Cameroon

Country Overview

Cameroon is a Central African country on the Gulf of Guinea, with its political capital at Yaoundé and a major commercial center at Douala. Its present boundaries and bilingual institutions were shaped by German colonization, subsequent British and French administration, independence of French Cameroun in 1960, and federation with Southern Cameroons in 1961. A 1972 referendum established a unitary state. Agriculture, petroleum, cocoa, timber, manufacturing, trade and services remain important to its economy. Paul Biya continued as president following the disputed October 2025 election, with Joseph Dion Ngute serving as prime minister. ^{[7] [23] [4] [9] [10] [11]}

Reference status: Contemporary edition • Verified: November 5, 2026 • Individual figures retain their original statistical years.

Population comparability: The 2005 national census counted 17,463,836 people. The World Bank’s 2025 estimated population is 29,879,337. They are records from different periods and methods, not simultaneous counts. ^{[16] [1]}

Identity and State Formation

Official name

Republic of Cameroon; République du Cameroun. ^[5]

Common name

Cameroon; Cameroun in French.

Capital

Yaoundé, seat of the national government. ^[2]

Continent / UN subregion

Africa / Middle Africa (Central Africa in common geographical usage). ^{[22] [2]}

Precolonial history

Home to numerous long-established societies and political communities, including the Sao, Kotoko, Bamum, Fulani-ruled states, and several coastal and forest polities; distinct histories predate modern state boundaries.

German colonial rule

Germany established a protectorate in 1884; the territory became German Kamerun. ^[7]

British and French administrations

After the First World War, most of the territory passed to French administration; smaller western territories were administered by Britain under international mandates and later UN trusteeship. ^[7]

Independence of French-administered Cameroun

January 1, 1960; the former French trust territory became the Republic of Cameroon. ^[7]

Independence / federation with Southern Cameroons

October 1, 1961; following a UN-supervised plebiscite, British-administered Southern Cameroons joined the Republic of Cameroon, forming the Federal Republic of Cameroon. British Northern Cameroons joined Nigeria. ^[7]

Transition to unitary state

May 20, 1972, national referendum on ending the federal system; the state became the United Republic of Cameroon. ^[7]

Current country name

Republic of Cameroon, adopted in 1984; not the same event as independence or federation. ^{[7] [6]}

Constitutional framework

Constitution of June 2, 1972, substantially revised January 18, 1996 and subsequently amended, including in 2008. ^{[6] [5]}

Head-of-state transition

Paul Biya became president on November 6, 1982, following the departure of Ahmadou Ahidjo. ^[8]

Most recent presidential election

October 12, 2025; the Constitutional Council declared Paul Biya the winner. The result was disputed by opposition figures, and protests followed. Biya was sworn in November 6, 2025. ^{[9] [10]}

National day

May 20 (National Day or Unity Day), marking the 1972 transition to a unitary state; separate from the January 1960 independence date. ^[7]

National motto

Peace, Work, Fatherland (French: Paix, Travail, Patrie). ^[6]

ISO 3166-1 codes

CM (alpha-2); CMR (alpha-3); 120 (numeric). ^[22]

Internet country-code domain

.cm

International dialing code

+237

Historical context: The dates 1960, 1961, 1972, 1984 and 1996 represent different political milestones. Cameroon’s colonial inheritances and its Anglophone–Francophone constitutional history are essential to understanding the contemporary republic. ^{[7] [6]}

Geography and Population

Location

Central-west Africa, with an Atlantic coastline on the Gulf of Guinea. ^[23]

Total surface area

475,650 km² (approximately 183,649 sq. mi.; UNdata reference). ^[2]

Land area

472,710 km² (UNCTAD reference; excludes inland water). ^[3]

Neighboring countries

Nigeria, Chad, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea. ^[23]

Coastline and seaports

Coastal access to the Bight of Bonny / Gulf of Guinea; principal maritime gateways include Douala and Kribi.

Principal physical regions

Coastal lowlands, Cameroon volcanic line, western highlands, southern and eastern tropical forests, Adamawa Plateau, northern savanna and Lake Chad basin.

Highest mountain

Mount Cameroon, active volcano near the Atlantic coast, approximately 4,000 metres above sea level; published elevations differ by source.

Major rivers

Sanaga, Wouri, Benue, Nyong, Ntem and Logone/Chari drainage systems.

Climate

Equatorial and humid tropical climate in much of the south; highland temperate variation; tropical savanna and increasingly dry conditions to the north.

World Bank population estimate

29,879,337 residents (2025 international population series). ^[1]

2005 national census

17,463,836 residents (third national population and housing census); a historical enumeration, not the 2025 population. ^[16]

Population growth

2.6% annual growth in 2025 (World Bank series). ^[1]

Population density

Approximately 63 residents per km² of land, calculated from the 2025 World Bank estimate and 472,710 km² land area; not an independently published census density. ^{[1] [3]}

Capital city

Yaoundé, political and administrative center; UNdata estimates approximately 3.82 million residents in its 2025 capital-city series (urban definitions vary). ^[2]

Commercial and port center

Douala, a principal coastal business, transport and manufacturing hub. ^[4]

Other major cities

Garoua, Bamenda, Bafoussam, Maroua, Ngaoundéré, Buea, and Bertoua, among others. ^[23]

Population measurement

International 2025 model-based estimates and the 2005 census count differ in date and methodology; they should not be presented as rival observations for the same year. ^{[1] [16]}

Area conventions: UNdata total surface area includes inland water; UNCTAD land area excludes it. Population density on this page is a calculated land-area ratio. The historical national census and the World Bank’s modeled series should not be conflated. ^{[2] [3] [1] [16]}

Economy and International Trade

Economic structure

Lower-middle-income, resource- and services-based mixed economy, with agricultural employment, commodity production, manufacturing, services and state activity. ^[4]

Nominal GDP

Approximately US$58.93 billion (2025; current US dollars; World Bank). ^[1]

Nominal GDP per capita

Approximately US$1,972 (2025, current US dollars); GDP per person is not average household income. ^[1]

Real GDP growth

3.2% (2025 annual percentage change, World Bank). ^[1]

Consumer-price inflation

3.4% (2025 annual consumer-price increase, World Bank). ^[1]

Currency

Central African CFA franc (XAF); issued through the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), shared by CEMAC economies. ^[18]

Currency exchange arrangement

Fixed peg at 655.957 CFA francs per euro (EUR 1), according to the 2026 IMF description. ^[18]

Major economic activities

Hydrocarbons, agriculture, agribusiness, forestry, manufacturing, port services, trade, construction, transport, telecommunications and other services. ^[4]

Principal agricultural products

Cocoa, coffee, cotton, bananas, rubber, palm oil, maize, cassava and plantains, among other crops. ^[4]

Natural-resource sectors

Crude petroleum, natural gas, timber, minerals and hydroelectric resources. ^[4]

Merchandise exports

Approximately US$5.9 billion in 2024 (UNCTAD estimate, not a final customs-derived total). ^[3]

Merchandise imports

Approximately US$8.2 billion in 2024 (UNCTAD estimate). ^[3]

Merchandise trade balance

Approximately US$2.3 billion deficit in 2024 (UNCTAD estimated exports minus estimated imports). ^[3]

Exports of services

Approximately US$2.125 billion in 2024 (UNCTAD estimate); separate from goods exports. ^[3]

Imports of services

Approximately US$2.699 billion in 2024 (UNCTAD estimate); separate from merchandise imports. ^[3]

Leading goods exports

Petroleum and petroleum products; cocoa and cocoa products; timber and wood products; bananas and other produce; aluminum, gold and rubber. ^[4]

Leading export destinations

Netherlands, China, India, Italy and France among leading 2024 goods destinations in the trade.gov country guide; ranking depends on dataset and valuation conventions. ^[4]

Major trade logistics

Ports at Douala and Kribi; overland trade connections with Central African Republic and Chad. ^[4]

Statistical comparability

World Bank GDP and UNCTAD trade estimates come from different statistical systems. Do not combine services and goods or describe 2024 trade estimates as 2025 audited totals. ^{[1] [3]}

Principal Export Categories (2024)

Product categories follow the International Trade Administration country guide. The UNCTAD merchandise and services totals are 2024 estimates; these datasets have different methods and need not reconcile exactly. ^{[4] [3]}

People and Society

Official languages

French and English, constitutionally equal in official status; the state formally promotes bilingualism. ^{[5] [6]}

National and community languages

More than 240 national languages according to the presidency’s country presentation; usage differs widely by region and community. ^[23]

Illustrative Indigenous and regional languages

Fulfulde, Ewondo, Duala, Basaa, Bamum, Ghomala and many other languages; these examples are not a population ranking. ^[23]

Language geography

French is predominant in much of the country; English has a major public role in the Northwest and Southwest, alongside Pidgin English and numerous regional languages. ^{[5] [17]}

Religion: principal traditions

Christianity and Islam are major faiths; Indigenous religious practices also continue, sometimes alongside affiliation with other traditions. ^[15]

Christian affiliation (historical estimate)

2018 CIA-derived composition reported in the U.S. State Department’s 2023 review: Roman Catholic 38.3%, Protestant 25.5%, other Christian 6.9% (about 70.7% combined). These are older estimates, not a 2026 census. ^[15]

Muslim affiliation (historical estimate)

24.4% in the same 2018 CIA-derived estimate; overwhelmingly Sunni according to the reporting source. ^[15]

Other religious affiliations (historical estimate)

2.2% animist, 0.5% other religions and 2.2% no religious affiliation in the same source; rounding and religious overlap require caution. ^[15]

Constitutional religious status

Secular state with constitutional protections for freedom of religion; no established state religion. ^{[15] [5]}

Ethnolinguistic diversity

Many distinct communities and historical traditions, including Beti-Fang, Duala, Bamileke, Bamum, Fulani, Kirdi-associated communities, coastal peoples and rainforest Indigenous groups; there is no single exhaustive census ranking in this profile. ^[23]

Life expectancy at birth

Approximately 64 years (2024, World Bank rounded value). ^[1]

Historical census baseline

The 2005 census counted 17.46 million people; its historical composition should not be applied unchanged to the 2025 estimated population. ^[16]

Education and administrative languages

Both English- and French-language educational and administrative traditions operate; the national constitution requires equal legal status for both official languages. ^[6]

Cultural traditions

Diverse musical, literary, culinary, craft, athletic and festival traditions reflecting the country’s multiple linguistic and historical communities.

Contemporary humanitarian context

Displacement and conflict affect the Northwest and Southwest; insecurity also affects the Far North, with regional refugee needs and climate-related shocks. ^[17]

Statistical caveat

Religious proportions are older estimates, not a contemporary national household survey. Language shares should not be inferred from administrative language status. ^{[15] [5]}

Measurement and representation: The religion percentages cited are based on an older estimate reproduced in a 2023 report, not a 2026 enumeration. The legal equivalence of English and French should not be mistaken for equal usage rates across all communities. ^{[15] [5]}

Government and Institutions

Form of government

Constitutionally decentralized unitary presidential republic with a prime minister and bicameral parliament. ^[5]

Head of state

President Paul Biya, in office since November 6, 1982; sworn in for a further term November 6, 2025. ^{[8] [9]}

Head of government

Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute (status checked November 5, 2026). ^[11]

Most recent presidential election

October 12, 2025; the Constitutional Council proclaimed Paul Biya elected. Opposition candidates disputed the result, followed by demonstrations and reported violence. ^{[9] [10]}

Presidential term

Seven years under the constitutional framework; the 2008 constitutional amendment removed presidential term limits. ^[6]

Legislative branch

Bicameral Parliament: National Assembly and Senate. ^{[5] [13]}

National Assembly

180 seats, directly elected for five-year terms under the parliamentary framework. ^[13]

Senate

100 seats: 70 indirectly elected by regional electoral colleges and 30 appointed by the president; 10 seats allotted to each region. ^[12]

Judiciary

Judicial system includes the Supreme Court and lower courts, with separate constitutional review by the Constitutional Council under the constitutional framework. ^[6]

Constitutional status of the state

The Constitution describes Cameroon as one and indivisible, secular, democratic and decentralized; official institutional descriptions should not be equated with an assessment of political practice. ^[5]

Administrative organization

10 regions, 58 departments and 360 arrondissements (subdivisions), according to the Ministry of Territorial Administration. ^[14]

Ten regions

Adamawa, Centre, East, Far North, Littoral, North, Northwest, South, Southwest and West. ^[14]

Regional governors

Governors administer the regions as state representatives; departments are led by prefects and subdivisions by sub-prefects. ^[14]

Political organization

Multiparty electoral system; the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM/RDPC) is the governing party. Opposition parties contest elections, and political conditions include active controversy and security restrictions. ^{[8] [10]}

Anglophone regions

Northwest and Southwest regions have distinctive British-administration and English-language institutional histories; political grievances and armed separatist violence have affected both regions. ^{[7] [17]}

Current security challenges

Insecurity in the Northwest, Southwest and Far North regions imposes continuing governance and humanitarian pressures. ^[17]

Political context: The official 2025 presidential result is recognized in the institutional profile; opposition challenges and post-election unrest are also documented. This page describes institutional facts without endorsing competing electoral claims. ^{[9] [10]}

International Profile

United Nations

Member since September 20, 1960. ^[21]

African Union

Member of the African Union; participates in regional African political and economic cooperation.

Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)

Regional integration and diplomatic organization; Cameroon is a member. ^[20]

Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC)

Member of a six-country economic and monetary community sharing the Central African CFA franc. ^{[18] [20]}

Bank of Central African States (BEAC)

Regional central bank for the common currency (XAF), not a separate national central bank. ^[18]

Commonwealth of Nations

Joined November 1, 1995, reflecting part of its British colonial and postcolonial institutional heritage. ^[19]

International Organization of La Francophonie

Participates in international French-language cooperation; Cameroon also belongs to the Commonwealth because of its bilingual historical formation.

World Trade Organization

Member since December 13, 1995. ^[20]

World Bank and IMF

Member of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund; participates in their economic statistical and policy systems. ^{[1] [18]}

Regional diplomatic importance

Gulf of Guinea coastal state with transport, commercial and security links to Central Africa and the Lake Chad basin. ^{[4] [17]}

Bordering countries

Nigeria, Chad, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. ^[23]

UN M49 statistical subregion

Middle Africa, notwithstanding the common description Central Africa. ^[22]

Time zone

West Africa Time (UTC+01:00); no routine seasonal daylight-saving change.

International calling code

+237

Country internet domain

.cm

Currency code

XAF (Central African CFA franc). ^[18]

Sources and Verification

Editorial cutoff: November 5, 2026. Population and GDP use World Bank 2025 series; 2024 international trade values are UNCTAD estimates; 2005 census and religious composition estimates are historical. Official political officeholders and administrative details were checked against institutional sources.

1. World Bank, Cameroon Country Data — 2025 population, GDP, GDP per capita, real GDP growth, inflation and population growth; 2024 life expectancy.
2. United Nations Statistics Division, UNdata: Cameroon — Country classification, surface area, capital, currency, population density and UN admission date. UNdata GDP estimates use a different vintage from the World Bank country series.
3. UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Cameroon General Profile — 2024 estimated merchandise exports, imports, trade deficit, services trade and land area; estimates are not direct enumerations of all flows.
4. U.S. International Trade Administration, Cameroon Market Overview — 2024 principal export products and trade partners, and descriptions of key sectors; different compilations can produce different merchandise totals.
5. Presidency of Cameroon, Organization of the State — Constitutional state structure, official languages, branches of government and the unitary republic.
6. National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism, Constitution of Cameroon — 1996 constitutional revision, bilingualism and institutional design.
7. Oxford Bibliographies in African Studies, Cameroon — German, British and French colonial periods; 1960 independence, 1961 federation, 1972 unitary republic and 1984 naming.
8. Presidency of Cameroon, Biography of President Paul Biya — Presidency beginning November 6, 1982, and electoral history.
9. Paul Biya 2025, Inauguration and October 2025 Election Statements — Official presidential election result proclamation and swearing-in on November 6, 2025.
10. Reuters, October 28, 2025, Opposition Challenges Cameroon Election Result — Independent reporting that the official 2025 result was disputed and protests followed.
11. Office of the Prime Minister of Cameroon, Government Directory — Joseph Dion Ngute identified as prime minister at the editorial cutoff.
12. Senate of Cameroon, Presentation of the Cameroonian Senate — 100 senators, with 70 indirectly elected and 30 presidentially appointed; representation by region.
13. National Assembly of Cameroon, Parliamentary History — 180-member National Assembly and bicameral legislative framework.
14. Ministry of Territorial Administration, Local Services — 10 regions, 58 departments and 360 arrondissements.
15. U.S. Department of State, 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom: Cameroon — Religious composition estimates attributed to the 2018 CIA compilation and legal protections for religion.
16. Cameroon National Institute of Statistics, 2005 Population and Housing Census — Definitive 2005 census count of 17,463,836, kept distinct from 2025 demographic projections.
17. UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Cameroon Country Information (2026) — Contemporary insecurity in the Northwest, Southwest and Far North, refugee pressures and displacement.
18. International Monetary Fund, Cameroon 2026 Article IV Annex — Central African CFA franc (XAF) membership in CEMAC currency union and fixed euro parity.
19. Commonwealth Secretariat, Our History — Cameroon joined the Commonwealth on November 1, 1995.
20. World Intellectual Property Organization, WIPO Lex Cameroon Treaty Profile — WTO membership effective December 13, 1995, and CEMAC/ECCAS treaty participation.
21. United Nations, UNdata Country Profile: Cameroon — Admission to the UN on September 20, 1960.
22. United Nations Statistics Division, M49 Country and Area Codes — UN statistical placement in Middle Africa and ISO numeric identifier.
23. Presidency of Cameroon, Country Presentation — Neighboring states, major cities and national language diversity.

Data conventions: Nominal GDP is valued in current U.S. dollars; GDP per capita is output divided by population, not average personal earnings. Merchandise trade covers goods; services statistics are reported separately. World Bank, UNdata and UNCTAD indicators can differ in reference years, source vintages and methodology. Official government descriptions are supplemented with independent reporting when facts are disputed.