Cameroon

Official nameRepublic of Cameroon
Name in local languageRépublique du Cameroun (fr)
ContinentAfrica
SubcontinentSub-Saharan Africa
Population (ranking: 58e)23,799,022 inhabitants (2018)
Population growth2.37 % / year
Area475,650 km²
Density50.03 inhabitants / km²
GDP (ranking: 100e)38.502 billions $USD (2018)
GDP/capita (ranking)1,527 $USD (2018)
GDP growth3.90 % / year (2018)
Life expectancy (ranking)58.90 years (2018)
Birth rate31.93 ‰ (2013)
Fertility rate4.00 children / woman (2013)
Death rate (ranking)11.51 ‰ (2013)
Infant mortality rate (ranking)58.51 ‰ (2013)
Literacy rate80.57 % (2010)
Official languagesFrench, English
CurrencyCentral African CFA franc (XAF)
HDI (ranking: 188e)0.563 / 1 (2018)
EPI (ranking)40.81 (2018)
GovernmentUnitary dominant-party presidential republic (dictatorship de facto)
Head of StatePresident Paul Biya
National Day20 May (Republic)
ISO CodesCM, CMR
DemonymCameroonian
Tourists (ranking)912,000 people (2013)
Cameroun – petite
A country that has assets but does not use them enough

Cameroon is a country in Central and West Africa located in the Gulf of Guinea. It shares borders with Nigeria to the west, Chad to the north, the Central African Republic to the east, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Congo to the south.
Former German colony, Cameroon was then placed under half United Kingdom (West), and France (East, North and South) and is now a member of the International Organization of La Francophonie, as well as the British Commonwealth.
Packed with natural resources, including wood and oil, it remains a very poor country. Indeed, its resources are not used fully and especially the revenues do not benefit the entire population. The authorities are corrupt and the democracy of facade hides badly a dictatorship which prevents any contestation by the force.

Mont Rhumsiki, Extrême-Nord, Cameroun
Mount Rhumsiki, North, Cameroon. Source: Wildlife Archives
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Urban areas (2015)
Urban areasPopulation
Douala2,768,436 inhabitants
Yaoundé2,765,568 inhabitants
Garoua546,060 inhabitants
Bamenda515,593 inhabitants
Maroua415,251 inhabitants
Bafoussam365,017 inhabitants
Ngaoundéré298,016 inhabitants
Bertoua281,139 inhabitants
Edéa263,997 inhabitants
Loum234,471 inhabitants
Mbouda175,986 inhabitants
Kumba173,380 inhabitants
Djang140,861 inhabitants
Nkongsamba129,168 inhabitants
See all urban areas
Administrative divisions
RegionsPopulationArea
Adamaoua1,200,970 inhabitants63,701 km²
Centre4,159,492 inhabitants68,953 km²
Est835,642 inhabitants109,002 km²
Extrême-Nord3,993,007 inhabitants34,263 km²
Littoral3,354,978 inhabitants20,248 km²
Nord2,442,578 inhabitants66,090 km²
Nord-Ouest1,968,578 inhabitants17,300 km²
Ouest1,921,590 inhabitants13,892 km²
Sud749,552 inhabitants47,191 km²
Sud-Ouest1,553,320 inhabitants25,410 km²
See all administrative divisions
See also