The 1990 CIA World Factbook

Part 13

Chapter 13 3,451 words Public domain Markdown

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Exports: $32 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--natural rubber, rice, pepper, wood; partners--Vietnam, USSR, Eastern Europe, Japan, India

Imports: $147 million (c.i.f., 1988); commodities--international food aid; fuels, consumer goods; partners--Vietnam, USSR, Eastern Europe, Japan, India

External debt: $600 million (1989)

Industrial production: growth rate NA%

Electricity: 126,000 kW capacity; 150 million kWh produced, 21 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries: rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products, rubber, cement, gem mining

Agriculture: mainly subsistence farming except for rubber plantations; main crops--rice, rubber, corn; food shortages--rice, meat, vegetables, dairy products, sugar, flour

Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $719 million; Western (non-US) countries (1970-85), $270 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $950 million

Currency: riel (plural--riels); 1 riel (CR) = 100 sen

Exchange rates: riels (CR) per US$1--218 (November 1989) 100.00 (1987), 30.00 (1986), 7.00 (1985)

Fiscal year: calendar year

- Communications Railroads: 612 km 1.000-meter gauge, government owned

Highways: 13,351 km total; 2,622 km bituminous; 7,105 km crushed stone, gravel, or improved earth; 3,624 km unimproved earth; some roads in disrepair

Inland waterways: 3,700 km navigable all year to craft drawing 0.6 meters; 282 km navigable to craft drawing 1.8 meters

Ports: Kampong Saom, Phnom Penh

Airports: 22 total, 9 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications: service barely adequate for government requirements and virtually nonexistent for general public; international service limited to Vietnam and other adjacent countries; stations--1 AM, no FM, 1 TV

- Defense Forces Branches: PRK--People's Republic of Kampuchea Armed Forces; Communist resistance forces--National Army of Democratic Kampuchea (Khmer Rouge); non-Communist resistance forces--Sihanoukist National Army (ANS) and Khmer People's National Liberation Front (KPNLF)

Military manpower: males 15-49, 1,857,129; 1,025,456 fit for military service; 61,649 reach military age (18) annually

Defense expenditures: NA ---------------------------------------------------- Country: Cameroon - Geography Total area: 475,440 km2; land area: 469,440 km2

Comparative area: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: 4,591 km total; Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Coastline: 402 km

Maritime claims:

Continental shelf: not specific;

Territorial sea: 50 nm

Disputes: exact locations of the Chad-Niger-Nigeria and Cameroon-Chad-Nigeria tripoints in Lake Chad have not been determined, so the boundary has not been demarcated and border incidents have resulted; Nigerian proposals to reopen maritime boundary negotiations and redemarcate the entire land boundary have been rejected by Cameroon

Climate: varies with terrain from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north

Terrain: diverse with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north

Natural resources: crude oil, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower potential

Land use: 13% arable land; 2% permanent crops; 18% meadows and pastures; 54% forest and woodland; 13% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Environment: recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification

Note: sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa

- People Population: 11,092,470 (July 1990), growth rate 2.7% (1990)

Birth rate: 42 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate: 15 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Infant mortality rate: 120 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 49 years male, 53 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 5.7 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality: noun--Cameroonian(s); adjective--Cameroonian

Ethnic divisions: over 200 tribes of widely differing background; 31% Cameroon Highlanders, 19% Equatorial Bantu, 11% Kirdi, 10% Fulani, 8% Northwestern Bantu, 7% Eastern Nigritic, 13% other African, less than 1% non-African

Religion: 51% indigenous beliefs, 33% Christian, 16% Muslim

Language: English and French (official), 24 major African language groups

Literacy: 56.2%

Labor force: NA; 74.4% agriculture, 11.4% industry and transport, 14.2% other services (1983); 50% of population of working age (15-64 years) (1985)

Organized labor: under 45% of wage labor force

- Government Long-form name: Republic of Cameroon

Type: unitary republic; one-party presidential regime

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; formerly French Cameroon)

Constitution: 20 May 1972

Legal system: based on French civil law system, with common law influence; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: National Day, 20 May (1972)

Executive branch: president, Cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)

Political parties and leaders: only party--Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (RDPC), Paul Biya, president

Suffrage: universal at age 21

Elections: President--last held 24 April 1988 (next to be held April 1993); results--President Paul Biya reelected without opposition;

National Assembly--last held 24 April 1988 (next to be held April 1993); results--RDPC is the only party; seats--(180 total) RDPC 180

Communists: no Communist party or significant number of sympathizers

Other political or pressure groups: Cameroon People's Union (UPC), remains an illegal group with its factional leaders in exile

Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, EAMA, ECA, EIB (associate), FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ISO, ITU, Lake Chad Basin Commission, NAM, Niger River Commission, OAU, OIC, UDEAC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Paul PONDI; Chancery at 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 265-8790 through 8794; US--Ambassador Frances COOK; Embassy at Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde (mailing address is B. P. 817, Yaounde); telephone [237] 234014; there is a US Consulate General in Douala

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

- Economy Overview: Over the past decade the economy has registered a remarkable performance because of the development of an offshore oil industry. Real GDP growth annually averaged 10% from 1978 to 1985. In 1986 Cameroon had one of the highest levels of income per capita in tropical Africa, with oil revenues picking up the slack as growth in other sectors softened. Because of the sharp drop in oil prices, however, the economy is now experiencing serious budgetary difficulties and balance-of-payments disequalibrium. Oil reserves currently being exploited will be depleted in the early 1990s, so ways must be found to boost agricultural and industrial exports in the medium term. The Sixth Cameroon Development Plan (1986-91) stresses balanced development and designates agriculture as the basis of the country's economic future.

GDP: $12.9 billion, per capita $955; real growth rate - 8.6% (1988)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.6% (FY88)

Unemployment rate: 7% (1985)

Budget: revenues $2.17 billion; expenditures $2.17 billion, including capital expenditures of $833 million (FY88)

Exports: $2.0 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--petroleum products 56%, coffee, cocoa, timber, manufactures; partners--EC (particularly the Netherlands) about 50%, US 3%

Imports: $2.3 billion (c.i.f., 1988); commodities--machines and electrical equipment, transport equipment, chemical products, consumer goods; partners--France 42%, Japan 7%, US 4%

External debt: $4.9 billion (December 1989 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate - 6.4% (FY87)

Electricity: 752,000 kW capacity; 2,940 million kWh produced, 270 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries: crude oil products, small aluminum plant, food processing, light consumer goods industries, 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

Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $400 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $3.9 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $29 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $120 million

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural--francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--287.99 (January 1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)

Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June

- Communications Railroads: 1,003 km total; 858 km 1.000-meter gauge, 145 km 0.600-meter gauge

Highways: about 65,000 km total; includes 2,682 km bituminous, 30,000 km unimproved earth, 32,318 km gravel, earth, and improved earth

Inland waterways: 2,090 km; of decreasing importance

Ports: Douala

Merchant marine: 2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,122 GRT/33,509 DWT

Civil air: 5 major transport aircraft

Airports: 61 total, 54 usable; 10 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 5 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 22 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications: good system of open wire, cable, troposcatter, and radio relay; 26,000 telephones; stations--10 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

- Defense Forces Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force; paramilitary Gendarmerie

Military manpower: males 15-49, 2,553,867; 1,286,831 fit for military service; 121,773 reach military age (18) annually

Defense expenditures: 1.7% of GDP, or $219 million (1990 est.) ---------------------------------------------------- Country: Canada - Geography Total area: 9,976,140 km2; land area: 9,220,970 km2

Comparative area: slightly larger than US

Land boundaries: 8,893 km with US (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Coastline: 243,791 km

Maritime claims:

Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation;

Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Disputes: maritime boundary disputes with France (St. Pierre and Miquelon) and US

Climate: varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Terrain: mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Natural resources: nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, crude oil, natural gas

Land use: 5% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 3% meadows and pastures; 35% forest and woodland; 57% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Environment: 80% of population concentrated within 160 km of US border; continuous permafrost in north a serious obstacle to development

Note: second-largest country in world (after USSR); strategic location between USSR and US via north polar route

- People Population: 26,538,229 (July 1990), growth rate 1.1% (1990)

Birth rate: 14 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: 5 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Infant mortality rate: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 81 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality: noun--Canadian(s); adjective--Canadian

Ethnic divisions: 40% British Isles origin, 27% French origin, 20% other European, 1.5% indigenous Indian and Eskimo

Religion: 46% Roman Catholic, 16% United Church, 10% Anglican

Language: English and French (both official)

Literacy: 99%

Labor force: 13,380,000; services 75%, manufacturing 14%, agriculture 4%, construction 3%, other 4% (1988)

Organized labor: 30.6% of labor force; 39.6% of nonagricultural paid workers

- Government Long-form name: none

Type: confederation with parliamentary democracy

Capital: Ottawa

Administrative divisions: 10 provinces and 2 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Independence: 1 July 1867 (from UK)

Constitution: amended British North America Act 1867 patriated to Canada 17 April 1982; charter of rights and unwritten customs

Legal system: based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

National holiday: Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Executive branch: British monarch, governor general, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Commons

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Leaders: Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Raymond John HNATSHYN (since 29 January 1990);

Head of Government--Prime Minister (Martin) Brian MULRONEY (since 4 September 1984); Deputy Prime Minister Donald Frank MAZANKOWSKI (since NA June 1986)

Political parties and leaders: Progressive Conservative, Brian Mulroney; Liberal, John Turner; New Democratic, Audrey McLaughlin

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Elections: House of Commons--last held 21 November 1988 (next to be held by November 1993); results--Progressive Conservative 43.0%, Liberal 32%, New Democratic Party 20%, other 5%; seats--(295 total) Progressive Conservative 170, Liberal 82, New Democratic Party 43

Communists: 3,000

Member of: ADB, CCC, Colombo Plan, Commonwealth, DAC, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICES, ICO, IDA, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ISO, ITC, ITU, IWC--International Whaling Commission, IWC--International Wheat Council, NATO, OAS, OECD, PAHO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Derek BURNEY; Chancery at 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20036; telephone (202) 785-1400; there are Canadian Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle; US--Ambassador Edward N. NEY; Embassy at 100 Wellington Street, K1P 5T1, Ottawa (mailing address is P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669); telephone (613) 238-5335; there are US Consulates General in Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and Vancouver

Flag: three vertical bands of red (hoist side), white (double width, square), and red with a red maple leaf centered in the white band

- Economy Overview: As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles the US in per capita output, market-oriented economic system, and pattern of production. Since World War II the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. In the 1980s Canada registered one of the highest rates of growth among the OECD nations, averaging about 4%. With its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada has excellent economic prospects. In mid-1990, however, the long-simmering problems between English- and French-speaking areas became so acute that observers spoke openly of a possible split in the confederation; foreign investors were becoming edgy.

GDP: $513.6 billion, per capita $19,600; real growth rate 2.9% (1989 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.0% (1989)

Unemployment rate: 7.5% (1989)

Budget: revenues $79.2 billion; expenditures $102.0 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8 billion (FY88 est.)

Exports: $127.2 billion (f.o.b., 1989); commodities--newsprint, wood pulp, timber, grain, crude petroleum, natural gas, ferrous and nonferrous ores, motor vehicles; partners--US, Japan, UK, FRG, other EC, USSR

Imports: $116.5 billion (c.i.f., 1989); commodities--processed foods, beverages, crude petroleum, chemicals, industrial machinery, motor vehicles, durable consumer goods, electronic computers; partners--US, Japan, UK, FRG, other EC, Taiwan, South Korea, Mexico

External debt: $247 billion (1987)

Industrial production: growth rate 2.3% (1989)

Electricity: 103,746,000 kW capacity; 472,580 million kWh produced, 17,960 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries: processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, transportation equipment, chemicals, fish products, petroleum and natural gas

Agriculture: accounts for 3% of GDP; one of the world's major producers and exporters of grain (wheat and barley); key source of US agricultural imports; large forest resources cover 35% of total land area; commercial fisheries provide annual catch of 1.5 million metric tons, of which 75% is exported

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market

Aid: donor--ODA and OOF commitments (1970-87), $2.2 billion

Currency: Canadian dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Canadian dollar (Can$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$1--1.1714 (January 1990), 1.1840 (1989), 1.2307 (1988), 1.3260 (1987), 1.3895 (1986), 1.3655 (1985)

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

- Communications Railroads: 80,095 km total; 79,917 km 1.435-meter standard gauge (includes 129 km electrified); 178 km 0.915-meter narrow gauge (mostly unused); two major transcontinental freight railway systems--Canadian National (government owned) and Canadian Pacific Railway; passenger service--VIA (government operated)

Highways: 884,272 km total; 712,936 km surfaced (250,023 km paved), 171,336 km earth

Inland waterways: 3,000 km, including St. Lawrence Seaway

Pipelines: oil, 23,564 km total crude and refined; natural gas, 74,980 km

Ports: Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Saint John (New Brunswick), St. John's (Newfoundland), Toronto, Vancouver

Merchant marine: 78 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 555,749 GRT/774,914 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 5 short-sea passenger, 2 passenger-cargo, 12 cargo, 2 railcar carrier, 1 refrigerated cargo, 8 roll-on/roll-off, 1 container, 29 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 6 chemical tanker, 1 specialized tanker, 10 bulk; note--does not include ships used exclusively in the Great Lakes ships

Civil air: 636 major transport aircraft; Air Canada is the major carrier

Airports: 1,359 total, 1,117 usable; 442 with permanent-surface runways; 4 with runways over 3,659 m; 30 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 322 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Telecommunications: excellent service provided by modern media; 18.0 million telephones; stations--900 AM, 29 FM, 53 (1,400 repeaters) TV; 5 coaxial submarine cables; over 300 satellite earth stations operating in INTELSAT (including 4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and domestic systems

- Defense Forces Branches: Mobile Command, Maritime Command, Air Command, Communications Command, Canadian Forces Europe, Training Commands

Military manpower: males 15-49, 7,174,119; 6,251,492 fit for military service; 187,894 reach military age (17) annually

Defense expenditures: 2.0% of GDP, or $10 billion (1989 est.) ---------------------------------------------------- Country: Cape Verde - Geography Total area: 4,030 km2; land area: 4,030 km2

Comparative area: slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 965 km

Maritime claims: (measured from claimed archipelagic baselines);

Extended economic zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: temperate; warm, dry, summer precipitation very erratic

Terrain: steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Natural resources: salt, basalt rock, pozzolana, limestone, kaolin, fish

Land use: 9% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 6% meadows and pastures; NEGL% forest and woodland; 85% other; includes 1% irrigated

Environment: subject to prolonged droughts; harmattan wind can obscure visibility; volcanically and seismically active; deforestation; overgrazing

Note: strategic location 500 km from African coast near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site

- People Population: 374,984 (July 1990), growth rate 3.0% (1990)

Birth rate: 49 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate: 11 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: - 8 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Infant mortality rate: 65 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 59 years male, 63 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 6.7 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality: noun--Cape Verdean(s); adjective--Cape Verdean

Ethnic divisions: about 71% Creole (mulatto), 28% African, 1% European

Religion: Roman Catholicism fused with indigenous beliefs

Language: Portuguese and Crioulo, a blend of Portuguese and West African words

Literacy: 48% (1986)

Labor force: 102,000 (1985 est.); 57% agriculture (mostly subsistence), 29% services, 14% industry (1981); 51% of population of working age (1985)

Organized labor: Trade Unions of Cape Verde Unity Center (UNTC-CS) closely associated with ruling party

- Government Long-form name: Republic of Cape Verde

Type: republic

Capital: Praia

Administrative divisions: 12 districts (concelhos, singular--concelho); Boa Vista, Brava, Fogo, Maio, Paul, Praia, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal; there may be 2 new districts named Porto Novo and Santa Cruz

Independence: 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Constitution: 7 September 1980, amended 12 February 1981 and December 1988

National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Executive branch: president, prime minister, deputy minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular)

Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Supremo Tribunal de Justia)

Leaders: Chief of State--President Aristides Maria PEREIRA (since 5 July 1975);

Head of Government--Prime Minister Pedro Verona Rodrigues PIRES, (since 5 July 1975); Deputy Minister Aguinaldo Liboa RAMOS (since NA February 1990)

Political parties and leaders: only party--African Party for Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), Aristides Maria Pereira, secretary general

Suffrage: universal at age 15

Elections: President--last held 13 January 1986 (next to be held January 1991); results--President Aristides Maria Pereira (PAICV) was reelected without opposition;

National People's Assembly--last held 7 December 1985 (next to be held December 1990); results--PAICV is the only party; seats--(83 total) PAICV 83

Communists: a few Communists and some sympathizers

Member of: ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, IPU, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Jose Luis FERNANDES LOPES; Chancery at 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20007; telephone (202) 965-6820; there is a Cape Verdean Consulate General in Boston; US--Ambassador Terry McNAMARA; Embassy at Rua Hojl Ya Yenna 81, Praia (mailing address is C. P. 201, Praia); telephone [238] 614-363 or 253