Cameroon

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Cameroon

Republic of Cameroon > Administrative subdivisions: 10 regions, 58 departments or divisions, 349 subprefectures or subdivisions. > Political parties: Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM) or its predecessor parties have ruled since independence. Major opposition parties: the Social Democratic Front (SDF), the National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP), and the Cameroon Democratic Union (CDU). > Suffrage: Universal at 20.
 * In 1961, both French and British Cameroon combined to create present day Cameroon
 * location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria
 * population: 19,294,149
 * birth rate: 33.58 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
 * death rate: 12.01 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
 * life expantancy: male: 53.21 years female: 54.9 years (2010 est.)
 * people living with HIV/AIDS: 540,000
 * death because of HIV/AIDS: 39,000
 * religion: indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%
 * language: 24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)
 * literacy: age 15 and over can read and write
 * government type: republic; multiparty presidential regime
 * Capital: Yaounde
 * Branches: Executive--president (chief of state), 7-year term, no term limits; appointed prime minister (head of government). Legislative--unicameral National Assembly (180 members; meets briefly three times a year--March, June, November); a new Senate was called for under constitutional changes made in early 1996, but has not yet been established.Judicial--falls under the executive's Ministry of Justice.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Economy: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Because of its modest 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 stagnate per capita income, a relatively inequitable distribution of income, 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 IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs. Weak prices for oil and cocoa led to the significant slowdown in growth in 2009. The government is under pressure to reduce its budget deficit, which by the government's own forecast will hit 2.8% of GDP, but the presidential election in 2011 may make fiscal austerity difficult.

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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Cameroon and United Nations
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">group provides funding for the country trying to help with refugees and financial aid
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">funding is also provided to World Bank, IMF, African Development Bank

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[] <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[] <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">[] [] - documentary of HIV in Cameroom