all eligible males of royal descent; following legislative
elections, a member of the majority party or majority coalition is
named prime minister by the Chairman of the National Assembly and
appointed by the king
Legislative branch:
bicameral, consists of the Senate (61 seats; 2 members appointed by
the monarch, 2 elected by the National Assembly, and 57 elected by
parliamentarians and commune councils; members serve five-year
terms) and the National Assembly (123 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 22 January 2006 (next to be held in
January 2011); National Assembly - last held 27 July 2008 (next to
be held in July 2013)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CPP 69%,
FUNCINPEC 21%, SRP 10%; seats by party - CPP 45, FUNCINPEC 10, SRP
2; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP 58%, SRP 22%,
HRP 7%; NRP 6%; FUNCINPEC 5%; others 2%; seats by party - CPP 90,
SRP 26, HRP 3, FUNCINPEC 2, NRP 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Council of the Magistracy (provided for in the constitution
and formed in December 1997); Supreme Court (and lower courts)
exercises judicial authority
Political parties and leaders:
Cambodian People's Party or CPP [CHEA SIM]; Human Rights Party or
HRP [KHEM SOKHA, also spelled KEM SOKHA]; National United Front for
an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia or
FUNCINPEC [KEV PUT REAKSMEI]; Norodom Ranariddh Party or NRP [CHHIM
SEAK LENG]; Sam Rangsi Party or SRP [SAM RANGSI, also spelled SAM
RAINSY]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Cambodian Freedom Fighters or CFF; Partnership for Transparency Fund
or PTF (anti-corruption organization); Students Movement for
Democracy; The Committee for Free and Fair Elections or Comfrel
other: human rights organizations; vendors
International organization participation:
ACCT, ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, EAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador HENG HEM
chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742
FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Carol A. RODLEY
embassy: #1, Street 96, Sangkat Wat Phnom, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh
mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546
telephone: [855] (23) 728-000
FAX: [855] (23) 728-600
Flag description:
three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width), and blue
with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat outlined
in black in the center of the red band
note: only national flag to incorporate an actual building in its
design
Economy ::Cambodia
Economy - overview:
From 2004 to 2007, the economy grew about 10% per year, driven
largely by an expansion in the garment sector, construction,
agriculture, and tourism. Growth dropped to below 7% in 2008 as a
result of the global economic slowdown. With the January 2005
expiration of a WTO Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, Cambodian
textile producers were forced to compete directly with lower-priced
countries such as China, India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. The garment
industry currently employs more than 320,000 people and contributes
more than 85% of Cambodia's exports. In 2005, exploitable oil
deposits were found beneath Cambodia's territorial waters,
representing a new revenue stream for the government if commercial
extraction begins. Mining also is attracting significant investor
interest, particularly in the northern parts of the country. The
government has said opportunities exist for mining bauxite, gold,
iron and gems. In 2006, a US-Cambodia bilateral Trade and Investment
Framework Agreement (TIFA) was signed, and several rounds of
discussions have been held since 2007. The tourism industry has
continued to grow rapidly, with foreign arrivals exceeding 2 million
per year in 2007-08, however, economic troubles abroad will dampen
growth in 2009. Rubber exports declined more than 15% in 2008 due to
falling world market prices. The global financial crisis is
weakening demand for Cambodian exports, and construction is
declining due to a shortage of credit. The long-term development of
the economy remains a daunting challenge. The Cambodian government
is working with bilateral and multilateral donors, including the
World Bank and IMF, to address the country's many pressing needs.
The major economic challenge for Cambodia over the next decade will
be fashioning an economic environment in which the private sector
can create enough jobs to handle Cambodia's demographic imbalance.
More than 50% of the population is less than 21 years old. The
population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in
the poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost total
lack of basic infrastructure.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$28.01 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
$26.67 billion (2007 est.)
$24.2 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$11.25 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
10.2% (2007 est.)
10.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,000 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
$1,900 (2007 est.)
$1,800 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 29%
industry: 30%
services: 41% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
8.6 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 75%
industry: NA%
services: NA% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
3.5% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
2.5% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:
35% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 34.2% (2007)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
43 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
40 (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
22.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
Budget:
revenues: $1.274 billion
expenditures: $1.592 billion (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
25% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 212
5.9% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 89
5.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
16.01% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 35
16.18% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$591.7 million (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 91
$513.6 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$2.328 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 82
$2.309 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.67 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 96
$1.131 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
rice, rubber, corn, vegetables, cashews, tapioca, silk
Industries:
tourism, garments, construction, rice milling, fishing, wood and
wood products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
8% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
Electricity - production:
1.273 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
Electricity - consumption:
1.272 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
167 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201
Oil - consumption:
4,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
Oil - imports:
30,970 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 196
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198
Current account balance:
-$1.06 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
-$506.3 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$4.708 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
$4.089 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
clothing, timber, rubber, rice, fish, tobacco, footwear
Exports - partners:
US 54.4%, Germany 7.7%, Canada 5.9%, UK 5.5%, Vietnam 4.5% (2008)
Imports:
$6.534 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
$5.424 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials,
machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products
Imports - partners:
Thailand 26.8%, Vietnam 19%, China 14.5%, Hong Kong 8.1%, Singapore
6.9% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.641 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
$2.143 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$4.127 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
$3.89 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
riels (KHR) per US dollar - 4,070.94 (2008 est.), 4,006 (2007),
4,103 (2006), 4,092.5 (2005), 4,016.25 (2004)
Communications ::Cambodia
Telephones - main lines in use:
45,100 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 165
Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.237 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 93
Telephone system:
general assessment: mobile-phone systems are widely used in urban
areas to bypass deficiencies in the fixed-line network; fixed-line
connections stand at well less than 1 per 100 persons;
mobile-cellular usage, aided by increasing competition among service
providers, is increasing and stands at 30 per 100 persons
domestic: adequate landline and/or cellular service in Phnom Penh
and other provincial cities; mobile-phone coverage is rapidly
expanding in rural areas
international: country code - 855; adequate but expensive landline
and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and
major provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
(Indian Ocean region) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 50, shortwave NA (2008)
Television broadcast stations:
8 (including 2 TV relay stations with French and Vietnamese
broadcasts); excludes 18 regional relay stations (2008)
Internet country code:
.kh
Internet hosts:
2,480 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 146
Internet users:
74,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 162
Transportation ::Cambodia
Airports:
17 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 140
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Heliports:
1 (2009)
Railways:
total: 602 km
country comparison to the world: 110
narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 38,093 km
country comparison to the world: 91
paved: 2,977 km
unpaved: 35,116 km (2007)
Waterways:
2,400 km (mainly on Mekong River) (2008)
country comparison to the world: 37
Merchant marine:
total: 626
country comparison to the world: 17
by type: bulk carrier 41, cargo 530, carrier 3, chemical tanker 10,
container 8, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated
cargo 15, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1
foreign-owned: 467 (Canada 2, China 193, Cyprus 7, Egypt 13, Gabon
1, Greece 3, Hong Kong 8, Indonesia 2, Japan 1, South Korea 22,
Latvia 1, Lebanon 8, Netherlands 1, Romania 1, Russia 83, Singapore
4, Syria 48, Taiwan 1, Turkey 26, Ukraine 34, UAE 2, US 6) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Phnom Penh, Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville)
Military ::Cambodia
Military branches:
Royal Cambodian Armed Forces: Royal Cambodian Army, Royal Khmer
Navy, Royal Cambodian Air Force (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
conscription law of October 2006 requires all males between 18-30 to
register for military service; 18-month service obligation (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,759,034
females age 16-49: 3,784,333 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,673,383
females age 16-49: 2,763,256 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 177,881
female: 175,332 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
3% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
Transnational Issues ::Cambodia
Disputes - international:
Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of boundary with missing
boundary markers and claims of Thai encroachments into Cambodian
territory; maritime boundary with Vietnam is hampered by unresolved
dispute over sovereignty of offshore islands; Thailand accuses
Cambodia of obstructing inclusion of Thai areas near Preah Vihear
temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962, as part
of a planned UN World Heritage site
Illicit drugs:
narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving some in the
government, military, and police; limited methamphetamine
production; vulnerable to money laundering due to its cash-based
economy and porous borders
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Cameroon (Africa)
Introduction ::Cameroon
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 a slow
movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in
the hands of President Paul BIYA.
Geography ::Cameroon
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial
Guinea and Nigeria
Geographic coordinates:
6 00 N, 12 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 475,440 sq km
country comparison to the world: 53
land: 472,710 sq km
water: 2,730 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than California
Land boundaries:
total: 4,591 km
border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km,
Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298
km, Nigeria 1,690 km
Coastline:
402 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 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 (on Mt. Cameroon)
Natural resources:
petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 12.54%
permanent crops: 2.52%
other: 84.94% (2005)
Irrigated land:
260 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
285.5 cu km (2003)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.99 cu km/yr (18%/8%/74%)
per capita: 61 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from
Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes
Environment - current issues:
waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing;
desertification; poaching; overfishing
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout the country
there are areas of thermal springs and indications of current or
prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in
Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano
People ::Cameroon
Population:
18,879,301
country comparison to the world: 58
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, higher death rates, lower
population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.9% (male 3,891,762/female 3,822,870)
15-64 years: 55.9% (male 5,298,143/female 5,250,493)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 283,289/female 332,744) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 19.2 years
male: 19 years
female: 19.3 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.19% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
Birth rate:
34.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
Death rate:
12.2 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 57% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 63.34 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 36
male: 68.08 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 58.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.69 years
country comparison to the world: 197
male: 52.89 years
female: 54.52 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.33 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
5.1% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
540,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
39,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
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)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 67.9%
male: 77%
female: 59.8% (2001 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 9 years
male: 10 years
female: 8 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.3% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 138
Government ::Cameroon
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
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)
Administrative divisions:
10 regions (regions, singular - region); Adamaoua, Centre, Est,
Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, North-West (Nord-Ouest), Ouest, Sud,
South-West (Sud-Ouest)
Independence:
1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)
Constitution:
approved by referendum 20 May 1972; adopted 2 June 1972; revised
January 1996
Legal system:
based on French civil law system, with common law influence; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
head of government: Prime Minister Philemon YANG (since 30 June 2009)
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:
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 22 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
CPDM 140, SDF 14, UDC 4, UNDP 4, MP 1, vacant 17
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]; Cameroon
People's Democratic Movement or CPDM [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];
National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO
BOUBA]; Progressive Movement or MP; Social Democratic Front or SDF
[John FRU NDI]; Union of Peoples of Cameroon or UPC [Augustin
Frederic KODOCK]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]; Southern
Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN]
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph FOE-ATANGANA
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 Janet E. GARVEY
embassy: Avenue Rosa Parks, Yaounde
mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy, US
Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520
telephone: [237] 2220 15 00; Consular: [237] 2220 16 03
FAX: [237] 2220 16 00 Ext. 4531; Consular FAX: [237] 2220 17 52
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
note: uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy ::Cameroon
Economy - overview: