Cameroon vs. Republic of the Congo
Introduction
| Cameroon | Republic of the Congo | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | Much of the area of present-day Cameroon was ruled by powerful chiefdoms before becoming a German colony in 1884 known as Kamerun. After World War I, the territory was divided between France and the UK as League of Nations mandates. French Cameroon became independent in 1960 as the Republic of Cameroon. The following year the southern portion of neighboring British Cameroon voted to merge with the new country to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. In 1972, a new constitution replaced the federation with a unitary state, the United Republic of Cameroon. The country has generally enjoyed stability, which has enabled the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite slow movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of President Paul BIYA. | Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government took office in 1992. A two-year civil war that ended in 1999 restored former Marxist President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso, who had ruled from 1979 to 1992, and sparked a short period of ethnic and political unrest that was resolved by a peace agreement in late 1999. A new constitution adopted three years later provided for a multi-party system and a seven-year presidential term, and elections arranged shortly thereafter installed SASSOU-Nguesso. Following a year of renewed fighting, President SASSOU-Nguesso and southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003. SASSOU-Nguesso was reeelected in 2009 and, after passing a referendum allowing him to run for a third term, was reelected again in 2016. The Republic of Congo is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers, but with declining production it will need new offshore oil finds to sustain its oil earnings over the long term. |
Geography
| Cameroon | Republic of the Congo | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria | Central Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon |
| Geographic coordinates | 6 00 N, 12 00 E | 1 00 S, 15 00 E |
| Map references | Africa | Africa |
| Area | total: 475,440 sq km land: 472,710 sq km water: 2,730 sq km | total: 342,000 sq km land: 341,500 sq km water: 500 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than California; about four times the size of Pennsylvania | slightly smaller than Montana; about twice the size of Florida |
| Land boundaries | total: 5,018 km border countries (6): Central African Republic 901 km, Chad 1116 km, Republic of the Congo 494 km, Equatorial Guinea 183 km, Gabon 349 km, Nigeria 1975 km | total: 5,554 km border countries (5): Angola 231 km, Cameroon 494 km, Central African Republic 487 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1775 km, Gabon 2567 km |
| Coastline | 402 km | 169 km |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate | varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north | tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator |
| Terrain | diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north | coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Fako on Mont Cameroun 4,045 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 667 m | highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 430 m |
| Natural resources | petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower | petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower |
| Land use | agricultural land: 20.6% (2018 est.) arable land: 13.1% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 3.3% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 4.2% (2018 est.) forest: 41.7% (2018 est.) other: 37.7% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 31.1% (2018 est.) arable land: 1.6% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 29.3% (2018 est.) forest: 65.6% (2018 est.) other: 3.3% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 290 sq km (2012) | 20 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes volcanism: Mt. Cameroon (4,095 m), which last erupted in 2000, is the most frequently active volcano in West Africa; lakes in Oku volcanic field have released fatal levels of gas on occasion, killing some 1,700 people in 1986 | seasonal flooding |
| Environment - current issues | waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation and overgrazing result in erosion, desertification, and reduced quality of pastureland; poaching; overfishing; overhunting | air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation; wildlife protection |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note | sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa because of its central location on the continent and its position at the west-south juncture of the Gulf of Guinea; 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 | about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them |
| Total renewable water resources | 283.15 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 832 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | population concentrated in the west and north, with the interior of the country sparsely populated as shown in this population distribution map | the population is primarily located in the south, in and around the capital of Brazzaville as shown in this population distribution map |
Demographics
| Cameroon | Republic of the Congo | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,524,175 (July 2021 est.) 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected | 5,417,414 (July 2021 est.) 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 42.34% (male 5,927,640/female 5,820,226) 15-24 years: 20.04% (male 2,782,376/female 2,776,873) 25-54 years: 30.64% (male 4,191,151/female 4,309,483) 55-64 years: 3.87% (male 520,771/female 552,801) 65 years and over: 3.11% (male 403,420/female 460,248) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 41.57% (male 1,110,484/female 1,089,732) 15-24 years: 17.14% (male 454,981/female 452,204) 25-54 years: 33.5% (male 886,743/female 886,312) 55-64 years: 4.59% (male 125,207/female 117,810) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 75,921/female 93,676) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 18.5 years male: 18.2 years female: 18.8 years (2020 est.) | total: 19.5 years male: 19.3 years female: 19.7 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 2.77% (2021 est.) | 2.36% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 35.91 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 32.15 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 7.93 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 8.55 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 50.09 deaths/1,000 live births male: 55.01 deaths/1,000 live births female: 45.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 49.28 deaths/1,000 live births male: 53.82 deaths/1,000 live births female: 44.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 62.79 years male: 61.07 years female: 64.57 years (2021 est.) | total population: 61.69 years male: 60.27 years female: 63.16 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 4.61 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 4.41 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 3% (2020 est.) | 3.3% (2020 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Cameroonian(s) adjective: Cameroonian | noun: Congolese (singular and plural) adjective: Congolese or Congo |
| Ethnic groups | Bamileke-Bamu 24.3%, Beti/Bassa, Mbam 21.6%, Biu-Mandara 14.6%, Arab-Choa/Hausa/Kanuri 11%, Adamawa-Ubangi, 9.8%, Grassfields 7.7%, Kako, Meka/Pygmy 3.3%, Cotier/Ngoe/Oroko 2.7%, Southwestern Bantu 0.7%, foreign/other ethnic group 4.5% (2018 est.) | Kongo 40.5%, Teke 16.9%, Mbochi 13.1%, foreigner 8.2%, Sangha 5.6%, Mbere/Mbeti/Kele 4.4%, Punu 4.3%, Pygmy 1.6%, Oubanguiens 1.6%, Duma 1.5%, Makaa 1.3%, other and unspecified 1% (2014-15 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 500,000 (2020 est.) | 110,000 (2020 est.) |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 38.3%, Protestant 25.5%, other Christian 6.9%, Muslim 24.4%, animist 2.2%, other 0.5%, none 2.2% (2018 est.) | Roman Catholic 33.1%, Awakening Churches/Christian Revival 22.3%, Protestant 19.9%, Salutiste 2.2%, Muslim 1.6%, Kimbanguiste 1.5%, other 8.1%, none 11.3% (2010 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 14,000 (2020 est.) | 6,100 (2020 est.) |
| Languages | 24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official) major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English) The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) | French (official), French Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread) major-language sample(s): Buku oyo ya bosembo ya Mokili Mobimba Ezali na Makanisi ya Liboso Mpenza. (Lingala) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 77.1% male: 82.6% female: 71.6% (2018) | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 80.3% male: 86.1% female: 74.6% (2018) |
| Major infectious diseases | degree of risk: very high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever water contact diseases: schistosomiasis animal contact diseases: rabies respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis | degree of risk: very high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever water contact diseases: schistosomiasis animal contact diseases: rabies |
| Food insecurity | severe localized food insecurity: due to civil insecurity and population displacements - according to a March 2021 analysis, about 1.9 million people (7 percent of the total population) were projected to be severely food insecure in the June-August 2021 period; this mainly results from the effects of Boko Haram incursions in the Far North Region, the socio-political unrest in the Northwest and Southwest regions and COVID-19 related economic shocks, which disrupted trade flows and agricultural practices, deteriorated livelihoods and displaced people (2021) | severe localized food insecurity: due to restrictive measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic - the negative impact of the restrictive measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic on informal labor and on food supply chains, resulted, on one side, in the loss of income and, on the other, in high food prices due to a decline in food supply; these factors limited the access to food for the most vulnerable population (2021) |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 12 years male: 13 years female: 11 years (2016) | total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2012) |
| Education expenditures | 3.1% of GDP (2018) | 3.5% of GDP (2018) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 58.1% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 3.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 68.3% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 3.19% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 94% of population rural: 54.6% of population total: 76.5% of population unimproved: urban: 6% of population rural: 45.3% of population total: 23.5% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 97.5% of population rural: 56.4% of population total: 83.7% of population unimproved: urban: 2.5% of population rural: 43.6% of population total: 16.3% of population (2017 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 83.3% of population rural: 25.6% of population total: 57.7% of population unimproved: urban: 16.7% of population rural: 74.4% of population total: 42.3% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 73.4% of population rural: 15.1% of population total: 53.9% of population unimproved: urban: 26.6% of population rural: 84.9% of population total: 46.1% of population (2017 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 4.164 million YAOUNDE (capital), 3.793 million Douala (2021) | 2.470 million BRAZZAVILLE (capital), 1.254 million Pointe-Noire (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 529 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 378 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 11% (2018/19) | 12.3% (2014/15) |
| Health expenditures | 3.5% (2018) | 2.1% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2011) | 0.17 physicians/1,000 population (2011) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 11.4% (2016) | 9.6% (2016) |
| Mother's mean age at first birth | 20.1 years (2018 est.) note: median age at first birth among women 25-49 | 19.8 years (2011/12 est.) note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 |
| Demographic profile | Cameroon has a large youth population, with more than 60% of the populace under the age of 25. Fertility is falling but remains at a high level, especially among poor, rural, and uneducated women, in part because of inadequate access to contraception. Life expectancy remains low at about 55 years due to the prevalence of HIV and AIDs and an elevated maternal mortality rate, which has remained high since 1990. Cameroon, particularly the northern region, is vulnerable to food insecurity largely because of government mismanagement, corruption, high production costs, inadequate infrastructure, and natural disasters. Despite economic growth in some regions, poverty is on the rise, and is most prevalent in rural areas, which are especially affected by a shortage of jobs, declining incomes, poor school and health care infrastructure, and a lack of clean water and sanitation. Underinvestment in social safety nets and ineffective public financial management also contribute to Cameroon's high rate of poverty. The activities of Boko Haram, other armed groups, and counterinsurgency operations have worsened food insecurity in the Far North region. International migration has been driven by unemployment (including fewer government jobs), poverty, the search for educational opportunities, and corruption. The US and Europe are preferred destinations, but, with tighter immigration restrictions in these countries, young Cameroonians are increasingly turning to neighboring states, such as Gabon and Nigeria, South Africa, other parts of Africa, and the Near and Far East. Cameroon's limited resources make it dependent on UN support to host more than 420,000 refugees and asylum seekers as of September 2020. These refugees and asylum seekers are primarily from the Central African Republic and Nigeria. Internal and external displacement have grown dramatically in recent years. Boko Haram's attacks and counterattacks by government forces in the Far North since 2014 have increased the number of internally displaced people. Armed conflict between separatists and Cameroon's military in the the Northwest and Southwest since 2016 have displaced hundreds of thousands of the country's Anglophone minority. | The Republic of the Congo is one of the most urbanized countries in Africa, with nearly 70% of Congolese living in urban areas. The population is concentrated in the southwest of the country, mainly in the capital Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and along the railway line that connects the two. The tropical jungles in the north of the country are sparsely populated. Most Congolese are Bantu, and most belong to one of four main ethnic groups, the Kongo, Teke, Mbochi, and Sangha, which consist of over 70 subgroups. The Republic of Congo is in the early stages of a demographic transition, whereby a population shifts from high fertility and mortality rates to low fertility and mortality rates associated with industrialized societies. Its total fertility rate (TFR), the average number of children born per woman, remains high at 4.4. While its TFR has steadily decreased, the progress slowed beginning in about 1995. The slowdown in fertility reduction has delayed the demographic transition and Congo's potential to reap a demographic dividend, the economic boost that can occur when the share of the working-age population is larger than the dependent age groups. The TFR differs significantly between urban and rural areas - 3.7 in urban areas versus 6.5 in rural areas. The TFR also varies among regions. The urban regions of Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire have much lower TFRs than other regions, which are predominantly or completely rural. The gap between desired fertility and actual fertility is also greatest in rural areas. Rural families may have more children to contribute to agricultural production and/or due to a lack of information about and access to contraception. Urban families may prefer to have fewer children because raising them is more expensive and balancing work and childcare may be more difficult. The number of births among teenage girls, the frequency of giving birth before the age of fifteen, and a lack of education are the most likely reasons for higher TFRs in rural areas. Although 90% of school-age children are enrolled in primary school, repetition and dropout rates are high and the quality of education is poor. Congolese women with no or little education start having children earlier and have more children in total than those with at least some secondary education.
|
| Contraceptive prevalence rate | 19.3% (2018) | 30.1% (2014/15) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 81.1 youth dependency ratio: 76.2 elderly dependency ratio: 4.9 potential support ratio: 20.3 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 78.7 youth dependency ratio: 73.7 elderly dependency ratio: 4.9 potential support ratio: 20.3 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Cameroon | Republic of the Congo | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon conventional short form: Cameroon local long form: Republique du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroon local short form: Cameroun/Cameroon former: Kamerun, French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon etymology: in the 15th century, Portuguese explorers named the area near the mouth of the Wouri River the Rio dos Camaroes (River of Prawns) after the abundant shrimp in the water; over time the designation became Cameroon in English; this is the only instance where a country is named after a crustacean | conventional long form: Republic of the Congo conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville) local long form: Republique du Congo local short form: Congo former: French Congo, Middle Congo, People's Republic of the Congo, Congo/Brazzaville etymology: named for the Congo River, which makes up much of the country's eastern border; the river name derives from Kongo, a Bantu kingdom that occupied its mouth at the time of Portuguese discovery in the late 15th century and whose name stems from its people the Bakongo, meaning "hunters" |
| Government type | presidential republic | presidential republic |
| Capital | name: Yaounde geographic coordinates: 3 52 N, 11 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: founded as a German colonial settlement of Jaunde in 1888 and named after the local Yaunde (Ewondo) people | name: Brazzaville geographic coordinates: 4 15 S, 15 17 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after the Italian-born French explorer and humanitarian, Pierre Savorgnan de BRAZZA (1852-1905), who promoted French colonial interests in central Africa and worked against slavery and the abuse of African laborers |
| Administrative divisions | 10 regions (regions, singular - region); Adamaoua, Centre, East (Est), Far North (Extreme-Nord), Littoral, North (Nord), North-West (Nord-Ouest), West (Ouest), South (Sud), South-West (Sud-Ouest) | 12 departments (departments, singular - department); Bouenza, Brazzaville, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pointe-Noire, Pool, Sangha |
| Independence | 1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship) | 15 August 1960 (from France) |
| National holiday | State Unification Day (National Day), 20 May (1972) | Independence Day, 15 August (1960) |
| Constitution | history: several previous; latest effective 18 January 1996 amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; amendment drafts require approval of at least one third of the membership in either house of Parliament; passage requires absolute majority vote of the Parliament membership; passage of drafts requested by the president for a second reading in Parliament requires two-thirds majority vote of its membership; the president can opt to submit drafts to a referendum, in which case passage requires a simple majority; constitutional articles on Cameroon's unity and territorial integrity and its democratic principles cannot be amended; amended 2008 | history: several previous; latest approved by referendum 25 October 2015 amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; passage of presidential proposals requires Supreme Court review followed by approval in a referendum; such proposals may also be submitted directly to Parliament, in which case passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote of both houses in joint session; proposals by Parliament require three-fourths majority vote of both houses in joint session; constitutional articles including those affecting the country's territory, republican form of government, and secularity of the state are not amendable |
| Legal system | mixed legal system of English common law, French civil law, and customary law | mixed legal system of French civil law and customary law |
| Suffrage | 20 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982) head of government: Prime Minister Joseph Dion NGUTE (since 4 January 2019); Deputy Prime Minister Amadou ALI (since 2014) cabinet: Cabinet proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 7-year term (no term limits); election last held on 7 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2025); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Paul BIYA reelected president; percent of vote - Paul BIYA (CPDM) 71.3%, Maurice KAMTO (MRC) 14.2%, Cabral LIBII (Univers) 6.3%, other 8.2% | chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (since 25 October 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Clement MOUAMBA (since 24 April 2016); note - a constitutional referendum held in 2015 approved the change of the head of government from the president to the prime minister (2019) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for 2 additional terms); election last held on 21 March 2021 (next to be held on 21 March 2026) election results: Denis SASSOU-Nguesso reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (PCT) 88.4%, Guy Price Parfait KOLELAS (MCDDI) 8.0%, turnout is 67.6%. |
| Legislative branch | description: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of: Senate or Senat (100 seats; 70 members indirectly elected by regional councils and 30 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 25 March 2018 (next to be held in 2023) National Assembly - last held on 9 February 2020 (current term extended by President); note - the constitutional court has ordered a partial rerun of elections in the English speaking areas; date to be determined election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CDPM 81.1%, SDF 8.6%, UNDP 5.8%, UDC 1.16%, other 2.8%; seats by party - CPDM 63, SDF 7 National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPDM 139, UNDP 7, SDF 5, PCRN 5, UDC 4, FSNC 3, MDR 2, Union of Socialist Movements 2; 13 vacant; composition - NA | description: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of: Senate (72 seats; members indirectly elected by regional councils by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms with one-half of membership renewed every 3 years) National Assembly (151 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 5-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 31 August 2017 for expiry of half the seats (next to be held in 2020) National Assembly - last held on 16 and 30 July 2017 (next to be held in July 2022) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 46, independent 12, MAR 2, RDPS 2, UPADS 2, DRD 1, FP 1, MCDDI 1, PRL 1, Pulp 1, PUR 1, RC 1; composition - men 58, women 14, percent of women 19.4% National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 96, UPADS 8, MCDDI 4, other 23 (less than 4 seats) independent 20; composition - men 134, women 17, percent of women 11.3%; note - total Parliament percent of women 13.9% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court of Cameroon (consists of 9 titular and 6 surrogate judges and organized into judicial, administrative, and audit chambers); Constitutional Council (consists of 11 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president with the advice of the Higher Judicial Council of Cameroon, a body chaired by the president and includes the minister of justice, selected magistrates, and representatives of the National Assembly; judge term NA; Constitutional Council members appointed by the president for single 9-year terms subordinate courts: Parliamentary Court of Justice (jurisdiction limited to cases involving the president and prime minister); appellate and first instance courts; circuit and magistrates' courts | highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of NA judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members); note - a High Court of Justice, outside the judicial authority, tries cases involving treason by the president of the republic judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges elected by Parliament and serve until age 65; Constitutional Court members appointed by the president of the republic - 3 directly by the president and 6 nominated by Parliament; members appointed for renewable 9-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years subordinate courts: Court of Audit and Budgetary Discipline; courts of appeal; regional and district courts; employment tribunals; juvenile courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Alliance for Democracy and Development Cameroon People's Democratic Movement or CPDM [Paul BIYA] Cameroon People's Party or CPP [Edith Kah WALLA] Cameroon Renaissance Movement or MRC [Maurice KAMTO] Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA] Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation or PCRN [Cabral LIBII] Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon or FSNC [Issa Tchiroma BAKARY] Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA] Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [Marcel YONDO] National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA] Progressive Movement or MP [Jean-Jacques EKINDI] Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI] Union of Peoples of Cameroon or UPC [Provisionary Management Bureau] Union of Socialist Movements | Action Movement for Renewal or MAR [Roland BOUITI-VIAUDO] Citizen's Rally or RC [Claude Alphonse NSILOU] Congolese Labour Party or PCT [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO] Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Guy Price Parfait KOLELAS] Movement for Unity, Solidarity, and Work or MUST [Claudine MUNARI] Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Pascal Tsaty MABIALA] Party for the Unity of the Republic or PUR Patriotic Union for Democracy and Progress or UPDP [Auguste-Celestin GONGARD NKOUA] Prospects and Realities Club or CPR Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Bernard BATCHI] Rally of the Presidential Majority or RMP Republican and Liberal Party or PRL [Bonaventure MIZIDY] Union for the Republic or UR Union of Democratic Forces or UDF Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR many smaller parties |
| International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Henri ETOUNDI ESSOMBA (since 27 June 2016) chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790 FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826 email address and website: cs@cameroonembassyusa.org https://www.cameroonembassyusa.org/mainFolder/index.html | chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI (since 31 July 2001) chancery: 1720 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860 email address and website: info@ambacongo-us.org http://www.ambacongo-us.org/en-us/home.aspx consulate(s): New Orleans |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Deputy Chief of Mission (currently serving as Charge d'Affaires) Mary E. DASCHBACH embassy: Avenue Rosa Parks, Yaoundé mailing address: 2520 Yaounde Place, Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [237] 22251-4000/[237] 22220-1500 FAX: [237] 22220-1500, Ext. 4531 email address and website: YaoundeACS@state.gov https://cm.usembassy.gov/ branch office(s): Douala | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ellen B. THORBURN (since January 2021) embassy: 70-83 Section D, Boulevard Denis Sassou N'Guesso, Brazzaville mailing address: 2090 Brazzaville Place, Washington DC 20521-2090 telephone: [242] 06 612-2000, [242] 05 387-9700 email address and website: BrazzavilleACS@state.gov https://cg.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow, with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; the vertical tricolor recalls the flag of France; red symbolizes unity, yellow the sun, happiness, and the savannahs in the north, and green hope and the forests in the south; the star is referred to as the "star of unity" note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia | divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red; green symbolizes agriculture and forests, yellow the friendship and nobility of the people, red is unexplained but has been associated with the struggle for independence note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia |
| National anthem | name: "O Cameroun, Berceau de nos Ancetres" (O Cameroon, Cradle of Our Forefathers) lyrics/music: Rene Djam AFAME, Samuel Minkio BAMBA, Moise Nyatte NKO'O [French], Benard Nsokika FONLON [English]/Rene Djam AFAME note: adopted 1957; Cameroon's anthem, also known as "Chant de Ralliement" (The Rallying Song), has been used unofficially since 1948 and officially adopted in 1957; the anthem has French and English versions whose lyrics differ | name: "La Congolaise" (The Congolese) lyrics/music: Jacques TONDRA and Georges KIBANGHI/Jean ROYER and Joseph SPADILIERE note: originally adopted 1959, restored 1991 |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | lion; national colors: green, red, yellow | lion, elephant; national colors: green, yellow, red |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cameroon dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Republic of the Congo dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years |
Economy
| Cameroon | Republic of the Congo | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | Cameroon's market-based, diversified economy features oil and gas, timber, aluminum, agriculture, mining and the service sector. Oil remains Cameroon's main export commodity, and despite falling global oil prices, still accounts for nearly 40% of exports. Cameroon's economy suffers from factors that often impact underdeveloped countries, such as stagnant per capita income, a relatively inequitable distribution of income, a top-heavy civil service, endemic corruption, continuing inefficiencies of a large parastatal system in key sectors, 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 IMF continues to press for economic reforms, including increased budget transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs. The Government of Cameroon provides subsidies for electricity, food, and fuel that have strained the federal budget and diverted funds from education, healthcare, and infrastructure projects, as low oil prices have led to lower revenues. Cameroon devotes significant resources to several large infrastructure projects currently under construction, including a deep seaport in Kribi and the Lom Pangar Hydropower Project. Cameroon's energy sector continues to diversify, recently opening a natural gas-powered electricity generating plant. Cameroon continues to seek foreign investment to improve its inadequate infrastructure, create jobs, and improve its economic footprint, but its unfavorable business environment remains a significant deterrent to foreign investment. | The Republic of the Congo's economy is a mixture of subsistence farming, an industrial sector based largely on oil and support services, and government spending. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. Natural gas is increasingly being converted to electricity rather than being flared, greatly improving energy prospects. New mining projects, particularly iron ore, which entered production in late 2013, may add as much as $1 billion to annual government revenue. The Republic of the Congo is a member of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) and shares a common currency - the Central African Franc - with five other member states in the region. The current administration faces difficult economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty. The drop in oil prices that began in 2014 has constrained government spending; lower oil prices forced the government to cut more than $1 billion in planned spending. The fiscal deficit amounted to 11% of GDP in 2017. The government's inability to pay civil servant salaries has resulted in multiple rounds of strikes by many groups, including doctors, nurses, and teachers. In the wake of a multi-year recession, the country reached out to the IMF in 2017 for a new program; the IMF noted that the country's continued dependence on oil, unsustainable debt, and significant governance weakness are key impediments to the country's economy. In 2018, the country's external debt level will approach 120% of GDP. The IMF urged the government to renegotiate debts levels to sustainable levels before it agreed to a new macroeconomic adjustment package. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $94.248 billion (2019 est.) $90.868 billion (2018 est.) $87.32 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars | $19.763 billion (2019 est.) $20.489 billion (2018 est.) $21.844 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 3.5% (2017 est.) 4.6% (2016 est.) 5.7% (2015 est.) | -3.1% (2017 est.) -2.8% (2016 est.) 2.6% (2015 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $3,642 (2019 est.) $3,604 (2018 est.) $3,555 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars | $3,673 (2019 est.) $3,907 (2018 est.) $4,274 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 16.7% (2017 est.) industry: 26.5% (2017 est.) services: 56.8% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 9.3% (2017 est.) industry: 51% (2017 est.) services: 39.7% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 37.5% (2014 est.) | 40.9% (2011 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 37.5% highest 10%: 35.4% (2001) | lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 37.1% (2005) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.4% (2019 est.) 1% (2018 est.) 0.6% (2017 est.) | 2.2% (2019 est.) 1.1% (2018 est.) 0.4% (2017 est.) |
| Labor force | 9.912 million (2017 est.) | 2.055 million (2016 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 70% industry: 13% services: 17% (2001 est.) | agriculture: 35.4% industry: 20.6% services: 44% (2005 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% (2014 est.) 30% (2001 est.) | 36% (2014 est.) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 46.5 (2014 est.) 46.6 (2014 est.) | 48.9 (2011 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: 5.363 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 6.556 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 1.965 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 2.578 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair | petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes |
| Industrial production growth rate | 3.3% (2017 est.) | -3% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | cassava, plantains, maize, oil palm fruit, taro, sugar cane, sorghum, tomatoes, bananas, vegetables | cassava, sugar cane, oil palm fruit, cassava leaves, bananas, plantains, roots/tubers, game meat, vegetables, mangoes/guavas |
| Exports | $4.732 billion (2017 est.) $4.561 billion (2016 est.) | $4.193 billion (2017 est.) $4.116 billion (2016 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | crude petroleum, cocoa beans, lumber, gold, natural gas, bananas (2019) | crude petroleum, copper, lumber, ships, refined petroleum (2019) |
| Exports - partners | China 17%, Netherlands 14%, Italy 9%, United Arab Emirates 8%, India 7%, United States 6%, Belgium 6%, Spain 5%, France 5% (2019) | China 49%, United Arab Emirates 15%, India 6%, Italy 5% (2019) |
| Imports | $4.812 billion (2017 est.) $4.827 billion (2016 est.) | $2.501 billion (2017 est.) $5.639 billion (2016 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | crude petroleum, scrap vessels, rice, special purpose ships, packaged medicines (2019) | ships, chicken products, refined petroleum, processed fish, packaged medicines (2019) |
| Imports - partners | China 28%, Nigeria 15%, France 9%, Belgium 6% (2019) | China 15%, France 12%, Belgium 6%, Angola 5% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $9.375 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $7.364 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $4.605 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $4.721 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Exchange rates | Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - 605.3 (2017 est.) 593.01 (2016 est.) 593.01 (2015 est.) 591.45 (2014 est.) 494.42 (2013 est.) | Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - 579.8 (2017 est.) 593.01 (2016 est.) 593.01 (2015 est.) 591.45 (2014 est.) 494.42 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
| Public debt | 36.9% of GDP (2017 est.) 32.5% of GDP (2016 est.) | 130.8% of GDP (2017 est.) 128.7% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $3.235 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $2.26 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $505.7 million (31 December 2017 est.) $727.1 million (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | -$932 million (2017 est.) -$1.034 billion (2016 est.) | -$1.128 billion (2017 est.) -$5.735 billion (2016 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $34.99 billion (2017 est.) | $8.718 billion (2017 est.) |
| Credit ratings | Fitch rating: B (2006) Moody's rating: B2 (2016) Standard & Poors rating: B- (2020) | Fitch rating: CCC (2019) Moody's rating: Caa2 (2018) Standard & Poors rating: CCC+ (2020) |
| Ease of Doing Business Index scores | Overall score: 46.1 (2020) Starting a Business score: 86.3 (2020) Trading score: 16 (2020) Enforcement score: 39.9 (2020) | Overall score: 39.5 (2020) Starting a Business score: 65.8 (2020) Trading score: 19.7 (2020) Enforcement score: 44 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 15.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 22.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -3.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | -7% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 66.3% (2017 est.) government consumption: 11.8% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 21.6% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: -0.3% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 21.6% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -20.9% (2017 est.) | household consumption: 47.6% (2017 est.) government consumption: 9.6% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 42.5% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0.1% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 62.9% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -62.7% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 17.7% of GDP (2018 est.) 18.2% of GDP (2017 est.) 23.9% of GDP (2015 est.) | 19.5% of GDP (2017 est.) -12.8% of GDP (2016 est.) 6.6% of GDP (2015 est.) |
Energy
| Cameroon | Republic of the Congo | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 8.108 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 1.696 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 6.411 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 912 million kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2016 est.) | 22 million kWh (2015 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 55 million kWh (2016 est.) | 18 million kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 69,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 340,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 36,480 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 96,370 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 254,100 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 200 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 1.6 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 135.1 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) | 90.61 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 910.4 million cu m (2017 est.) | 1.387 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 906.1 million cu m (2017 est.) | 1.387 billion cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 1.558 million kW (2016 est.) | 591,500 kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 52% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 64% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 47% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 36% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 39,080 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 15,760 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 45,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) | 17,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 8,545 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 5,766 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 14,090 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 7,162 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 70% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 98% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 32% (2019) | electrification - total population: 72% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 89% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 36% (2019) |
Telecommunications
| Cameroon | Republic of the Congo | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 856,411 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3.17 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 17,076 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 21,400,736 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 79.31 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 4,933,529 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 95.34 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .cm | .cg |
| Internet users | total: 6,089,200 percent of population: 23.2% (July 2018 est.) | total: 437,865 percent of population: 8.65% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: Cameroon's 3G and LTE services are improving through growing competition and a government program to improve national connectivity and support digital economy; saturated use of transactions through m-commerce; developing broadband sector; improved submarine and terrestrial cable connectivity strengthened international bandwidth and lowered prices; pushing start of fiber link to Congo; fiber rollout continues with new government funding; operators opened new data center in 2020 and developed contracts for satellite broadband; government awarded contract to provide connectivity to universities (2021) (2020)domestic: only about 4 per 100 persons for fixed-line subscriptions; mobile-cellular usage has increased sharply, reaching a subscribership base of over 82 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 237; landing points for the SAT-3/WASC, SAIL, ACE, NCSCS, Ceiba-2, and WACS fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe, South America, and West Africa; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: suffering from economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty; primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable with services barely adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order; youth are seeking the Internet more than their parents and often gain access through cyber cafes; only the most affluent have Internet access in their homes; operator has plans to upgrade national broadband through fiber link to WACS landing station at Pointe-Noire with connections to Angola and DRC; fiber network project with aims to connect north and south regions; DRC operator added fiber link between Brazzaville and Kinshasa (2020) (2020)domestic: fixed-line infrastructure inadequate, providing less than 1 fixed-line connection per 100 persons; in the absence of an adequate fixed-line infrastructure, mobile-cellular subscribership has surged to 95 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 242; WACS submarine cables to Europe and Western and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
| Broadcast media | government maintains tight control over broadcast media; state-owned Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV), broadcasting on both a TV and radio network, was the only officially recognized and fully licensed broadcaster until August 2007, when the government finally issued licenses to 2 private TV broadcasters and 1 private radio broadcaster; about 70 privately owned, unlicensed radio stations operating but are subject to closure at any time; foreign news services required to partner with state-owned national station (2019) | 1 state-owned TV and 3 state-owned radio stations; several privately owned TV and radio stations; satellite TV service is available; rebroadcasts of several international broadcasters are available |
Transportation
| Cameroon | Republic of the Congo | |
|---|---|---|
| Railways | total: 987 km (2014) narrow gauge: 987 km 1.000-m gauge (2014) note: railway connections generally efficient but limited; rail lines connect major cities of Douala, Yaounde, Ngaoundere, and Garoua; passenger and freight service provided by CAMRAIL | total: 510 km (2014) narrow gauge: 510 km 1.067-m gauge (2014) |
| Roadways | total: 77,589 km (2016) paved: 5,133 km (2016) unpaved: 72,456 km (2016) | total: 23,324 km (2017) paved: 3,111 km (2017) unpaved: 20,213 km (2017) note: road network in Congo is composed of 23,324 km of which 17,000 km are classified as national, departmental, and routes of local interest: 6,324 km are non-classified routes |
| Waterways | (major rivers in the south, such as the Wouri and the Sanaga, are largely non-navigable; in the north, the Benue, which connects through Nigeria to the Niger River, is navigable in the rainy season only to the port of Garoua) (2010) | 1,120 km (commercially navigable on Congo and Oubanqui Rivers above Brazzaville; there are many ferries across the river to Kinshasa; the Congo south of Brazzaville-Kinshasa to the coast is not navigable because of rapids, necessitating a rail connection to Pointe Noire; other rivers are used for local traffic only) (2011) |
| Pipelines | 53 km gas, 5 km liquid petroleum gas, 1107 km oil, 35 km water (2013) | 232 km gas, 4 km liquid petroleum gas, 982 km oil (2013) |
| Ports and terminals | oil terminal(s): Limboh Terminal river port(s): Douala (Wouri) Garoua (Benoue) | major seaport(s): Pointe-Noire oil terminal(s): Djeno river port(s): Brazzaville (Congo) Impfondo (Oubangi) Ouesso (Sangha) Oyo (Alima) |
| Merchant marine | total: 61 by type: bulk carrier 1, general cargo 34, oil tanker 2, other 24 (2020) | total: 11 by type: general cargo 1, oil tanker 1, other 9 (2020) |
| Airports | total: 33 (2013) | total: 27 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 11 (2017) over 3,047 m: 2 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2017) | total: 8 (2017) over 3,047 m: 2 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2017) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 22 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 10 (2013) under 914 m: 8 (2013) | total: 19 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 9 (2013) under 914 m: 2 (2013) |
| National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 3 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 265,136 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 70,000 mt-km (2018) | number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 12 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 333,899 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 4.6 million mt-km (2018) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | TJ | TN |
Military
| Cameroon | Republic of the Congo | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army (L'Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale Republique, MNR, includes naval infantry), Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Cameroun, AAC), Rapid Intervention Battalion (Bataillons d'Intervention Rapide, BIR), Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard (2021) note - the Rapid Intervention Battalion, a brigade-sized force comprised of several high-readiness land units, maintains its own command and control structure and reports directly to the President, rather than the Defense Minister | Congolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Congolaises, FAC): Army (Armee de Terre), Navy, Congolese Air Force (Armee de l'Air Congolaise), Gendarmerie (2021) |
| Military service age and obligation | 18-23 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription; high school graduation required; service obligation 4 years; periodic government calls for volunteers (2019) | 18 years of age for voluntary military service; women may serve in the Armed Forces (2019) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.1% of GDP (2019) 1.1% of GDP (2018) 1.3% of GDP (2017) 1.3% of GDP (2016) 1.3% of GDP (2015) | 2.7% of GDP (2019) 2.5% of GDP (2018) 4.3% of GDP (2017) 6.4% of GDP (2016) |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | information varies widely; approximately 40,000 active duty troops; (25,000 ground forces, including the BIR and Presidential Guard; 2,000 Navy; 1,000 Air Force; 12,000 Gendarmerie) (2020) | the Congolese Armed Forces (FAC) have approximately 12,000 active duty troops (8,000 Army; 800 Navy; 1,000 Air Force; 2,000 Gendarmerie) (2020) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the FAC inventory includes a mix of mostly older or second-hand Chinese, Russian, and Western equipment, with a limited quantity of more modern weapons; since 2010, China is the leading supplier of armaments to the FAC (2020) | the FAC is armed with mostly ageing Russian/Soviet-era weapons, with some French and South African equipment; the leading supplier of arms to the FAC since 2010 is South Africa (2020) |
Transnational Issues
| Cameroon | Republic of the Congo | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | Joint Border Commission with Nigeria reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately ceded sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a full phase-out of Nigerian control and patriation of residents in 2008; Cameroon and Nigeria agreed on maritime delimitation in March 2008; sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty, which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries | the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is undefined except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | refugees (country of origin): 328,258 (Central African Republic), 118,409 (Nigeria) (2021) IDPs: 1,032,942 (2021) (includes far north, northwest, and southwest) | refugees (country of origin): 20,867 (Central African Republic), 28,579 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021) IDPs: 304,430 (multiple civil wars since 1992) (2021) |
| Trafficking in persons | current situation: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Cameroon and Cameroonians abroad; deteriorating economic and education conditions and diminished police and judicial presence caused by conflict in the Northwest and Southwest has left displaced persons vulnerable to trafficking; parents may be lured by promises of education or a better life for their children in urban areas, and then the children are subject to forced labor and sex trafficking; teenagers and adolescents may be lured to cities with promises of employment and then become victims of forced labor and sex trafficking; children from neighboring countries are forced to work in spare parts shops or cattle grazing by business owners and herders; Cameroonians, often from rural areas, are exploited in forced labor and sex trafficking in the Middle East, Europe, the United States, and African countries tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cameroon does not meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, but is making significant efforts to do so; authorities investigated at least nine suspected trafficking cases, identified 77 victims, and provided some training on trafficking indicators to officials and teachers; however, officials prosecuted and convicted fewer traffickers; standard operating procedures for the identification and referral of trafficking victims were not implemented, and officials were not trained on the measures; the government did not report referring trafficking victims to government institutions for vulnerable children, but NGO-funded centers provided care for an unknown number of child victims; 2012 anti-trafficking legislation addressing victim and witness protection in conformity with international law was not passed for the eighth consecutive year (2020) | current situation: the Republic of the Congo is a source and destination country for children, men, and women, subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; most trafficking victims are from Benin, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and, to a lesser extent, other neighboring countries and are subjected to domestic servitude and market vending by West African and Congolese nationals; adults and children, the majority from the DRC, are also sex trafficked in Congo, mainly Brazzaville; internal trafficking victims, often from rural areas, are exploited as domestic servants or forced to work in quarries, bakeries, fishing, and agriculture tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - the Republic of the Congo does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the country drafted an action plan based on anti-trafficking legislation, which remains pending in the Supreme Court; the government made minimal anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts in 2014, failing to prosecute or convict suspected traffickers from cases dating back to 2010; serious allegations of official complicity continue to be reported; the government lacks a systematic means of identifying victims and relies on NGOs and international organizations to identify victims and NGOs and foster families to provide care to victims; the quality of care varied widely because the foster care system was allegedly undermined by inadequate security and official complicity (2015) |
Environment
| Cameroon | Republic of the Congo | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 65.26 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 8.29 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 30.71 megatons (2020 est.) | particulate matter emissions: 38.67 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 3.28 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 2.24 megatons (2020 est.) |
| Total water withdrawal | municipal: 246.8 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 104.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 737 million cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 63.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 24 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 4 million cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 2.5% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 3.17% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 3,270,617 tons (2013 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 13,082 tons (2009 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 0.4% (2009 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 451,200 tons (1993 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 118,214 tons (2005 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 26.2% (2005 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
