Cameroon - MC Grecof

Introduction

Flag:

Card:

Background:

The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of an ethnic oligarchy.   

Geography

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Geographic coordinates:

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 475,440 sq km
land: 469,440 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km

Coastline:

402 Km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 50 NM

Climate:

varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north

Terrain:

diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in center, mountains in west, plains in north

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Fako 4,095 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Land use:

arable land: 13%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 4%
forests and woodland: 78%
other: 3% (1993 est.)

Geography - note:

sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa

People

Population:

15,803,220

Note:

estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Cameroonian(s)
adjective: Cameroonian

Ethnic groups:

Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%, non-African less than 1%

Religions:

indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Languages:

24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)

Government

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon
conventional short form: Cameroon
former: French Cameroon

Government type:

unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in 1990)
note: preponderance of power remains with the president

Capital:

Yaounde

National holiday::

Republic Day, 20 May (1972)

Flag description:

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy

Economy - overview:

Because of its oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious problems facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy civil service and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise. Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF and World Bank programs designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize the nation's banks. In June 2000, the government completed an IMF-sponsored, three-year structural adjustment program; however, the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget transparency and privatization. Higher oil prices in 2000 helped to offset the country's lower cocoa export revenues. A rebound in the cocoa market should increase growth to over 5% in 2001.

Electricity - production:

Agriculture - products:

Exports:

$2.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Currency:

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF)

Note:

responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Transportation

Railways:

total: 1,104 km
narrow gauge: 1,104 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)

Highways:

total: 34,300 km
paved: 4,288 km
unpaved: 30,012 km (1995)

Waterways:

2,090 km (of decreasing importance)

Ports and harbors::

Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko

Coffee

Growing-areas:

in all provinces except in the north Mban, Haute Sanaga

Qualities:

natural Robusta but also washed Arabica, graded as per beansize and defects

Altitude:

Robusta: 800/1000 meter
Arabica: 1000/ 1800 meter

Harvest:

Robusta: beg. of November to February
Arabica: depend on altitude where grown from Sepember to mid February

Shippingperiod:

Robusta all the year round

Port of Export:

Douala

Shipment:

in container in bags (250 of each 60,- kos net)

Production:

ca. 1,100,000 bags

Export figures:

824.232 bags

Caffeine content

Robusta 2.32 %
Arabica 1.27 %

Classification

Classification:

Methode:

Beansice:

Defects:

Robusta

Superior

natural

gr 0 - 15 def/300

Extraprima

natural

gr 15 - 30 def/300

Prime

natural

gr 30 - 60 def/300

Standard

natural

gr 60 - 120 def/300

Grade 1 (standard)

natural

screen 16/18

Grade 2

natural

screen 14/16

Grade 3

natural

screen 10

Arabica

A

natural

70 % over screen 18
30 % over screen 17

B

natural

70 % over screen 17
30 % über Sieb 16

C

natural

Perlbeans

D

natural

70 % over screen 16
30 % over screen 15

F

natural

70 % over screen 15
30 % over screen 14