pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Cameroon Economy

Economy - overview: 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 and privatization. Higher
oil prices in 2000 helped to offset the country's lower cocoa export
revenues. A rebound in the cocoa market should increase growth to
over 5% in 2001.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $26 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.4% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 43.4%

industry: 20.1%

services: 36.5% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: 48% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (2000 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 70%, industry and commerce
13%, other 17%

Unemployment rate: 30% (1998 est.)

Budget: revenues: $2.1 billion

expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY00/01 est.)

Industries: petroleum production and refining, food processing,
light consumer goods, textiles, lumber

Industrial production growth rate: 4.2% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production: 3.47 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.59%

hydro: 97.41%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 3.227 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas,
oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber

Exports: $2.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: crude oil and petroleum products, lumber,
cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton

Exports - partners: Italy 24%, Fr