Total Area:475,440 sq km Land Borders: Central African Republic, Chad Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria
Population: 17,340,702
Life Expectancy: 51 years HIV % Total Poulation:6.9%
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%
Languages:24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)
President:Paul BIYA GDP - Per Capita: $2,400
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 an ethnic oligarchy headed by President Paul BIYA.