Cameroon

= Cameroon =





Background InformationBantu tribes inhabited Cameroon's highlands more than 1,500 years ago and began spreading south into Pygmy lands as they cleared forests for new farms. Fulani migrated to the north from western Africa in the 13th century AD, bringing Islam with them and encountering Hausa already there.



__Location__ Total Area of Cameroon: 475,440 sq km Land: 472,710 sq km Water: 2,730 sq km

__ Borders __ 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

__ Climate __ Cameroon has a tropical climate near the coast and semi-arid hot to the north.

__ 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%.

__ Government __ Republic,and a multiparty presidential regime

__ Suffrage __ 20 years of age; universal

__GDP per capita __ $2,300, established in 2008

__ Agriculture Products __ Coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber

__Imports and Exports__ $4.303 billion (2008 est.)- Imports $4.816 billion (2008 est.)- Exports

__Religion__ Indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

__ Terrain __ Coastal plains in the southwest, plateaus in the center, mountains to the west, and plains in the north

__ ​Natural Resources __ Oil and natural gas

__Land Use__ Arable Land:12.56% Permanent Crops:2.52% Other:84.94%

__Natural Hazards__ Volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes

__ Environmantal Hazards __ Waterbourne diseases, deforestation, overgrazing, and overfishing

__ Languages __ Official languages are English, and French

__Capital__ Yaounde

__Leader__ President Paul BIYA

__Labor Force by occupation__ Agriculture;70% Industries:13% Services:17%

__Industries__ Petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair

__Currency/Exchange Rate__ Per U.S dollar-447.81

__Population__ 18,879,301 __Population Growth Rate__ 2.19% __Net Migration Rate__ N/A __Infan____t Mortality Rate__ 63.34 deaths/1,000 live births __Life Expectancy__ Total Population-53.68 years Men/Women-52.89 years/54.52 years

__ Literacy __ Definition: age 15 and over can read and write Total Population: 67.9% Male: 77% Female:59.8% (2001 est.)

__ Independence __ January 1st 1960

__Economic Overview__ One of the best commodity economies in the Sub-Saharra region. It still faces problems with underdeveloped countries affecting the capita income. For the most part oil and cocoa prices stay the same so, Cameroons economy stays pretty stable because those are the two biggest exports of the country.

__Unemployment__ 30%

__ Education __total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 8 years __Internet Access__

370,000 total users



__Tourist Information__ Cameroon is not a place that a person would not want to go visit for vacation or any other reason. In Cameroon there are Refugees and slavery. Women and children are taken to Cameroon and are put into labor and and commercial sexual exploitation. Both boys and girls are also trafficked within Cameroon for forced labor in sweatshops, bars, restaurants, and on tea and cocoa plantations. Cameroon is a transit country for children trafficked between Gabon and Nigeria, and from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia; it is a source country for women transported by sex-trafficking.

__Flag Description__ The basic pattern of the flag of Cameroon dates back to 1957. In 1961 Southern Cameroon, a former British colony or dependency, voted to join Cameroon in a federal type of government. At that time two yellow stars were added to the upper part of the green portion of the flag. In 1972 the federal system was replaced by a unitary government, and in 1975 the two stars were removed from the green and a single yellow star was placed on the red portion of the flag.

__Maps__



__Timeline__ 500 BC: An explorer named Hanno from Carthage in North Africa is the first who reports finding Mount Cameroon. 1916: World War I breaks out putting a temporary stop to the development of the German colony. As a result of the war and battles in Kamerun, Britain and France finally forces Germany out of the territory. 1919: Following the war, a declaration splits up Cameroon between Britain and France. 1924: The first president of Cameroon, El Hajj Ahmadou Ahidjo, is born in Garoua, northern Cameroon January 1, 1960: Ahidjo proclaims independence of the Republic of Cameroon in the former French Cameroon. May 20, 1972: The federal structure is dissolved and a new constitution is made with the formation of the United Republic of Cameroon. November, 1982: Without prior notice Ahidjo leaves his post as president. The reason is informed to be bad health. 1983: The 49 year old Prime Minister, Paul Biya, takes over presidency. 1986: Cameroon becomes the fourth African nation to establish diplomatic relations with Israel. November 30, 1989: Ahmadou Ahidjo dies.

__Current Event__ Cameroons soccer team won their first game in world cup qualifiers. If they go on to win their next game they will compete against Ghana for the top spot.

__Works Cited__

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