Maroua

CAPITAL CITY OF Cameroon: Yaounde
LANGUAGE OF Cameroon: English
CURRENCY OF Cameroon: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF, XAF)
COMMENTS ABOUT Cameroon: Cities : Yaounde (Capital), Douala, Bamenda, Bafoussam, Garoua, Maroua, Ngaoundere, Buea, Ebolowa Best Places :Dja Faunal Reserve, Beaches, waterfalls, golf course in Kribi, botanical garden and zoo in Limbe, golf courses in Yaounde and Tiko, King or Sultan Palaces in Foumban, Bafut, Bafoussam, Mt. Cameroon, the highest mountain in West Africa
Time zone :WAT (UTC+1)
Calling code : +237
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 movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of an ethnic oligarchy.
CLIMATE OF Cameroon: varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot in north
RELIGION OF Cameroon: Cameroon has a high level of religious freedom and diversity The northern peoples are predominantly Muslim, although some ethnic groups retain native animist beliefs and are called Kirdi ("pagan") by the Fulani. Cameroon has a high level of religious freedom and diversity. The northern peoples are predominantly Muslim, although some ethnic groups retain native animist beliefs and are called Kirdi ("pagan") by the Fulani
POPULATION OF Cameroon: 16,063,678 - estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.)>
CULTURA OF Cameroon: Each of Cameroon's ethnic groups has its own unique cultural forms. Typical celebrations include births, deaths, plantings, harvests, and religious rituals. Seven national holidays are observed throughout the year, and movable holidays include the Christian holy days of Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, and Ascension; and the Muslim holy days of 'Id al-Fitr, 'Id al-Adha, and Eid Milad Nnabi
ECONOMY OVERVIEW OF Cameroon: Because of its 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 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. In June 2000, the government completed an IMF-sponsored, three-year structural adjustment program; however, the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs. International oil and cocoa prices have considerable impact on the economy.