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Compare Cameroon (2004) - Western Sahara (2003)

Compare Cameroon (2004) z Western Sahara (2003)

 Cameroon (2004)Western Sahara (2003)
 CameroonWestern Sahara
Administrative divisions 10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest none (under de facto control of Morocco)
Age structure 0-14 years: 42% (male 3,416,086; female 3,334,904)


15-64 years: 54.8% (male 4,425,246; female 4,370,329)


65 years and over: 3.2% (male 233,506; female 283,607) (2004 est.)
0-14 years: NA%


15-64 years: NA%


65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads)
Airports 47 (2003 est.) 11 (2002)
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 (2004 est.)
total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 36


1,524 to 2,437 m: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 20


under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)
total: 8


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Area total: 475,440 sq km


land: 469,440 sq km


water: 6,000 sq km
total: 266,000 sq km


land: 266,000 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than California about the size of Colorado
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. Despite movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of an ethnic oligarchy. Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed.
Birth rate 35.08 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $2.442 billion


expenditures: $1.941 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Capital Yaounde none
Climate varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew
Coastline 402 km 1,110 km
Constitution 20 May 1972 approved by referendum; 2 June 1972 formally adopted; revised January 1996 -
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon


conventional short form: Cameroon


former: French Cameroon
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Western Sahara


former: Spanish Sahara
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States Moroccan dirham (MAD)
Death rate 15.34 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $7.236 billion (2003 est.) $NA
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador George McDade STAPLES


embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde


mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520


telephone: [237] 223-05-12, 222-25-89, 222-17-94, 223-40-14


FAX: [237] 223-07-53


branch office(s): Douala
none
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA


chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790


FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826
none
Disputes - international ICJ ruled in 2002 on the entire Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritime boundary but the parties formed a Joint Border Commission to resolve differences bilaterally and have commenced with demarcation in less-contested sections of the boundary, starting in Lake Chad in the north; the ICF ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, however, implementation of the decision is delayed due to imprecisely defined coordinates, the unresolved Bakasi allocation, and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River; Nigeria initially rejected cession of the Bakasi Peninsula; Lake Chad Commission continues to urge signatories Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria to ratify delimitation treaty over the lake region, which remains the site of armed clashes among local populations and militias Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, but sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties have rejected other proposals; Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in recent years; Morocco allowed Spanish fishermen to fish temporarily off the coast of Western Sahara after an oil spill soiled Spanish fishing grounds
Economic aid - recipient on 23 January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce Cameroon's debt of $1.3 billion by $900 million; debt relief now totals $1.26 billion $NA
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. In June 2000, the government completed an IMF-sponsored, three-year structural adjustment program; however, the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs. International oil and cocoa prices have considerable impact on the economy. Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level.
Electricity - consumption 3.36 billion kWh (2001) 83.7 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 3.613 billion kWh (2001) 90 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Fako (on Mount Cameroon) 4,095 m
lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m


highest point: unnamed location 463 m
Environment - current issues water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing sparse water and lack of arable land
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: none of the selected agreements


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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% Arab, Berber
Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699 (1999) Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 11.584 (2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997)
Executive branch chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)


head of government: Prime Minister Ephraim INONI (since 8 Dec 2004)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted by the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held NA October 2011); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote - Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, Garga Haman ADJI 3.7%
none
Exports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton phosphates 62%
Exports - partners Spain 21.9%, Italy 13.4%, France 10.8%, Netherlands 10.6%, US 7.5%, China 4.4% (2003) Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June calendar year
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 -
GDP purchasing power parity - $27.75 billion (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 42.6%


industry: 19.8%


services: 37.6% (2003 est.)
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: 40% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - real growth rate 4.2% (2003 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 6 00 N, 12 00 E 24 30 N, 13 00 W
Geography - note sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout the country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas
Highways total: 34,300 km


paved: 4,288 km


unpaved: 30,012 km (1999 est.)
total: 6,200 km


paved: 1,350 km


unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 1.9%


highest 10%: 36.6% (1996)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Imports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs
Imports - partners France 21.9%, Nigeria 9.5%, Japan 6.8%, US 5.7%, China 4.9%, Germany 4.3% (2003) Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2000)
Independence 1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship) -
Industrial production growth rate 4.2% (1999 est.) NA%
Industries petroleum production and refining, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber phosphate mining, handicrafts
Infant mortality rate total: 69.18 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 73.16 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 65.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
total: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.3% (2003 est.) NA%
International organization participation ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO none
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 330 sq km (1998 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Court of Justice (consists of 9 judges and 6 substitute judges, elected by the National Assembly) -
Labor force 6.49 million NA (2003) 12,000
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 70%, industry and commerce 13%, other 17% animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%
Land boundaries total: 4,591 km


border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km
total: 2,046 km


border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
Land use arable land: 12.81%


permanent crops: 2.58%


other: 84.61% (2001)
arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (1998 est.)
Languages 24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official) Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
Legal system based on French civil law system, with common law influence; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction -
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 23 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RDCP 133, SDF 21, UDC 5, other 21


note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established
-
Life expectancy at birth total population: 47.95 years


male: 47.1 years


female: 48.83 years (2004 est.)
total population: NA years


male: NA years


female: NA years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 79%


male: 84.7%


female: 73.4% (2003 est.)
definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 50 nm contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue
Merchant marine total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 169,593 GRT/357,023 DWT


by type: petroleum tanker 1 (2004 est.)
-
Military branches Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $189.2 million (2003) $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.4% (2003) NA%
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 3,898,944 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 1,979,151 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 184,054 (2004 est.) -
National holiday Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972) -
Nationality noun: Cameroonian(s)


adjective: Cameroonian
noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)


adjective: Sahrawian, Sahraouian
Natural hazards volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility
Natural resources petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower phosphates, iron ore
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) -
Pipelines gas 90 km; liquid petroleum gas 9 km; oil 1,120 km (2004) -
Political parties and leaders Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou NDAM NJOYA]; Democratic Rally of the Cameroon People or RDCP [Paul BIYA]; Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [leader Marcel YONDO]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MYC [Dieudonne TINA]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union of Cameroonian Populations or UPC [Augustin Frederic KODOCK] -
Political pressure groups and leaders Southern Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN]; Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president] none
Population 16,063,678


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.)
261,794 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 48% (2000 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 1.97% (2004 est.) NA% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2002) AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways total: 1,008 km


narrow gauge: 1,008 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
0 km
Religions indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20% Muslim
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female


total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
NA (2003 est.)
Suffrage 20 years of age; universal none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed
Telephone system general assessment: available only to business and government


domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter


international: country code - 237; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
general assessment: sparse and limited system


domestic: NA


international: tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco
Telephones - main lines in use 110,900 (2002) about 2,000 (1999 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.077 million (2003) 0 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2002) NA
Terrain diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast
Total fertility rate 4.55 children born/woman (2004 est.) NA children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 30% (2001 est.) NA%
Waterways navigation mainly on Benue River; limited during rainy season (2004) none
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