3 GeoFroggy

Country Name

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: French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon

Administrative Divisions

10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest

Independence

1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National Holiday

Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)

Constitution

20 May 1972 approved by referendum, 2 June 1972 formally adopted; revised January 1996

Legal System

based on French civil law system, with common law influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International Law Organization Participation

Citizenship

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)

Head of government: Prime Minister Ephraim INONI (since 8 December 2004)

Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted by the prime minister

Elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held by October 2011); prime minister appointed by the president

Election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote - Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, Garga Haman ADJI 3.7%

Legislative Branch

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term of the legislature

Elections: last held 23 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007)

Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RDCP 133, SDF 21, UDC 5, other 21

Note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Court of Justice (consists of nine judges and six substitute judges, elected by the National Assembly)

Political Parties and Leaders

Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA]; Democratic Rally of the Cameroon People or RDCP [Paul BIYA]; Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [Marcel YONDO]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MYC [Dieudonne TINA]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union of Cameroonian Populations or UPC [Augustin Frederic KODOCK]

Political Pressure Groups and Leaders

Southern Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN]; Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]

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

National Anthem

Year

Government Type

  • Republic; multiparty presidential regime

Capital

  • Name
    Yaounde
  • Geographic Coordinates
    3 52 N, 11 31 E
  • Time Difference
    UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Diplomatic Representation in the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA
  • Chancery
    2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  • Telephone
    [1] (202) 265-8790
  • FAX
    [1] (202) 387-3826

Diplomatic Representation from the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Niels MARQUARDT
  • Embassy
    Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde
  • Mailing Address
    P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch
  • Telephone
    [237] 220 15 00; Consular
  • FAX
    [237] 220 16 20; Consular FAX
  • Branch Office(s)
    Douala

International Organization Participation

  • ACCT
  • ACP
  • AfDB
  • AU
  • BDEAC
  • C
  • CEMAC
  • FAO
  • FZ
  • G-77
  • IAEA
  • IBRD
  • ICAO
  • ICC
  • ICCt (signatory)
  • ICFTU
  • ICRM
  • IDA
  • IDB
  • IFAD
  • IFC
  • IFRCS
  • ILO
  • IMF
  • IMO
  • Interpol
  • IOC
  • IOM
  • IPU
  • ITU
  • MIGA
  • MONUC
  • NAM
  • OIC
  • OIF
  • OPCW
  • PCA
  • UN
  • UNCTAD
  • UNESCO
  • UNIDO
  • UPU
  • WCL
  • WCO
  • WFTU
  • WHO
  • WIPO
  • WMO
  • WToO
  • WTO