Cameroon Country & Tourist Information

Location
Central Africa.

Area
465,458 sq km (179,714 sq miles).

Population
16.6 million (2005).

Population Density
35.6 per sq km.

Capital
Yaoundé (constitutional).
Population: 1.4 million (2004). Douala (economic). Population: 2 million (2005).

Government
Republic. Gained independence in 1961.

Language
The official languages are French and English. They are given equal importance in the Constitution but French is the more commonly spoken. Spanish is spoken in some urban centers. Pidgin English is widely spoken, particularly in coastal areas. Around 250 different African languages are also spoken.

Religion
The majority of the population hold Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) or traditional animist beliefs. The sizeable remainder are followers of Islam.

Time
GMT + 1.

Electricity
110/220 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are round two-pin.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni since 2004.

Head of State
President Paul Biya since 1982.

Recent History
The most recent presidential poll, in 2004, saw Biya secure another seven-year term in office with 70% of the votes. International observers claim that the poll was fair and transparent but opposition parties made allegations of widespread fraud. Cameroon joined the UN Security Council in 2002 and as a result found itself subject to serious pressure over the Iraq issue during early 2003. 2006 was a good year for Cameroon: a group of major lending nations agreed to cancel almost all of Cameroon’s debt and in August 2006 Nigeria finally handed over sovereignty of the oil-rich Bakassi peninsula.

Telephone
Country code: 237. International calls can be made from CAMTEL offices. Telephones can usually be found in post offices and restaurants, and there are telephone booths in the towns. Phonecards are available. The main towns in Cameroon are linked by automatic dialing, although this service is often unreliable.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with a number of international mobile phone companies. Coverage is patchy but better in the south.

Internet
Available in main towns, which have Internet cafes. Charges are significantly higher outside Yaoundé and Douala.

Media
Media is highly government controlled. However, Cameroon’s first private TV station was launched in 2001. This followed a general liberalization of media in 2000, and a spate of private stations also emerged around this time. Nevertheless, libel laws inhibit journalists and some have even been jailed in the past. This is regarded as a genuine problem by the international community, who believe that Cameroon is becoming one of the most repressive countries worldwide in regards to freedom of expression.


Post
Stamps can only be obtained from post offices.

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0730-1530.

Press
• The main newspaper is the government-controlled Cameroon Tribune, published daily in French and English.
• Other English-language newspapers include The Post (weekly) and The Herald (three times a week).
• Privately-run French-language papers include Le Massager, Mutations (daily) and La Nouvelle Expression.

Radio
• Cameroon Radio Television also operates state-run radio stations.
• Radio Reine is a Catholic-owned station.
• Radio Siantou is a private broadcaster.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
11 Feb Youth Day. 
9 Mar Eid Milad Nabi (Prophet's Anniversary). 
10-13 Apr Easter.
1 May Labor Day. 
20 May National Day.
21 May Ascension / Sheep Festival.
20 July Ascension of the Prophet
15 Aug Assumption.
1 Oct Unification Day. 
21 Sep Djoulde Soumae (End of Ramadan). 
28 Nov Eid Al Adha (Festival of Sacrifice).
18 Dec Hijra (Islamic New Year).
25 Dec Christmas.

2010
1 Jan New Year's Day.
11 Feb Youth Day.
26 Feb Eid Milad Nabi (Prophet's Anniversary). 
2-5 Apr Easter.
1 May Labor Day. 
13 May Ascension.
20 May National Day.
21 May Sheep Festival. 
9 July Ascension of the Prophet
15 Aug Assumption.
1 Oct Unification Day.
11 Sep Djoulde Soumae (End of Ramadan).
17 Nov Eid Al Adha (Festival of Sacrifice).
7 Dec Hijra (Islamic New Year).
25 Dec Christmas.

Note
Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that ends with Djoulde Soumae (Eid al-Fitr), Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Many restaurants are closed during the day and there may be restrictions on smoking and drinking. Some disruption may continue into Djoulde Soumae itself. Djoulde Soumae may last anything from two to 10 days, depending on the region.

Contact Information:

Ministère du Tourisme
BP 266, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Tel: 224 4411.
Website: www.tourisme.cm

Cameroon High Commission in the UK
84 Holland Park, London W11 3SB, UK
Tel: (020) 7727 0771.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1600; 0930-1230 (visa applications).

Embassy of the Republic of Cameroon in the USA
2349 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 265 8790.
Website: www.ambacam-usa.org


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