| variable | 1980-1989 | 1990-1999 | 2000-2007 | 2008-2009 | 2010-2019 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| real gdp growth | 3.58 | 1.37 | 4.3 | 2.75 | 4.02 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.8 |
| CPI % | 7.15 | 5.32 | 2.69 | 2.15 | 1.97 | 7.4 | 4.5 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.2 |
| Unemployment rate | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Debt/GDP % | - | 70.7 | 38.65 | 12.65 | 29.4 | 43.6 | 43.4 | 40.4 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| Current account balance/GDP % | -3.69 | -2.29 | -1.84 | -3.55 | -3.36 | -4.1 | -3.3 | -3.8 | -5.1 | -5.8 |
Data derived from World Economic Outlook Database. To see main macroeconomic indicator in graphs click here
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.
Area: 475,440 sq km km2
Climate: varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north
Natural resources: petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower
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)
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.)
Capital: Yaounde
Government type: presidential republic
Chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
Head of government: Prime Minister Joseph NGUTE (since 4 January 2019)
Description: Parlement - Parliament - bicameral
largest CEMAC economy with many natural resources; recent political instability and terrorism reducing economic output; systemic corruption; poor property rights enforcement; increasing poverty in northern regions
petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair
GDP by sector: Agriculture: 17.4% (2024 est.), Industry: 25.6% (2024 est.), Services: 49.9% (2024 est.)
Export partners: Netherlands 21%, France 14%, UAE 13%, India 9%, China 8% (2023)
Export commodities: crude petroleum, natural gas, gold, cocoa beans, wood (2023)
Import partners: China 43%, France 6%, India 6%, Belgium 4%, UAE 4% (2023)
Import commodities: garments, refined petroleum, plastic products, wheat, rice (2023)
Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria
Military expenditure: 2024: 1% of GDP (2024 est.)
Information derived from worldfactbook.io (Lupon Media), open successor to the CIA World Factbook. Data sourced from World Bank, IMF, UN and other international organizations.