Factbook dossier
Background
Powerful chiefdoms ruled much of the area of present-day Cameroon before it became a German colony known as Kamerun in 1884. 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. Nonetheless, unrest and violence in the country's two western, English-speaking regions have persisted since 2016. Movement toward democratic reform is slow, and political power remains firmly in the hands of President Paul BIYA.
Location
Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria
Area
total : 475,440 sq km land: 472,710 sq km water: 2,730 sq km
Natural resources
petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower
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 the Oku volcanic field sometimes release fatal levels of gas, which killed about 1,700 people in 1986
Population
total: 31,518,954 (2025 est.) male: 15,683,611 female: 15,835,343
Ethnic groups
Bamileke-Bamu 22.2%, Biu-Mandara 16.4%, Arab-Choa/Hausa/Kanuri 13.5%, Beti/Bassa, Mbam 13.1%, Grassfields 9.9%, Adamawa-Ubangi, 9.8%, Cotier/Ngoe/Oroko 4.6%, Southwestern Bantu 4.3%, Kako/Meka 2.3%, foreign/other ethnic group 3.8% (2022 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)
Religions
Roman Catholic 33.1%, Muslim 30.6%, Protestant 27.1% other Christian 6.1%, animist 1.3%, other 0.7%, none 1.2% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; poaching; overfishing; overhunting
Government type
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: Germans founded the city in 1888, but the name comes from the native Ewondo people; the meaning of the name is unclear
Executive branch
chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982) head of government: Prime Minister Joseph NGUTE (since 4 January 2019) cabinet: Cabinet proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 7-year term (no term limits); prime minister appointed by the president most recent election date: 12 October 2025 election results: 2025- Paul BIYA reelected president; percent of vote - Paul BIYA (CPDM) 53.7%, Issa Tchiroma BAKARY (CNSF) 35.2%, Cabral LIBII (PCRN) 3.4%, Bello Boubou MAIGARI (UNDP)2.4%, other 5.3% 2018: 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% (2018) expected date of next election: October 2032
Legislative branch
legislature name: Parlement - Parliament legislative structure: bicameral
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$143.264 billion (2024 est.) $138.191 billion (2023 est.) $133.843 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita
$4,900 (2024 est.) $4,900 (2023 est.) $4,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.5% (2024 est.) 7.4% (2023 est.) 6.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Exports - partners
Netherlands 21%, France 14%, UAE 13%, India 9%, China 8% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Imports - partners
China 43%, France 6%, India 6%, Belgium 4%, UAE 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Military and security forces
Cameroon Armed Forces (Forces Armees Camerounaises, FAC): Army, Cameroon Navy (includes naval infantry or fusiliers marin), Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Firefighting Corps General Delegation for National Security (D l gation G n rale la S ret Nationale or DGSN): Cameroon Police (2025) note 1: the Army includes the Rapid Intervention Brigade (Brigade d Intervention Rapide or BIR), which maintains its own command and control structure and reports directly to the Chief of Defense staff and the Presidency; the BIR includes airborne/airmobile, amphibious, armored reconnaissance, artillery, and counterterrorism forces, as well as support elements, such as intelligence note 2: the Cameroon Police and the National Gendarmerie are responsible for internal security; the Gendarmerie conducts administrative, criminal, and military investigative functions; other missions include customs, air and maritime surveillance, and road traffic control; in times of conflict, it participates in internal defense
Military expenditures
1% of GDP (2024 est.) 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1% of GDP (2022 est.) 1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1% of GDP (2020 est.)