the country and strip mining for gems in the western region along the
border with Thailand have resulted in habitat loss and declining
biodiversity (in particular, destruction of mangrove swamps threatens
natural fisheries); soil erosion; in rural areas, a majority of the
population does not have access to potable water; toxic waste delivery
from Taiwan sparked unrest in Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville) in December
1998
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Marine Life Conservation, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
Geography - note: a land of paddies and forests dominated by the
Mekong River and Tonle Sap
@Cambodia:People
Population: 12,212,306
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 and death rates, lower population
and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age
and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 2,610,009; female 2,505,932)
15-64 years: 55% (male 3,132,198; female 3,542,655)
65 years and over: 3% (male 173,179; female 248,333) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.27% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 33.48 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 10.79 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 66.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.53 years
male: 54.44 years
female: 58.74 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.82 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Cambodian(s)
adjective: Cambodian
Ethnic groups: Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%
Religions: Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5%
Languages: Khmer (official) 95%, French, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 35%
male: 48%
female: 22% (1990 est.)
@Cambodia:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia
conventional short form: Cambodia
local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea
local short form: Kampuchea
Data code: CB
Government type: multiparty liberal democracy under a constitutional
monarchy established in September 1993
Capital: Phnom Penh
Administrative divisions: 20 provinces (khett, singular and plural)
and 3 municipalities* (krong, singular and plural); Banteay Mean
Cheay, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Spoe,
Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Kaoh Kong, Keb*, Krachen, Mondol Kiri,
Otdar Mean Cheay, Phnum Penh*, Pouthisat, Preah Seihanu*
(Sihanoukville), Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Rotanah Kiri, Siem Reab,
Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takev
note: there may be a new municipality called Pailin
Independence: 9 November 1953 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 9 November (1953)
Constitution: promulgated 21 September 1993
Legal system: primarily a civil law mixture of French-influenced codes
from the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC)
period, royal decrees, and acts of the legislature, with influences of
customary law and remnants of communist legal theory; increasing
influence of common law in recent years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King Norodom SIHANOUK (reinstated 24 September 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 30 November 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is chosen by a Royal Throne Council;
prime minister appointed by the monarch after a vote of confidence by
the National Assembly
Legislative branch: bicameral consists of the National Assembly (122
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and
the Senate (61 seats; two members appointed by the monarch, two
elected by the National Assembly, and 57 elected by "functional
constituencies"; members serve five-year terms
elections: National Assembly - last held 26 July 1998 (next to be held
NA 2003); Senate - last held 2 March 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP
41%, FUNCINPEC 32%, SRP 14%, other 13%; seats by party - CPP 64,
FUNCINPEC 43, SRP 15; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - CPP 31, FUNCINPEC 21, SRP 7
Judicial branch: Supreme Council of the Magistracy, provided for in
the constitution, was formed in December 1997; a Supreme Court and
lower courts exercise judicial authority
Political parties and leaders: Buddhist Liberal Party or BLP [IENG
MOULY]; Cambodian Pracheachon Party or Cambodian People's Party or CPP
; Khmer Citizen Party or KCP ; National United
Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia
or FUNCINPEC ; Sam Rangsi Party or SRP
(formerly Khmer Nation Party or KNP)
International organization participation: ACCT, AsDB, ASEAN, CP,
ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO
(subscriber), ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roland ENG
chancery: 4500 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: (202) 726-7742
FAX: (202) 726-8381
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kent M. WIEDEMANN
embassy: 27 EO Street 240, Phnom Penh
mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546
telephone: (23) 216-436, 216-438
FAX: (23) 216-811
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
@Cambodia:Economy
Economy - overview: After four years of solid macroeconomic
performance, Cambodia's economy slowed dramatically in 1997-98 due to
the regional economic crisis, civil violence, and political
infighting. Foreign investment and tourism fell off. Also, in 1998 the
main harvest was hit by drought. But in 1999, the first full year of
peace in 30 years, progress was made on economic reforms and growth
resumed at 4%. The long-term development of the economy after decades
of war remains a daunting challenge. The population lacks education
and productive skills, particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside,
which suffers from an almost total lack of basic infrastructure.
Recurring political instability and corruption within government
discourage foreign investment and delay foreign aid. On the brighter
side, the government is addressing these issues with assistance from
bilateral and multilateral donors. So long as political stability
lasts, the Cambodian economy is likely to grow at a respectable pace.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.2 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $710 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 43%
industry: 20%
services: 37% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line: 36% (1997 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.5% (1999 est.)
Labor force: 6 million (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 2.8% (1999 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $327 million
expenditures: $393 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1999 est.)
Industries: garments, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products,
rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 210 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 59.52%
hydro: 40.48%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 195 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: rice, rubber, corn, vegetables
Exports: $821 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Exports - commodities: timber, garments, rubber, rice, fish
Exports - partners: US, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong,
Indonesia, Malaysia, US
Imports: $1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities: cigarettes, gold, construction materials,
petroleum products, machinery, motor vehicles
Imports - partners: Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong,
Indonesia, Thailand
Debt - external: $829 million (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $470 million pledged in grants and
concessional loans for 2000 by international donors
Currency: 1 new riel (CR) = 100 sen
Exchange rates: new riels (CR) per US$1 - 3,786.0 (January 2000),
3,807.8 (1999), 3,744.4 (1998), 2,946.3 (1997), 2,624.1 (1996),
2,450.8 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Cambodia:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 21,800 (mid-1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 34,880 (1998)
Telephone system: adequate landline and/or cellular service in Phnom
Penh and other provincial cities; rural areas have little telephone
service
domestic: NA
international: 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)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1999)
Radios: 1.34 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 5 (1999)
Televisions: 94,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (1999)
@Cambodia:Transportation
Railways:
total: 603 km
narrow gauge: 603 km 1.000-m gauge
Highways:
total: 35,769 km
paved: 4,165 km
unpaved: 31,604 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: 3,700 km navigable all year to craft drawing 0.6 m or less;
282 km navigable to craft drawing 1.8 m or less
Ports and harbors: Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville), Kampot, Krong Kaoh
Kong, Phnom Penh
Merchant marine:
total: 211 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 953,105 GRT/1,345,766
DWT
ships by type: bulk 20, cargo 166, combination bulk 1, container 5,
livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large load carrier 1,
passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 7,
roll-on/roll-off 6 (1999 est.)
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 8 countries:
Aruba 1, Cyprus 7, Egypt 1, South Korea 1, Malta 1, Panama 1, Russia
5, Singapore 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 19 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 13
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 11 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 3 (1999 est.)
@Cambodia:Military
Military branches: Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), including
Army, Navy, and Air Force - created in 1993 by the merger of the
Cambodian People's Armed Forces and the two noncommunist resistance
armies
note: there are also resistance forces comprised of the Khmer Rouge
(also known as the National United Army or NUA) and a separate
royalist resistance movement
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,763,568 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 1,547,078 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 156,119 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $85 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.4% (FY98)
@Cambodia:Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: offshore islands and sections of the
boundary with Vietnam are in dispute; maritime boundary with Vietnam
not defined; parts of border with Thailand are indefinite; maritime
boundary with Thailand not clearly defined
Illicit drugs: transshipment site for Golden Triangle heroin; possible
money laundering; narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving
some in the government, military, and police; possible small-scale
opium, heroin, and amphetamine production; large producer of cannabis
for the international market
______________________________________________________________________
CAMEROON
@Cameroon:Introduction
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 movement
toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands
of an ethnic oligarchy.
@Cameroon:Geography
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
land: 469,440 sq km
water: 6,000 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: 50 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
Natural resources: petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 13%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 4%
forests and woodland: 78%
other: 3% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 210 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous
gases
Environment - current issues: water-borne diseases are prevalent;
deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note: sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa
@Cameroon:People
Population: 15,421,937
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 and death rates, lower population
and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age
and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 3,326,334; female 3,251,402)
15-64 years: 54% (male 4,181,038; female 4,153,680)
65 years and over: 3% (male 235,741; female 273,742) (2000 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.47% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 36.6 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 11.89 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
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: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 70.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 54.82 years
male: 54.01 years
female: 55.64 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.88 children born/woman (2000 est.)
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: 63.4%
male: 75%
female: 52.1% (1995 est.)
@Cameroon:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon
conventional short form: Cameroon
former: French Cameroon
Data code: CM
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 UN trusteeship under French
administration), 1 October 1961 (for areas ruled by Britain under UN
trusteeship)
National holiday: National Day, 20 May (1972)
Constitution: 20 May 1972 approved by referendum; 2 June 1972 formally
adopted
Legal system: based on French civil law system, with common law
influence; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
head of government: Prime Minister Peter Mafany MUSONGE (since 19
September 1996)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
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
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 11 May 1997 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RDCP
109, SDF 43, UNDP 13, UDC 5, UPC-K 1, MDR 1, MLJC 1; note - results
from 7 contested seats were cancelled by the Supreme Court and have
yet to be filled
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
Political parties and leaders: Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC
; Cameroon Liberation and Development Movement or
MLDC ; Democratic Rally of the Cameroon People or RDPC
(the RDPC or its predecessor parties have ruled since independence)
; Movement for the Defense of the Republic or
MDR ; Movement for the Liberation of Cameroonian
Youths or MLJC ; National Union for Democracy and Progress
or UNDP ; Social Democratic Front or
SDF ; Union of Cameroonian Populations or UPC-K
Political pressure groups and leaders: Alliance for Change or FAC
; Cameroon Anglophone Movement or CAM [Vishe FAI, secretary
general]; Southern Cameroon National Council
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, C,
CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCL, 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
telephone: (202) 265-8790
FAX: (202) 387-3826
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John M. YATES
embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde
mailing address: B. P. 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy,
Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520
telephone: 23-45-52
FAX: 23-07-53
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
@Cameroon:Economy
Economy - overview: Because of its oil resources and favorable
agricultural conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary
commodity economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the
serious problems facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a
top-heavy civil service and a generally unfavorable climate for
business enterprise. Since 1990, the government has embarked on
various IMF and World Bank programs designed to spur business
investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and
recapitalize the nation's banks. The government, however, has failed
to press forward vigorously with these programs. The latest enhanced
structural adjustment agreement was signed in October 1997; the
parties hope this will prove more successful, yet government
mismanagement and corruption remain problems. Inflation has been
brought back under control. Progress toward privatization of remaining
state industry should support continued economic growth in 2000.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $31.5 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.2% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,000 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 42%
industry: 22%
services: 36% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: 40% (1984 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (1999 est.)
Labor force: NA
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 70%, industry and commerce
13%, other 17%
Unemployment rate: 30% (1998 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.23 billion
expenditures: $2.23 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY96/97 est.)
Industries: petroleum production and refining, food processing, light
consumer goods, textiles, lumber
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 3.285 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 2.59%
hydro: 97.41%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption: 3.055 billion kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas,
oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber
Exports: $2 billion (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities: crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa
beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton
Exports - partners: Italy 25%, Spain 20%, France 16%, Netherlands 7%
(1997 est.)
Imports: $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1999)
Imports - commodities: machines and electrical equipment, transport
equipment, fuel, food
Imports - partners: France 25%, Nigeria 8%, US 8%, Germany 6% (1997
est.)
Debt - external: $11.5 billion (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $606.1 million (1995); note - France signed
two loan agreements totaling $55 million in September 1997, and the
Paris Club agreed in October 1997 to reduce the official debt by 50%
and to reschedule it on favorable terms with a consolidation of
payments due through 2000
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100
centimes
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1
- 647.25 (January 2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997),
511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995)
note: since 1 January 1999, the CFAF is pegged to the euro at a rate
of 655.957 CFA francs per euro
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
@Cameroon:Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 60,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,800 (1995)
Telephone system: available only to business and government
domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 11, FM 8, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios: 2.27 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1998)
Televisions: 450,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
@Cameroon:Transportation
Railways:
total: 1,104 km
narrow gauge: 1,104 km 1.000-m gauge (1995 est.)
Highways:
total: 34,300 km
paved: 4,288 km
unpaved: 30,012 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 2,090 km; of decreasing importance
Ports and harbors: Bonaberi, Douala, Garoua, Kribi, Tiko
Airports: 50 (1999 est.)