Best Countries

At a glance

Capital: Yaoundé

Official language: French English

Currency: CFA franc

Continent: Central Africa

Trip to Cameroon

In addition to a lush jungle, Cameroon offers a cultural diversity of its population

Location

According to Countryaah, Cameroon is a country in central Africa, which is located on the Atlantic Ocean. It shares borders with Nigeria, Chad, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea.

Travel to Cameroon

Cameroon has a rich cultural heritage like many countries in the region. It also has a game reserve, which is part of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage. The Dja Wildlife Reserve is one of the country’s greatest tourist attractions.

Important facts

Capital: Yaoundé

Official language: French English

Currency

Currency (sub-unit)

CFA franc (100 centimes)

ISO 4217 code

XAF / 950

Geography

Continent: Africa

Region: Central

Geo coordinates: N 7 ° 22 ’11 ” E 12 ° 21′ 17″

Highest mountain: Fako (4,095 m)

Total area: 475,440 km²

Mainland: 469,440 km²

National border: 4,591 km

Coastline: 402 km

Politics

Dependency: France until 1960

UN member since: 1960

Other political affiliation: Commonwealth

Form of government: Parliamentary republic

Economy

Export goods: Cocoa, coffee, aluminum

BSP: $ 19,142,700,000

GDP: $ 20,453,000,000

GDP purchasing power parity: $ 44.8 billion

Economic growth: 3.3%

GDP share of agriculture: 45.3%

GDP share of industry: 18.7%

GDP share of services: 36%

Inflation rate: 2.4%

State budget revenue: $ 3,640,000,000

State budget expenditure: $ 3.02 billion

National debt: 63.3%

Export: $ 3,984,000,000

Import: $ 3,341,000,000

Foreign debt: $ 9,889,000,000

Gold and currency reserves: $ 1,123,000,000

Gas reserves: 110,400 million m³

Oil reserves: 85 million m³

Oil production: 86,000 million m³

Oil consumption: 27,000 million m³

Cultivation area: 14.98%

Bovine: 6,044,000 pieces

Sheep: 3,700,000 pieces

Fishing: 146,000 t

Demographic data

Residents: 17,340,700

Residents in cities: 8,264,000

Average age: 18.9 years

0-14 years: 41.2%

15-64 years: 55.5%

> 65 years: 3.3%

Population growth: 2.04%

Birth rate: 33.89 / 1,000 residents

Death rate: 13.47 / 1,000 residents

Ratio men / women: 1.01

Fertility: 4.39 children / woman

Infant mortality: 63.52 ‰

Life expectancy men: 51.34 years

Life expectancy women: 51.34 years

Country codes and abbreviations

ISO 3166 Alpha 2: CM

ISO 3166 Alpha 3: CMR

ISO 3166 numeric: 120

Top Level Domain: cm

IOC country code: CMR

UN / LOCODE: CM

Source: Abbreviationfinder

Communication

Telephone connections: 146,000

Cell Phones: 1,812,000

Radios: 2,720,000

TV: 581,000

Computer: 280,000

Internet users: 148,000

Transportation

Railway lines: 987 km

Paved roads: 6,189 km

Cars: 178,000

Merchant fleet (ships over 1,000 GRT): 1

Pipelines: 1,219

Health

Number of doctors: 1,640

Daily food intake: 2,310 kcal / resident

HIV- infected people: 590,000

Education

Illiteracy: 19%

History

Foundation: 1960

Last sovereign since: 1960

Religion

Main religious group: Christians

Crime

Prison inmates: 21,300

Military

Armed forces (troop strength): 15,000

Defense Spending: $ 238.9 million

GETTING THERE

Arriving by plane

Connections with Air France (AF) via Paris, from Vienna with Austrian Airlines (OS) or Brussels Airlines (SN) via Brussels. Direct flight service from Zurich with Swiss (LX) to Douala. In code-share with Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa (LH) flies to Douala and Yaoundé.

Departure fee

Approx. 15,000 XAF in cash.

Arrival by car

There are road links to Chad, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria and Gabon. Four-wheel drive vehicles are recommended, these roads should not be used during the rainy season and generally at night. The Trans-Africa Highway from Kenya to Nigeria is under construction. The border with the Republic of the Congo was closed. The border area with Nigeria near the Bakassi Peninsula should be avoided.

Buses: Minibuses and bush taxis go from Yaoundé and Douala to neighboring countries. The means of transport may have to be changed at the border.

Arriving by train

Traveling from neighboring countries is problematic because the gauges are not uniform. An extension of the route network from Mbalmayo to Bangui (Central African Republic) is planned.

Arrival by ship

Ship connections between Douala and European ports are irregular. Ships are often en route for three weeks and in between dock in the Canary Islands and at West African ports. Some cargo ships have up to 12 passenger cabins.

ON THE GO

Traveling by plane

The plane is the most efficient means of transport in Cameroon. There are currently no scheduled flights. Charter connections should be requested on site.

Airport fees: 500 CFA Fr.

Flight times

from Yaoundé to other major centers (approximate hours and minutes):

	plane	train	Bus / car
Bafoussam	0.50	–	3.30
Bamenda	1.10	–	4.30
Douala	0.30	4.00	3.00
Dschang	0.50	–	–
Garoua	2.30	–	18.00
Koutaba	1.25	–	–
Kribi	0.45	–	–
Mamfe	1.00	–	–
Maroua	3.45	–	24.00
N’Gaoundéré	2.40	10.00	12.00

On the way by car / bus

The road conditions are generally less good, with the exception of the gravel roads from Douala to Yaoundé, Limbé, Buéa, Bafoussam and Bamenda. The other roads are not passable during the rainy season. Right-hand traffic. Night driving should be avoided.

Bus: There are connections with modern long-distance buses between Yaoundé and Douala, Bafoussam and Bamenda as well as Fouban and Dschanga. The buses in rural areas are often unreliable and sometimes dangerous.

Rental cars with or without a chauffeur are relatively expensive; there are branches in Douala, Yaoundé and Limbé.

Documentation: International driver’s license is recommended. Documents: international driver’s license recommended, international green insurance card.

Traveling in the city

Buses operate in Douala and Yaoundé (one-way fare). Taxis and shared taxis are available at set prices. You are not always in a safe condition; raids must be expected. 10% tip is at the passenger’s discretion.

On the go by train

Cameroonian trains are slow but inexpensive (and still faster than buses). There are daily train connections from Yaoundé to Ngaoundéré with the ‘Gazelle du Nord’, which runs from Douala via Yaoundé and Belabo to Ngaoundéré. There are also daily connections from Yaoundé to Douala with connections to Nkongsamba and from Douala to Kumba. Some trains have couchette cars, only a few are air-conditioned or have dining cars. Tickets must be purchased on the day of departure.