Chapter 24

Natural resources: petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 78% other: 3% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 210 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases

Environment--current issues: water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing

Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Geography--note: sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa

People

Population: 15,456,092 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (male 3,562,553; female 3,528,778) 15-64 years: 51% (male 3,907,946; female 3,943,035) 65 years and over: 3% (male 231,521; female 282,259) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.79% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 41.84 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 13.95 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population; note--there may be some migration but figures are not available

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 75.69 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 51.32 years male: 49.75 years female: 52.94 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.8 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Cameroonian(s) adjective: Cameroonian

Ethnic groups: Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%, non-African less than 1%

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

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

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.4% male: 75% female: 52.1% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon conventional short form: Cameroon former: French Cameroon

Data code: CM

Government type: unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in 1990)

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)

National holiday: National Day, 20 May (1972)

Constitution: 20 May 1972

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

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982) head of government: Prime Minister Peter Mafany MUSONGE (since 19 September 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 12 October 1997 (next to be held NA October 2004); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote--Paul BIYA 93%; note--supporters of the opposition candidates boycotted the elections, making a comparison of vote shares relatively meaningless

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms; note--the president can either lengthen or shorten the term of the legislature) elections: last held 11 May 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--CDPM 109, SDF 43, UNDP 13, UDC 5, UPC-K 1, MDR 1, MLJC 1; note--7 contested seats will be filled in an election at a time to be set by the Supreme Court note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the legislature, to be called Senate, which the government proposed to establish in 1998

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders: Cameroon People's Democratic Movement or CPDM (government-controlled and the only party until major opposition parties: Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC Frederick KODOG]; Union of Cameroonian Democratic Forces or UFOC

Political pressure groups and leaders: Alliance for Change or general]

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, C, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John M. YATES embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde mailing address: B. P. 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520

Flag description: 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

Economy--overview: Because of its oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious problems facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy civil service and a generally 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. The government, however, has failed to press forward vigorously with these programs. The latest enhanced structural adjustment agreement was signed in October 1997; the parties hope this will prove more successful, yet government mismanagement and corruption remain problems. Inflation has been brought back under control. Progress toward privatization of remaining state industry may support economic growth in 1999-2000.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$29.6 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 5% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$2,000 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 42% industry: 22% services: 36% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (1984 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1998 est.)

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: 30% (1998 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.23 billion expenditures: $2.23 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97 est.)

Industries: petroleum production and refining, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity--production: 2.73 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 2.93% hydro: 97.07% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 2.73 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber

Exports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton

Exports--partners: Italy 25%, Spain 20%, France 16%, Netherlands 7% (1997 est.)

Imports: $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities: machines and electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food

Imports--partners: France 25%, Nigeria 8%, US 8%, Germany 6% (1997 est.)

Debt--external: $8.7 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $606.1 million (1995); note?France signed two loan agreements totaling $55 million in September 1997, and the Paris Club agreed in October 1997 to reduce the official debt by 50% and to reschedule it on favorable terms with a consolidation of payments due through 2000

Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--575 (January 1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)

Fiscal year: 1 July--30 June

Communications

Telephones: 36,737 (1991 est.)

Telephone system: available only to business and government domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 11, FM 8, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios: 6 million (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1998)

Televisions: 15,000 (1998)

Transportation

Railways: total: 1,104 km narrow gauge: 1,104 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)

Highways: total: 34,300 km paved: 4,288 km unpaved: 30,012 km (1995 est.)

Waterways: 2,090 km; of decreasing importance

Ports and harbors: Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko

Airports: 52 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 12 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 3,388,643 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,716,285 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 165,670 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $155 million (FY98/99)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.4% (FY98/99)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: delimitation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; dispute with Nigeria over land and maritime boundaries around the Bakasi Peninsula and Lake Chad is currently before the International Court of Justice

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@Canada ------

Introduction

Background: A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, from 1867 on Canada has enjoyed de facto independence while retaining, even to the present day, certain formal ties to the British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across an unfortified border. Its paramount political problem continues to be the relationship of the province of Quebec, with its French-speaking residents and unique culture, to the remainder of the country.

Geography

Location: Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and North Pacific Ocean, north of the conterminous US

Geographic coordinates: 60 00 N, 95 00 W

Map references: North America

Area: total: 9,976,140 sq km land: 9,220,970 sq km water: 755,170 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly larger than the US

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

Coastline: 243,791 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

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

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

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Logan 5,950 m

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

Land use: arable land: 5% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 54% other: 38% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 7,100 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow

Environment--current issues: air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities

Environment--international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geography--note: second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; nearly 90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US/Canada border

People

Population: 31,006,347 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20% (male 3,105,944; female 2,960,171) 15-64 years: 68% (male 10,587,553; female 10,461,455) 65 years and over: 12% (male 1,652,044; female 2,239,180) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.06% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 11.86 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 7.26 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 5.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.47 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.37 years male: 76.12 years female: 82.79 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Canadian(s) adjective: Canadian

Ethnic groups: British Isles origin 40%, French origin 27%, other European 20%, Amerindian 1.5%, other, mostly Asian 11.5%

Religions: Roman Catholic 45%, United Church 12%, Anglican 8%, other 35% (1991)

Languages: English (official), French (official)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% (1986 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Canada

Data code: CA

Government type: federation with parliamentary democracy

Capital: Ottawa

Administrative divisions: 10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Independence: 1 July 1867 (from UK)

National holiday: Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Constitution: 17 April 1982 (Constitution Act); originally, the machinery of the government was set up in the British North America Act of 1867; 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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Romeo Le BLANC (since 8 February 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Jean CHRETIEN (since 4 November 1993) cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from among the members of his own party sitting in Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons is automatically designated by the governor general to become prime minister

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (a body whose members are appointed to serve until reaching 75 years of age by the governor general and selected on the advice of the prime minister; its normal limit is 104 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (301 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Commons--last held 2 June 1997 (next to be held by NA June 2002) election results: percent of vote by party--Liberal Party 38%, Reform Party 19%, Tories 19%, Bloc Quebecois 11%, New Democratic Party 11%, other 2%; seats by party--Liberal Party 155, Reform Party 60, Bloc Quebecois 44, New Democratic Party 21, Progressive Conservative Party 20, independents 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the prime minister through the governor general

Political parties and leaders: Liberal Party [Jean CHRETIEN];

International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE (observer), CP, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, ESA (cooperating state), FAO, G- 7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURCA, MIPONUH, MTCR, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond A. J. CHRETIEN chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, and Seattle consulate(s): Miami, Princeton, San Francisco, and San Jose

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gordon D. GIFFIN embassy: 100 Wellington Street, K1P 5T1, Ottawa mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburg, NY 13669-0430 consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, and Vancouver

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

Economy

Economy--overview: As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, Canada today closely resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high living standards. 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. Real rates of growth have averaged nearly 3.0% since 1993. Unemployment is falling and government budget surpluses are being partially devoted to reducing the large public sector debt. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which included Mexico) have touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US. With its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant Canada can anticipate solid economic prospects in the future. The continuing constitutional impasse between English- and French-speaking areas is raising the possibility of a split in the federation, making foreign investors somewhat edgy.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$688.3 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 3% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$22,400 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 31% services: 66% (1998)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 23.8% (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.9% (1998)

Labor force: 15.8 million (1998)

Labor force--by occupation: services 75%, manufacturing 16%, construction 5%, agriculture 3%, other 1% (1997)

Unemployment rate: 7.8% (December 1998)

Budget: revenues: $121.3 billion expenditures: $112.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.7 billion (1998)

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

Industrial production growth rate: 0.8% (1998 est.)

Electricity--production: 549.162 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 20.34% hydro: 63.59% nuclear: 16.05% other: 0.02% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 511.586 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 45.28 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 7.705 billion kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy products; forest products; fish

Exports: $210.7 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities: motor vehicles and parts, newsprint, wood pulp, timber, crude petroleum, machinery, natural gas, aluminum, telecommunications equipment

Exports--partners: US 81%, Japan 4%, UK, Germany, South Korea, Netherlands, China (1997)

Imports: $202.7 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities: machinery and equipment, crude oil, chemicals, motor vehicles and parts, durable consumer goods

Imports--partners: US 76%, Japan 3%, UK, Germany, France, Mexico, Taiwan, South Korea (1997)

Debt--external: $253 billion (1996)

Economic aid--donor: ODA, $2.1 billion (1995)

Currency: 1 Canadian dollar (Can$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$1--1.5192 (January 1999), 1.4835 (1998), 1.3846 (1997), 1.3635 (1996), 1.3724 (1995), 1.3656 (1994)

Fiscal year: 1 April--31 March

Communications

Telephones: 15.3 million (1990)

Telephone system: excellent service provided by modern technology domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations international: 5 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations--5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 334, FM 35, shortwave 7 (one of the shortwave stations, Radio Canada International, has six transmitters, 48 frequencies, and broadcasts in seven languages; the transmissions are relayed by repeaters in Europe and Asia) (1998)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 80 (in addition, there are many repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: 11.53 million (1983 est.)

Transportation

Railways: total: 67,773 km; note--there are two major transcontinental freight railway systems: Canadian National (privatized November 1995) and Canadian Pacific Railway; passenger service provided by government-operated firm VIA, which has no trackage of its own standard gauge: 67,773 km 1.435-m gauge (183 km electrified) (1996)

Highways: total: 912,200 km paved: 246,400 km (including 16,600 km of expressways) unpaved: 665,800 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 3,000 km, including Saint Lawrence Seaway