Republic of Cameroon République du Cameroun
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Capital |
Yaoundé 3°52′N 11°31′E / 3.867°N 11.517°E |
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Largest city | Douala | ||||
Official languages |
French English |
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Ethnic groups |
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Demonym | Cameroonian | ||||
Government | Unitary dominant-party presidential republic | ||||
Paul Biya | |||||
Philémon Yang | |||||
Legislature | Parliament of Cameroon | ||||
Senate | |||||
National Assembly | |||||
Independence from France | |||||
• Declared
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1 January 1960 | ||||
• Union with former
British Cameroons |
1 October 1961 | ||||
Area | |||||
• Total
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475,442 km2 (183,569 sq mi) (54th) | ||||
• Water (%)
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0.57 | ||||
Population | |||||
• July 2013 estimate
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22,534,532 (56th) | ||||
• 2005 census
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17,463,836 | ||||
• Density
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39.7/km2 (102.8/sq mi) (167th) | ||||
GDP (PPP) | 2016 estimate | ||||
• Total
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$77.237 billion | ||||
• Per capita
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$3,260 | ||||
GDP (nominal) | 2016 estimate | ||||
• Total
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$30.870 billion | ||||
• Per capita
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$1,303 | ||||
Gini (2007) |
44.6 medium |
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HDI (2014) |
0.512 low · 153rd |
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Currency | Central African CFA franc (XAF) | ||||
Time zone | WAT (UTC+1) | ||||
Drives on the | right | ||||
Calling code | +237 | ||||
ISO 3166 code | CM | ||||
Internet TLD | .cm | ||||
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Coordinates: 6°N 12°E / 6°N 12°E
Cameroon (/ˌkæməˈruːn/; French: Cameroun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (French: République du Cameroun), is a country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the Bight of Bonny, part of the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean.
French and English are the official languages of Cameroon. The country is often referred to as "Africa in miniature" for its geological and cultural diversity. Natural features include beaches, deserts, mountains, rainforests, and savannas. The highest point at almost 4,100 metres (13,500 ft) is Mount Cameroon in the Southwest Region of the country, and the largest cities in population-terms are Douala on the Wouri river, its economical capital and main seaport, Yaoundé, its political capital, and Garoua. After independence, the newly united nation joined the Commonwealth of Nations, although the vast majority of its territories had previously been a German colony and, after World War I, a French mandate. The country is well known for its native styles of music, particularly makossa and bikutsi, and for its successful national football team.