ntry for Golden Triangle heroin en
route to West; possibly becoming money-laundering center; high-level
narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving government,
military, and police; possible small-scale opium, heroin, and
amphetamine production; large producer of cannabis for the
international market
______________________________________________________________________

CAMEROON

@Cameroon:Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between
Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Geographic coordinates: 6 00 N, 12 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 475,440 sq km
land: 469,440 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
total : 4,591 km
border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km,
Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298 km,
Nigeria 1,690 km

Coastline: 402 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 50 nm

Climate: varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid
and hot in north

Terrain: diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau
in center, mountains in west, plains in north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point : Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Fako 4,095 m

Natural resources: petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower
potential

Land use:
arable land: 13%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 4%
forests and woodland: 78%
other : 3% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 210 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: recent volcanic activity with release of poisonous
gases

Environment - current issues: water-borne diseases are prevalent;
deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of
the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber
94
signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa

@Cameroon:People

Population: 14,677,510 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 46% (male 3,387,450; female 3,356,237)
15-64 years: 51% (male 3,712,809; female 3,736,245)
65 years and over: 3% (male 219,975; female 264,894) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.86% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 42.22 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 13.64 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1