces serious problems as faced by other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy civil service and 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.
Fishing is a major industry in Cameroon. 70% of the total labor population is in the agriculture sector, 17% are in the service industry and 13% in the industrial sector. The chief agricultural products to be found in Cameroon are coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches, livestock and timber.
The major industrial produce and services are petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber and ship repair.
|
| |
| | |
