Central African Republic vs. Cameroon
Introduction
| Central African Republic | Cameroon | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | The region was the site of much slave trading activity in the centuries before becoming a French protectorate in the late 19th century, and then was heavily economically exploited in the early part of the 20th century. Upon independence in 1960, the French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 but lasted only a decade. In March 2003, President Ange-Felix PATASSE was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who established a transitional government. Elections held in 2005 affirmed General BOZIZE as president; he was reelected in 2011 in voting widely viewed as flawed. Several rebel groups joined together in early December 2012 to launch a series of attacks that left them in control of numerous towns in the northern and central parts of the country. The rebels - unhappy with BOZIZE's government - participated in peace talks in early January 2013 which resulted in a coalition government including the rebellion's leadership. In March 2013, the coalition government dissolved, rebels seized the capital, and President BOZIZE fled the country. Rebel leader Michel DJOTODIA assumed the presidency and the following month established a National Transitional Council (CNT). In January 2014, the CNT elected Catherine SAMBA-PANZA as interim president. Elections completed in March 2016 installed independent candidate Faustin-Archange TOUADERA as president; he continues to work towards peace between the government and armed groups, and is developing a disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, and repatriation program to reintegrate the armed groups into society. Nonetheless, as of early 2020 widespread violence continued, and the government in Bangui remains unable to extend control outside the capital. Peace agreements signed in 2017 and 2019 between the government and the main armed factions have had little effect. As of late 2020 armed groups continued to operate openly and control large swaths - as much 80% by some estimates - of the country's territory. | 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. |
Geography
| Central African Republic | Cameroon | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo | Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria |
| Geographic coordinates | 7 00 N, 21 00 E | 6 00 N, 12 00 E |
| Map references | Africa | Africa |
| Area | total: 622,984 sq km land: 622,984 sq km water: 0 sq km | total: 475,440 sq km land: 472,710 sq km water: 2,730 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Texas; about four times the size of Georgia | slightly larger than California; about four times the size of Pennsylvania |
| Land boundaries | total: 5,920 km border countries (6): Cameroon 901 km, Chad 1556 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1747 km, Republic of the Congo 487 km, South Sudan 1055 km, Sudan 174 km | 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 |
| Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 402 km |
| Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm |
| Climate | tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers | varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north |
| Terrain | vast, flat to rolling plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest | diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,410 m lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m mean elevation: 635 m | highest point: Fako on Mont Cameroun 4,045 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 667 m |
| Natural resources | diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower | petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower |
| Land use | agricultural land: 8.1% (2018 est.) arable land: 2.9% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 5.1% (2018 est.) forest: 36.2% (2018 est.) other: 55.7% (2018 est.) | 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.) |
| Irrigated land | 10 sq km (2012) | 290 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common | 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 |
| Environment - current issues | water pollution; tap water is not potable; poaching and mismanagement have diminished the country's reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation; soil erosion | waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation and overgrazing result in erosion, desertification, and reduced quality of pastureland; poaching; overfishing; overhunting |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea | 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 |
| Geography - note | landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa | 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 |
| Total renewable water resources | 141 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 283.15 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | majority of residents live in the western and central areas of the country, especially in and around the capital of Bangui as shown in this population distribution map | population concentrated in the west and north, with the interior of the country sparsely populated as shown in this population distribution map |
Demographics
| Central African Republic | Cameroon | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,357,984 (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 | 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 |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 39.49% (male 1,188,682/female 1,176,958) 15-24 years: 19.89% (male 598,567/female 593,075) 25-54 years: 32.95% (male 988,077/female 986,019) 55-64 years: 4.32% (male 123,895/female 134,829) 65 years and over: 3.35% (male 78,017/female 122,736) (2020 est.) | 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.) |
| Median age | total: 20 years male: 19.7 years female: 20.3 years (2020 est.) | total: 18.5 years male: 18.2 years female: 18.8 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 1.79% (2021 est.) | 2.77% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 33.2 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 35.91 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 12.01 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 7.93 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -3.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | -0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.64 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 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.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 84.22 deaths/1,000 live births male: 90.39 deaths/1,000 live births female: 77.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | 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.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 55.07 years male: 53.74 years female: 56.44 years (2021 est.) | total population: 62.79 years male: 61.07 years female: 64.57 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 4.09 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 4.61 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 2.9% (2020 est.) | 3% (2020 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Central African(s) adjective: Central African | noun: Cameroonian(s) adjective: Cameroonian |
| Ethnic groups | Baya 28.8%, Banda 22.9%, Mandjia 9.9%, Sara 7.9%, M'Baka-Bantu 7.9%, Arab-Fulani (Peul) 6%, Mbum 6%, Ngbanki 5.5%, Zande-Nzakara 3%, other Central African Republic ethnic groups 2%, non-Central African Republic ethnic groups .1% (2003 est.) | 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.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 88,000 (2020 est.) | 500,000 (2020 est.) |
| Religions | Christian 89%, Muslim 9%, folk religion 1%, unaffiliated 1% (2020 est.) note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority | 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.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 3,200 (2020 est.) | 14,000 (2020 est.) |
| Languages | French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal 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) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 37.4% male: 49.5% female: 25.8% (2018) | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 77.1% male: 82.6% female: 71.6% (2018) |
| Major infectious diseases | degree of risk: very high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, 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 respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis |
| Food insecurity | exceptional shortfall in aggregate food production/supplies: due to conflict and population displacements - ongoing conflicts and population displacements due to armed violence that followed the December 2020 elections, adding to the already high levels of civil insecurity, coupled with restrictive measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic, are expected to continue affecting agricultural activities and limit farmers' access to crop-growing areas and inputs, with a negative impact on 2021 crop production (2021) | 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) |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 7 years male: 8 years female: 6 years (2012) | total: 12 years male: 13 years female: 11 years (2016) |
| Education expenditures | 1.2% of GDP (2011) | 3.1% of GDP (2018) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 42.6% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 3.32% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 58.1% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 3.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 89.6% of population rural: 54.4% of population total: 68.5% of population unimproved: urban: 10.4% of population rural: 45.6% of population total: 31.5% of population (2015 est.) | 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.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 43.6% of population rural: 7.2% of population total: 21.8% of population unimproved: urban: 56.4% of population rural: 92.8% of population total: 78.2% of population (2015 est.) | 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.) |
| Major cities - population | 910,000 BANGUI (capital) (2021) | 4.164 million YAOUNDE (capital), 3.793 million Douala (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 829 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 529 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 20.5% (2019) | 11% (2018/19) |
| Health expenditures | 11% (2018) | 3.5% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 0.07 physicians/1,000 population (2015) | 0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2011) |
| Hospital bed density | 1 beds/1,000 population (2011) | 1.3 beds/1,000 population (2010) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 7.5% (2016) | 11.4% (2016) |
| Demographic profile | The Central African Republic's (CAR) humanitarian crisis has worsened since a coup in March 2013. CAR's high mortality rate and low life expectancy are attributed to elevated rates of preventable and treatable diseases (including malaria and malnutrition), an inadequate health care system, precarious food security, and armed conflict. Some of the worst mortality rates are in western CAR's diamond mining region, which is impoverished because of government attempts to control the diamond trade and the fall in industrial diamond prices. To make matters worse, the government and international donors have reduced health funding in recent years. The CAR's weak educational system and low literacy rate have also suffered as a result of the country's ongoing conflict. Schools are closed, qualified teachers are scarce, infrastructure, funding, and supplies are lacking and subject to looting, and many students and teachers are displaced by violence. Rampant poverty, human rights violations, unemployment, poor infrastructure, and a lack of security and stability have led to forced displacement internally and externally. Since the political crisis that resulted in CAR's March 2013 coup began in December 2012, approximately 600,000 people have fled to Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and other neighboring countries, while another estimated 600,000 are displaced internally as of October 2019. The UN has urged countries to refrain from repatriating CAR refugees amid the heightened lawlessness. (2019) | 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. |
| Contraceptive prevalence rate | 17.8% (2019) | 19.3% (2018) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 86.4 youth dependency ratio: 81.1 elderly dependency ratio: 5.2 potential support ratio: 19.2 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 81.1 youth dependency ratio: 76.2 elderly dependency ratio: 4.9 potential support ratio: 20.3 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Central African Republic | Cameroon | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Central African Republic conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Centrafricaine local short form: none former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire abbreviation: CAR etymology: self-descriptive name specifying the country's location on the continent; "Africa" is derived from the Roman designation of the area corresponding to present-day Tunisia "Africa terra," which meant "Land of the Afri" (the tribe resident in that area), but which eventually came to mean the entire continent | 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 |
| Government type | presidential republic | presidential republic |
| Capital | name: Bangui geographic coordinates: 4 22 N, 18 35 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: established as a French settlement in 1889 and named after its location on the northern bank of the Ubangi River; the Ubangi itself was named from the native word for the "rapids" located beside the outpost, which marked the end of navigable water north from from Brazzaville | 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 |
| Administrative divisions | 14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga | 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) |
| Independence | 13 August 1960 (from France) | 1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship) |
| National holiday | Republic Day, 1 December (1958) | State Unification Day (National Day), 20 May (1972) |
| Constitution | history: several previous; latest (interim constitution) approved by the Transitional Council 30 August 2015, adopted by referendum 13-14 December 2015, ratified 27 March 2016 amendments: proposals require support of the government, two thirds of the National Council of Transition, and assent by the "Mediator of the Central African" crisis; passage requires at least three-fourths majority vote by the National Council membership; non-amendable constitutional provisions include those on the secular and republican form of government, fundamental rights and freedoms, amendment procedures, or changes to the authorities of various high-level executive, parliamentary, and judicial officials | 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 |
| Legal system | civil law system based on the French model | mixed legal system of English common law, French civil law, and customary law |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 20 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Faustin-Archange TOUADERA (since 30 March 2016; reelected 27 December 2020) head of government: Prime Minister Henri-Marie DONDRA (since 11 June 2021); note - Prime Minister Firmin NGREBADA resigned on 10 June 2021 cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections/appointments: under the 2015 constitution, the president is elected by universal direct suffrage for a period of 5 years (eligible for a second term); election last held 27 December 2020 (next to be held in December 2025) election results: Faustin-Archange TOUADERA reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Faustin-Archange TOUADERA (independent) 59.3%, Anicet Georges DOLOGUELE (URCA) 21%, other 19.7% note: rebel forces seized the capital in March 2013, forcing former President BOZIZE to flee the country; Interim President Michel DJOTODIA assumed the presidency, reinstated the prime minister, and established a National Transitional Council (CNT) in April 2013; the NTC elected Catherine SAMBA-PANZA interim president in January 2014 to serve until February 2015, when new elections were to be held; her term was extended because instability delayed new elections and the transition did not take place until the end of March 2016 | 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% |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (140 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round if needed; members serve 5-year terms) elections: first round last held on 27 December 2020; note - on election day, voting in many electoral areas was disrupted by armed groups; on 13 February 2021, President TOUADERA announced that a new first round of elections will be held on 27 February for those areas controlled by armed groups and and second round on 14 March election results: December 2015 election: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UNDP 16, URCA 11, RDC 8, MLPC 10, KNK 7, other 28, independent 60; composition - men 129, women 11, percent of women 7.9% | 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 |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of NA judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges, at least 3 of whom are women) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president; Constitutional Court judge appointments - 2 by the president, 1 by the speaker of the National Assembly, 2 elected by their peers, 2 are advocates elected by their peers, and 2 are law professors elected by their peers; judges serve 7-year non-renewable terms subordinate courts: high courts; magistrates' courts | 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 |
| Political parties and leaders | Action Party for Development or PAD [El Hadj Laurent NGON-BABA] Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Clement BELIBANGA] Central African Democratic Rally or RDC [Desire Nzanga KOLINGBA] Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD [Louis PAPENIAH] Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [Martin ZIGUELE] National Convergence (also known as Kwa Na Kwa) or KNK [Francois BOZIZE] National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Amine MICHEL] New Alliance for Progress or NAP [Jean-Jacques DEMAFOUTH] Social Democratic Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE] Union for Central African Renewal or URCA [Anicet-Georges DOLOGUELE] | 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 |
| International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country) (suspended), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | 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 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Martial NDOUBOU (since 17 September 2018) chancery: 2704 Ontario Road NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800 FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893 email address and website: pc@usrcaembassy.org https://www.usrcaembassy.org/ | 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 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Lucy TAMLYN (since 11 January 2019) embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: 2060 Bangui Place, Washington DC 20521-2060 telephone: [236] 2161-0200 FAX: [236] 2161-4494 email address and website: https://cf.usembassy.gov/ | 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 |
| Flag description | four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; a yellow five-pointed star to the hoist side of the blue band; banner combines the Pan-African and French flag colors; red symbolizes the blood spilled in the struggle for independence, blue represents the sky and freedom, white peace and dignity, green hope and faith, and yellow tolerance; the star represents aspiration towards a vibrant future | 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 |
| National anthem | name: "Le Renaissance" (The Renaissance) lyrics/music: Barthelemy BOGANDA/Herbert PEPPER note: adopted 1960; Barthelemy BOGANDA wrote the anthem's lyrics and was the first prime minister of the autonomous French territory | 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 |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt |
| National symbol(s) | elephant; national colors: blue, white, green, yellow, red | lion; national colors: green, red, yellow |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: least one parent must be a citizen of the Central African Republic dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 35 years | 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 |
Economy
| Central African Republic | Cameroon | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry and mining, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with about 60% of the population living in outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates more than half of estimated GDP, although statistics are unreliable in the conflict-prone country. Timber and diamonds account for most export earnings, followed by cotton. Important constraints to economic development include the CAR's landlocked geography, poor transportation system, largely unskilled work force, and legacy of misdirected macroeconomic policies. Factional fighting between the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization. Distribution of income is highly unequal and grants from the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs. CAR shares a common currency with the Central African Monetary Union. The currency is pegged to the Euro. Since 2009, the IMF has worked closely with the government to institute reforms that have resulted in some improvement in budget transparency, but other problems remain. The government's additional spending in the run-up to the 2011 election worsened CAR's fiscal situation. In 2012, the World Bank approved $125 million in funding for transport infrastructure and regional trade, focused on the route between CAR's capital and the port of Douala in Cameroon. In July 2016, the IMF approved a three-year extended credit facility valued at $116 million; in mid-2017, the IMF completed a review of CAR's fiscal performance and broadly approved of the government's management, although issues with revenue collection, weak government capacity, and transparency remain. The World Bank in late 2016 approved a $20 million grant to restore basic fiscal management, improve transparency, and assist with economic recovery. Participation in the Kimberley Process, a commitment to remove conflict diamonds from the global supply chain, led to a partially lifted the ban on diamond exports from CAR in 2015, but persistent insecurity is likely to constrain real GDP growth. | 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. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $4.483 billion (2019 est.) $4.354 billion (2018 est.) $4.195 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars | $94.248 billion (2019 est.) $90.868 billion (2018 est.) $87.32 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 4.3% (2017 est.) 4.5% (2016 est.) 4.8% (2015 est.) | 3.5% (2017 est.) 4.6% (2016 est.) 5.7% (2015 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $945 (2019 est.) $933 (2018 est.) $913 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars | $3,642 (2019 est.) $3,604 (2018 est.) $3,555 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 43.2% (2017 est.) industry: 16% (2017 est.) services: 40.8% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 16.7% (2017 est.) industry: 26.5% (2017 est.) services: 56.8% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 62% NA (2008 est.) | 37.5% (2014 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 33% (2003) | lowest 10%: 37.5% highest 10%: 35.4% (2001) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.7% (2019 est.) 1.6% (2018 est.) 4.2% (2017 est.) | 2.4% (2019 est.) 1% (2018 est.) 0.6% (2017 est.) |
| Labor force | 2.242 million (2017 est.) | 9.912 million (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 6.9% (2017 est.) | 4.3% (2014 est.) 30% (2001 est.) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 43.6 (2003 est.) 61.3 (1993) | 46.5 (2014 est.) 46.6 (2014 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: 282.9 million (2017 est.) expenditures: 300.1 million (2017 est.) | revenues: 5.363 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 6.556 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, sugar refining | petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair |
| Industrial production growth rate | 3.9% (2017 est.) | 3.3% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | cassava, yams, groundnuts, taro, bananas, sugar cane, beef, maize, plantains, milk | cassava, plantains, maize, oil palm fruit, taro, sugar cane, sorghum, tomatoes, bananas, vegetables |
| Exports | $113.7 million (2017 est.) $101.5 million (2016 est.) | $4.732 billion (2017 est.) $4.561 billion (2016 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | lumber, gold, diamonds, sea vessels, cocoa paste (2019) | crude petroleum, cocoa beans, lumber, gold, natural gas, bananas (2019) |
| Exports - partners | China 41%, United Arab Emirates 19%, France 7% (2019) | China 17%, Netherlands 14%, Italy 9%, United Arab Emirates 8%, India 7%, United States 6%, Belgium 6%, Spain 5%, France 5% (2019) |
| Imports | $393.1 million (2017 est.) $342.2 million (2016 est.) | $4.812 billion (2017 est.) $4.827 billion (2016 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | refined petroleum, packaged medicines, natural gas, broadcasting equipment, second-hand clothing (2019) | crude petroleum, scrap vessels, rice, special purpose ships, packaged medicines (2019) |
| Imports - partners | India 18%, France 12%, United States 11%, China 9%, Netherlands 7%, Belgium 7%, Malta 6% (2019) | China 28%, Nigeria 15%, France 9%, Belgium 6% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $779.9 million (31 December 2017 est.) $691.5 million (31 December 2016 est.) | $9.375 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $7.364 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 - 605.3 (2017 est.) 593.01 (2016 est.) 593.01 (2015 est.) 591.45 (2014 est.) 494.42 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
| Public debt | 52.9% of GDP (2017 est.) 56% of GDP (2016 est.) | 36.9% of GDP (2017 est.) 32.5% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $304.3 million (31 December 2017 est.) $252.5 million (31 December 2016 est.) | $3.235 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $2.26 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | -$163 million (2017 est.) -$97 million (2016 est.) | -$932 million (2017 est.) -$1.034 billion (2016 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $1.937 billion (2017 est.) | $34.99 billion (2017 est.) |
| Ease of Doing Business Index scores | Overall score: 35.6 (2020) Starting a Business score: 63.2 (2020) Trading score: 52.4 (2020) Enforcement score: 31.4 (2020) | Overall score: 46.1 (2020) Starting a Business score: 86.3 (2020) Trading score: 16 (2020) Enforcement score: 39.9 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 14.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 15.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -0.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | -3.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 95.3% (2017 est.) government consumption: 8.5% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 13.7% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 12% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -29.5% (2017 est.) | 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.) |
| Gross national saving | 5.4% of GDP (2017 est.) 8.2% of GDP (2016 est.) 4.2% of GDP (2015 est.) | 17.7% of GDP (2018 est.) 18.2% of GDP (2017 est.) 23.9% of GDP (2015 est.) |
Energy
| Central African Republic | Cameroon | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 171.4 million kWh (2016 est.) | 8.108 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 159.4 million kWh (2016 est.) | 6.411 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2016 est.) | 0 kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2016 est.) | 55 million kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 69,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 36,480 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 96,370 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 200 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | 135.1 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 910.4 million cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 906.1 million 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 | 38,300 kW (2016 est.) | 1.558 million kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 50% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 52% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 50% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 47% 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.) | 1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 0 bbl/day (2017 est.) | 39,080 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 2,800 bbl/day (2016 est.) | 45,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 8,545 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 2,799 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 14,090 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 3% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 7% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 0.4% (2019) | electrification - total population: 70% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 98% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 32% (2019) |
Telecommunications
| Central African Republic | Cameroon | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 2,934 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 856,411 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3.17 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 1,595,294 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30.86 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 21,400,736 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 79.31 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .cf | .cm |
| Internet users | total: 249,336 percent of population: 4.34% (July 2018 est.) | total: 6,089,200 percent of population: 23.2% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and at low-capacity; ongoing conflict has obstructed telecommunication and media development, although there are ISP (Internet service providers) and mobile phone carriers, radio is the most-popular communications medium (2018) domestic: very limited telephone service with less than 1 fixed-line connection per 100 persons; with the presence of multiple providers mobile-cellular service has reached 33 per 100 mobile-cellular subscribers; cellular usage is increasing from a low base; most fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone services are concentrated in Bangui (2019) international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) 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: 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 |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 499 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2018 est.) | total: 400,929 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1.49 less than 1 (2019 est.) |
| Broadcast media | government-owned network, Radiodiffusion Television Centrafricaine, provides limited domestic TV broadcasting; state-owned radio network is supplemented by a small number of privately owned broadcast stations as well as a few community radio stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available (2017) | 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) |
Transportation
| Central African Republic | Cameroon | |
|---|---|---|
| Roadways | total: 24,000 km (2018) paved: 700 km (2018) unpaved: 23,300 km (2018) | total: 77,589 km (2016) paved: 5,133 km (2016) unpaved: 72,456 km (2016) |
| Waterways | 2,800 km (the primary navigable river is the Ubangi, which joins the River Congo; it was the traditional route for the export of products because it connected with the Congo-Ocean railway at Brazzaville; because of the warfare on both sides of the River Congo from 1997, importers and exporters preferred routes through Cameroon) (2011) | (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) |
| Ports and terminals | river port(s): Bangui (Oubangui) Nola (Sangha) | oil terminal(s): Limboh Terminal river port(s): Douala (Wouri) Garoua (Benoue) |
| Airports | total: 39 (2013) | total: 33 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 1 (2019) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 | 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) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 37 (2013) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 19 (2013) under 914 m: 6 (2013) | total: 22 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 10 (2013) under 914 m: 8 (2013) |
| National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 2 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 46,364 (2015) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0 mt-km (2015) | 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) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | TL | TJ |
Military
| Central African Republic | Cameroon | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Central African Armed Forces (Forces Armees Centrafricaines, FACA): Army (includes an air squadron, Escadrille Centrafricaine), General Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG); National Police (2020) | 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 |
| Military service age and obligation | 18 years of age for military service; no conscription (2019) | 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) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.5% of GDP (2019 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2018 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2017 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2016 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2015 est.) | 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) |
| Military - note | the FACA is currently assessed as unable to provide adequate internal security for the country; the military was dissolved following the 2013 rebel seizure of the government and has struggled to rebuild in the years of instability since; France, Russia, the UN, and the European Union are providing various levels of security assistance the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) has operated in the country since 2014; its peacekeeping mission includes providing security, protecting civilians, facilitating humanitarian assistance, disarming and demobilizing armed groups, and supporting the country's fragile transitional government; in November 2019, the UN Security Council extended the mandate of the MINUSCA peacekeeping mission another year; as of January 2021, MINUSCA had nearly 15,000 total personnel, including about 11,000 troops and 2,000 police the European Union Training Mission in the Central African Republic (EUTM-RCA) has operated in the country since 2016; the EUTM-RCA contributes to the restructuring of the country's military and defense sector through advice, training, and educational programs | the FAC is largely focused on the threat from the terror group Boko Haram along its frontiers with Nigeria and Chad (Far North region) and an insurgency from armed Anglophone separatist groups in the North-West and South-West regions (as of Feb 2021, this internal conflict has left an estimated 3,000 civilians dead and over 700,000 people displaced since fighting started in 2016); in addition, the FAC often deploys units to the border region with the Central African Republic to counter intrusions from armed militias and bandits |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | information varies; approximately 10,000 active troops, including an air component of 100-200 and up to 2,000 Gendarmerie (2020) | 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) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the FACA is lightly and poorly armed with mostly outdated weapons; since 2010, it has received small amounts of second-hand equipment from China, Russia, and Ukraine (2020) note: since 2013, CAR has been under a UNSC arms embargo; the embargo bans all supplies of arms and related materiel to the country except to the CAR security forces if approved in advance by the relevant UN Sanctions Committee | 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) |
Transnational Issues
| Central African Republic | Cameroon | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | periodic skirmishes persist over water and grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border with southern Sudan | 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 |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | refugees (country of origin): 5,774 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (2021) IDPs: 727,161 (clashes between army and rebel groups since 2005; tensions between ethnic groups) (2021) | refugees (country of origin): 328,258 (Central African Republic), 118,409 (Nigeria) (2021) IDPs: 1,032,942 (2021) (includes far north, northwest, and southwest) |
| Trafficking in persons | current situation: Central African Republic (CAR) is a source, transit, and destination country for children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking, women subjected to forced prostitution, and adults subjected to forced labor; most victims appear to be CAR citizens exploited within the country, with a smaller number transported back and forth between the CAR and nearby countries; armed groups operating in the CAR, including those aligned with the former SELEKA Government and the Lord's Resistance Army, continue to recruit and re-recruit children for military activities and labor; children are also subject to domestic servitude, commercial sexual exploitation, and forced labor in agriculture, mines, shops, and street vending; women and girls are subject to domestic servitude, sexual slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, and forced marriage tier rating: Tier 3 - the Central African Republic does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government conducted a limited number of investigations and prosecutions of cases of suspected human trafficking in 2014 but did not identify, provide protection to, or refer to care providers any trafficking victims; the government did not directly provide reintegration programs for demobilized child soldiers, leaving victims vulnerable to further exploitation or retrafficking by armed groups, including those affiliated with the government; in 2014, an NGO and the government began drafting a national action plan against trafficking but no efforts were reported to establish a policy against child soldiering or to raise awareness about existing laws prohibiting the use of children in the armed forces (2015) | 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) |
Environment
| Central African Republic | Cameroon | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 49.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 0.3 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 22.44 megatons (2020 est.) | 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.) |
| Total water withdrawal | municipal: 60.1 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 12 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 400,000 cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 246.8 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 104.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 737 million cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 8.99% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 2.5% 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: 1,105,983 tons (2014 est.) | 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.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
