DESTINATION CAMEROON

  • Official name : Republic of Cameroon
  • Area : 475,440 sq km
  • Population : More than 25,216,237 (World Bank 2018)
  • Growth rate : 2.6%
  • Life expectancy : 58.9 years (World Bank 2018)
  • Currency : F CFA
  • Official languages : French – English
  • National languages : Ewondo, Foufouldé, Mungaka, Bulu, Bassa, Baya, Sawa, Eton, Bamoun, Maka, Bakweri
  • Density : The most densely populated regions (more than 100 inhabitants per km2) are the Western, Coastal, Far North and Northwest regions. In contrast, the Adamawa, Eastern and South regions are very sparsely populated (less than 15 inhabitants per square kilometre).
  • Douala : about 2.2 million inhabitants
  • Yaounde : about 1.7 million inhabitants
  • Garoua : about 600,000 inhabitants
  • Bafoussam : about 400,000 inhabitants
  • Nkongsamba : about 300,000 inhabitants
  • Bamenda : about 280,000 inhabitants
  • Edea : about 250,000 inhabitants
  • Kribi : about 220,000 inhabitants
  • Maroua : about 220,000 inhabitants
  • N’Gaoundéré : about 200,000 inhabitants

Cameroon has a total of about 20 cities with a population of at least 50,000.

  • Political system: Cameroon is a presidential republic, decentralized unitary with a dualist and rationalized parliament
  • Executive: The Executive is headed by the President of the Republic, voted by universal suffrage for a renewable 07-year term. The President of the Republic appoints a Prime Minister as Head of Government and under the proposal of the former, members of the government
  • Head of state: Paul BIYA
  • Head of government: Joseph DION NGUTE
  • Legislative: Bicameral Parliament Includes an Upper House (SENAT) and a Lower House (National Assembly)
  • National Assembly: It is the Lower House of Parliament
  • Comprised of 180 seats filled by first-past-the-post and majority-list voting
  • Representation by political party :
    • Cameroonian People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) 152
    • National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP) 07
    • Social Democratic Front (SDF) 05
    • Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation (PCRN) 05
    • Cameroon’s Democratic Union  (UDC) 04
    • Cameroon’s National Salvation Front (FSNC) 03
    • Movement for the Defence of the Republic (MDR) 02
    • Union of Socialist Movements (UMS) 02
  • Senate: It is the Upper House of Parliament : Includes 100 seats at a rate of 10 seats per region (by region, 07 senators are elected by indirect vote by municipal and regional councillors and the remaining 03 seats are appointed by the President of the Republic). Senators serve 05-year term
  • Representation by political party
    • Cameroonian People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) 93
    • Social Democratic Front (SDF) 07
  • Literacy rate : Urban: 86.6%
  • Rural area : 51.7%
  • University studies : Cameroon has 8 (eight) universities, including Anglo-Saxon universities with faculties and vocational schools. In addition to these public institutions, there are many private universities. All of these higher education institutions offer training in various fields such as law, political and economic sciences, arts, humanities and social sciences, basic sciences and agriculture, industrial technology, civil engineering and mining, education sciences, etc.
  • Secondary education : Cameroon has many general and technical secondary schools and public and private schools. There are also international colleges and those that follow the American, Turkish and Spanish courses.
  • Health facilities : In addition to the regular health facilities found in most cities and towns, Cameroon has 2 (two) general hospitals in Douala and Yaounde, and reference hospitals whose technical platforms offer many services to users.
  • GDP growth rate: 4.2% (2019)

  • Inflation: 1.6%

  • Major exports (INS, 2018): Crude Petroleum Oils (43.8%), Sawn Wood (8.0%), Crude Cocoa beans (11.9%), Raw Cotton (6.0%), Crude Wood in Log (6.2%)

  • Major imports (INS, 2018): electrical machinery and appliances, machinery and mechanical appliances, cast iron, iron or steel works, pharmaceuticals

  • Major export countries (INS, 2018): China, Italy, the Netherlands; France; Spain

  • Major import countries (INS, 2018): China; France; Nigeria; Netherlands

  • Trade deficit (Mincommerce, 2018): 1438.3 billion CFA francs

  • Airports: Cameroon has 4 (four) international airports in Douala, Yaounde, Garoua and Maroua, as well as secondary airports in Bafoussam, Bertoua, Ngaoundéré and Bamenda.

  • Seaports: Cameroon has 4 (four) seaports: a deep-water port in Kribi, a seaport in Douala, a seaport in Limbé and a river port in Garoua.

  • Hotels: Cameroon has several hotels, including a dozen 4-star hotels found mainly in Douala and Yaounde

  • Religion :

    • Catholic Religions: 38.4%

    • Protestants: 26.3%

    • Muslims: 25.5%

    • Animists: 5.6%

    • Free Thinkers: 3.2%

    • Others: 1%