ameroun/Cameroon
former: French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of
Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon

Government type:

republic; multiparty presidential regime

Capital:

name: Yaounde
geographic coordinates: 3 52 N, 11 31 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord,
Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest

Independence:

1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:

Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)

Constitution:

20 May 1972 approved by referendum, adopted 2 June 1972; revised
January 1996

Legal system:

based on French civil law system, with common law influence; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
head of government: Prime Minister Ephraim INONI (since 8 December
2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted
by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 11 October 2004
(next to be held by October 2011); prime minister appointed by the
president
election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote -
Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, Garga
Haman ADJI 3.7%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats;
members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year
terms); note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term
of the legislature
elections: last held 22 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
RDCP 140, SDF 14, UDC 4, UNDP 4, MP 1, vacant 17; note - vacant
seats will be determined in a yet to be scheduled by-election after
the Supreme Court nullified results in five districts
note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the
legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Court of
Justice (consists of nine judges and six substitute judges, elected
by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:

Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA]; Cameroon
Peopl