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. The government, however, has failed
to press forward vigorously with these programs. The latest enhanced
structural adjustment agreement was signed in October 1997; the
parties hope this will prove more successful, yet government
mismanagement and corruption remain problems. Inflation has been
brought back under control. Progress toward privatization of remaining
state industry should support continued economic growth in 2000.

purchasing power parity - $31.5 billion (1999 est.)

5.2% (1999 est.)

purchasing power parity - $2,000 (1999 est.)

agriculture: 42%
industry: 22%
services: 36% (1997 est.)

40% (1984 est.)

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

2.1% (1999 est.)

NA

agriculture 70%, industry and commerce
13%, other 17%

30% (1998 est.)

revenues: $2.23 billion
expenditures: $2.23 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY96/97 est.)

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

NA%

3.285 billion kWh (1998)

fossil fuel: 2.59%
hydro: 97.41%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)

3.055 billion kWh (1998)

0 kWh (1998)

0 kWh (1998)

coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas,
oilseed, grains, root starches; livestock; timber

$2 billion (f.o.b., 1999)

crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa
beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton

Italy 25%, Spain 20%, France 16%, Netherlands 7%
(1997 est.)

$1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1999)

machines and electrical equipment, transport
equipment, fuel, food

France 25%, Nigeria 8%, US 8%, Germany 6% (1997
est.)

$11.5 billion (1999 est.)

$606.1 million (1995); note - France signed
two loan agreements totaling $55 million in September 1997, and the
Paris Club agreed in October 1997 to reduce the official debt by 50%
and to reschedule it on favorable terms with a consolidation of
payments due through 2000

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100
centimes

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1
- 647.25 (January 2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997),
511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995)
note: since 1 January 1999, the CFAF is pegged to the euro at a rate
of 655.957 CFA francs per euro

1 July - 30 June