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Cameroon |
Capital: Yaounde
Languages: 24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
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. Because of its oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa.
PEOPLE
Population: 18,060,382 (July 2007 est.); 19,294,149 (July 2010)
Life expectancy at birth:
2007
Total population: 52.86 years
Male: 52.15 years
Female: 53.59 years (2007 est.)
2010
Total population 54.04 years
Male: 53.21 years
Female: 54.9 years (2010 est.)
2007
Age structure:
0-14 years: 41.3% (male 3,763,332/female 3,695,053)
15-64 years: 55.5% (male 5,029,658/female 4,994,786)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 266,616/female 310,937) (2007 est.)
2010
Total population: 54.04 years
Male: 53.21 years
Female: 54.9 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.241% (2007 est.); 2.157% (2010 est.)
Population below poverty line: N/A
HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate: 5.4% (2006 est.); 5.1% (2007 est.)
People living with HIV/AIDS: 510,000 (2006 est.); 540,000 (2007 est.)
Literacy - definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 67.9%
Male: 77%
Female: 59.8% (2001 est.)
Refugees and Internally Displaced People:
Refugees (country of origin): 20,000-30,000 (Chad); 3,000 (Nigeria); 24,000 (Central African Republic) (2007)
ECONOMY
Unemployment rate: 30% (2001 est.)
Labour force by Occupation:
Agriculture: 70%
Industry: 13%
Services: 17% (2001 est.)
Agricultural Products: coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber
Industries: petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair
Exports – Commodities: crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton
Exports – Partners:
Spain 21.3%, Italy 15.4%, France 11.6%, South Korea 7.3%, Netherlands 7.2%, US 5.7%, Belgium 4.2% (2006)
Netherlands 13.99%, Spain 12.25%, Italy 11.84%, China 9.14%, US 6.16%, France 5.51%, South Korea 4.66%, Belgium 4.33%, UK 4% (2009)
Commodities: machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food
Imports – Partners:
France 23.6%, Nigeria 13.2%, China 7.3%, Belgium 6.1%, US 4.6% (2006)
France 21.03%, Nigeria 10.79%, China 10.25%, Belgium 6.62%, US 4.31% (2009)
ENVIRONMENT
Environment – Current issues: waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing.
Natural hazards: volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes.
Source: CIA World Factbook
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