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
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; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 12 October 1997 (next to be held NA October
2004); prime minister appointed by the president
head of government: Prime Minister Peter Mafany MUSONGE (since 19
September 1996)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted
by the prime minister
election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote -
Paul BIYA 92.6%; note - supporters of the opposition candidates
boycotted the elections, making a comparison of vote shares
relatively meaningless
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 NA 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 9 judges and 6 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 [leader 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 [Frederick Ebong ALOBWEDE];
Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, C, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-19, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UN Security Council
(temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA
chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826
telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador George McDade STAPLES
embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde
mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy,
Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520
telephone: [237] 223-05-12, 222-25-89, 222-17-94, 223-40-14
FAX: [237] 223-07-53
branch office(s): Douala
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