Part 128

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Geographic coordinates: 6 00 N, 12 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total area: 475,440 sq km land area: 469,440 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 4,591 km border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km, Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Coastline: 402 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 50 nm

International disputes: demarcation of international boundaries in vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, is completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria; dispute with Nigeria over land and maritime boundaries in the vicinity of the Bakasi Peninsula has been referred to the International Court of Justice

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 lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Fako 4,095 m

Natural resources: petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 13% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 18% forest and woodland: 54% other: 13%

Irrigated land: 280 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: water-borne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing natural hazards: recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous gases international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Nuclear Test Ban, Tropical Timber 94

Geographic note: sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa

People ------

Population: 14,261,557 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (male 3,295,924; female 3,266,429) 15-64 years: 51% (male 3,602,037; female 3,627,625) 65 years and over: 3% (male 213,176; female 256,366) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.89% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 42.49 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 13.56 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 78.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 52.6 years male: 51.55 years female: 53.68 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.99 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Cameroonian(s) adjective: Cameroonian

Ethnic divisions: Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%, non-African less than 1%