# Cameroon

> sovereign state in West-Central Africa

**Wikidata**: [Q1009](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1009)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameroon)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/cameroon

## Summary

Cameroon is a country located in Africa[1]. It has two official languages: French and English[2]. As of 2023, Cameroon's population is 28.4M[3] and its area spans 475k. The country operates under the West Africa Time, UTC+01:00, and Africa/Douala time zone[4]. Cameroon is led by its head of government, Joseph Ngute[5].

## Summary
Cameroon is a sovereign state and republic located in West-Central Africa, officially known as the Republic of Cameroon. It is characterized by its vast cultural and linguistic diversity, with French and English as its official languages, and a population estimated at over 28 million as of 2023. The country operates as a republic with Yaoundé as its capital and is frequently described by the tourism slogan "All of Africa in one country."

## Key Facts
- **Entity Type:** Sovereign State, Republic, Country.
- **Location:** West-Central Africa (Continent: Africa).
- **Capital:** Yaoundé.
- **Inception:** January 1, 1960.
- **Area:** 475,442 square kilometres.
- **Population:** 28,372,687 (2023 estimate).
- **Government:** Republic; Head of State is Paul Biya (since November 6, 1982); Head of Government is Joseph Ngute (since January 4, 2019).
- **Official Languages:** French, English.
- **Currency:** Central African CFA franc.
- **Motto:** Paix – Travail – Patrie ("Peace – Work – Fatherland").
- **Anthem:** "O Cameroon, Cradle of Our Forefathers".
- **ISO Codes:** Alpha-2: CM, Alpha-3: CMR, Numeric: 120.
- **Telephone Code:** +237.
- **Internet TLD:** .cm.
- **Time Zone:** West Africa Time (UTC+01:00).
- **Driving Side:** Right.

## FAQs

**What is the political structure and leadership of Cameroon?**
Cameroon functions as a republic with an executive body known as the Government of Cameroon. The legislative body is the Parliament of Cameroon, and the highest judicial authority is the Supreme Court of Cameroon. The current President (Head of State) is Paul Biya, who succeeded Ahmadou Ahidjo in 1982.

**Where is Cameroon located and what are its geographic features?**
Cameroon is situated in West-Central Africa, sharing borders with the Central African Republic, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Nigeria. Its geography includes the highest point, Mount Cameroon, and the lowest point at the Bight of Biafra (0 meters). The country is located next to the Gulf of Guinea, the Atlantic Ocean, and Lake Chad.

**What demographic trends characterize Cameroon?**
Cameroon has a growing population, increasing from roughly 5.3 million in 1960 to over 28 million by 2023. The life expectancy at birth was estimated at 58.07 years in 2016. The country has a literacy rate of approximately 75% (as of 2015) and an age of majority set at 21 years.

**What international organizations is Cameroon a member of?**
Cameroon holds membership in numerous international bodies, including the United Nations (joined Sept 20, 1960), the African Union, the Commonwealth of Nations (joined 1960), and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (joined 1974). It is also a member of the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund (IBRD/IDA), and various regional economic communities.

**What are the economic indicators for Cameroon?**
The country's nominal GDP was approximately $44.3 billion USD in 2022. The unemployment rate was recorded at 4% in 2014, and the Gini coefficient (measuring inequality) was 46.6 in 2014. The economy utilizes the Central African CFA franc, managed by the Bank of Central African States.

## Why It Matters
Cameroon serves as a microcosm of African diversity, encapsulated by its tourism slogan, "All of Africa in one country." Its strategic location in West-Central Africa and its status as a bilingual nation (French and English) bridge cultural and geopolitical divides between Francophone and Anglophone Africa. As a member of both the Commonwealth of Nations and the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, it plays a unique diplomatic role. The country's vast natural resources, ranging from agricultural products to minerals, and its active participation in regional stability operations, such as the Multinational Joint Task Force, make it a significant actor in the stability and economy of the Gulf of Guinea region.

## Notable For
- Being one of the few countries in Africa that is a member of both the Commonwealth of Nations and the Francophonie.
- Possessing the highest point in West Africa, Mount Cameroon.
- Having an exceptionally high linguistic diversity, with over 200 living languages including French, English, and numerous indigenous tongues like Fulfulde, Ewondo, and Bamum.
- Being the location of Jumià, a major African e-commerce company with operations across the continent.
- A unique democracy index score of 2.77 in 2020, reflecting its specific political landscape.

## Body

### Geography and Climate
Cameroon covers an area of 475,442 square kilometres in West-Central Africa. It spans diverse geographical coordinates, from its northernmost point at 13.08°N to its southernmost at 1.65°N. The country is bounded by six nations: Nigeria, Chad, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. It has a coastline along the Bight of Biafra, the Gulf of Guinea, and the Atlantic Ocean. The nation's terrain varies significantly, with its highest elevation at Mount Cameroon and its lowest at sea level in the Bight of Biafra.

### Government and Politics
The Republic of Cameroon was founded on January 1, 1960, replacing the United Republic of Cameroon. The government operates under the motto "Paix – Travail – Patrie" (Peace – Work – Fatherland). The political system is a republic where power is vested in the President (currently Paul Biya), the Prime Minister (currently Joseph Ngute), and the Parliament. The judiciary is headed by the Supreme Court of Cameroon. The country is administratively divided into ten regions: Adamawa, Centre, East, Far North, Littoral, North, Northwest, South, Southwest, and West.

### Demographics and Society
As of 2023, the population is estimated at 28,372,687. In 2022, the male population was approximately 13.9 million, and the female population was roughly 14 million. The fertility rate has been declining, from 5.6 children per woman in 2000 to 4.7 in 2014. The adult literacy rate stood at 75% in 2015. Health indicators show a suicide rate of 12.2 per 100,000 (2016) and a birth rate of 34.3 per 1,000 (2022). The age of majority is 21, while the marriageable age is 15 for males and 18 for females.

### Economy and Infrastructure
Cameroon uses the Central African CFA franc as its currency. The nominal GDP was $45.3 billion USD in 2021 and $44.3 billion USD in 2022. The electrical infrastructure operates on 220 volts at 50 Hz, utilizing Europlug and Type E electrical plugs. The country drives on the right side of the road, a standard also applied to railway traffic. Transport infrastructure includes significant ports and the country serves as a regional hub for companies like Jumià.

### Languages and Culture
Cameroon is a linguistic hotspot with French and English as its official languages. English is spoken as a second language by approximately 7.7 million people. The country is home to hundreds of indigenous languages, including Adamaua-Fulfulde, Ewondo, Francoprovençal, Bamum, and many others. The culture is a blend of these linguistic groups, reflected in its national identity and anthem, "O Cameroon, Cradle of Our Forefathers."

### International Relations
Cameroon maintains diplomatic relations with countries such as the United States, France, China, and Germany. It is a founding or long-standing member of key global organizations. It joined the United Nations on September 20, 1960, the Commonwealth of Nations in 1960, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in 1974. It participates in regional security through the Multinational Joint Task Force and economic integration through the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC).

### Education and Development
The education system has evolved with a literacy rate rising from 71% in 2010 to 75% in 2015. However, challenges remain, with over 1.7 million children out of school as of 2015. The Human Development Index (HDI) has shown gradual improvement, reaching 0.576 in 2021. The country is studied academically under the discipline of "Cameroon studies."

## References

1. [Source](https://www.journalducameroun.com/en/dion-ngute-appointed-as-cameroons-new-prime-minister/)
2. [Source](https://www.workwithdata.com/place/cameroon)
3. Constitution of Cameroon
4. BnF authorities
5. [International Organization for Standardization](https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:code:3166:CM)
6. OpenStreetMap
7. [Source](https://data.iana.org/time-zones/tzdb-2021e/africa)
8. Lingua Libre
9. [Source](https://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/cameroon)
10. [Source](https://www.oic-oci.org/states/?lan=en)
11. [Interpol](https://www.interpol.int/Member-countries/World)
12. [Source](https://www.interpol.int/Who-we-are/Member-countries/Africa/CAMEROON)
13. [Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons](https://www.opcw.org/about-opcw/member-states/)
14. [Source](https://www.opcw.org/about-us/member-states/cameroon)
15. [International Hydrographic Organization](https://www.iho.int/srv1/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=452&lang=en)
16. [Source](http://www.unesco.org/eri/cp/ListeMS_Indicators.asp)
17. [Source](http://www.upu.int/en/the-upu/member-countries.html)
18. [Source](https://www.upu.int/en/Universal-Postal-Union/About-UPU/Member-Countries?csid=-1&cid=61)
19. [Source](https://www.itu.int/online/mm/scripts/gensel8)
20. [Source](https://public.wmo.int/en/members/cameroon)
21. [Source](https://www.who.int/choice/demography/by_country/en/)
22. [Source](https://www.wcoomd.org/-/media/wco/public/global/pdf/about-us/wco-members/list-of-members-with-membership-date.pdf)
23. [Source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Continental_Free_Trade_Area#List_of_signatories_and_parties_to_the_agreement)
24. [Source](https://investmentpolicy.unctad.org/international-investment-agreements/groupings/19/cemac-economic-and-monetary-community-of-central-africa-)
25. [Source](https://www.ncnk.org/sites/default/files/content/resources/publications/NCNK_Issue_Brief_DPRK_Diplomatic_Relations.pdf)
26. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
27. [Source](https://www.prc.cm/fr/le-cameroun/presentation)
28. [Source](https://unstats.un.org/unsd/methodology/m49/)
29. FIPS 10-4
30. Virtual International Authority File
31. MusicBrainz
32. [Human Development Report. 2022](https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/human-development-index#/indicies/HDI)
33. World Bank Open Data
34. census
35. [World Bank Open Data](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL)
36. [Source](https://data.who.int/countries/120)
37. [Source](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI)
38. [Source](http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS)
39. [Source](http://cnig.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CNT-PVM_r%C3%A9vis%C3%A9_2020-01-27-1.pdf)
40. Official Names of the United Nations Membership
41. The National Terminology Database for Irish
42. [Source](https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-2017)
43. [Source](http://chartsbin.com/view/edr)
44. [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD)
45. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=DEMO_DS)
46. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/index.aspx?queryid=3372)
47. BabelNet
48. [World Plugs](http://www.iec.ch/worldplugs/list_bylocation.htm)
49. UMLS 2023
50. English as a Global Language, second edition