Cameroon (Republic of Cameroon)

Cameroon Republic of Cameroon
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	173rd best
Capital	Yaounde
Land Area	472 710km21
Location	Africa
Population	20.5m (2011)2
Life Expectancy	55.96yrs (2017)3
GNI	$2 894 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	CM, CMR, 1205
Internet Domain	.cm6
Currency	Franc (XAF)7
Telephone	+2378

1. Overview
2. Cameroon National and Social Development
3. Population and Demographics
4. Gender Equality
5. Religion and Beliefs
6. The Internet
7. Public Health Issues
8. Politics and Freedom
9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries
10. Links

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1. Overview

#france #UK

“French Cameroon became independent in 1960 as the Republic of Cameroon. The following year the southern portion of neighboring British Cameroon voted to merge with the new country to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. In 1972, a new constitution replaced the federation with a unitary state, the United Republic of Cameroon. The country has generally enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite slow movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of President Paul BIYA.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Here at the crossroads of West and Central Africa, Cameroon, home to diverse peoples and cultures, spans the spectrum of signature African landscapes, Cameroon is Africa's throbbing heart, a crazed, sultry mosaic of active volcanoes, white-sand beaches, thick rainforest and magnificent parched landscapes broken up by the bizarre rock formations of the Sahel. With both Francophone and Anglophone regions, not to mention some 263 ethnic groups, (speaking around 230 local languages), the country is a vast ethnic and linguistic jigsaw, yet one that, in contrast to so many of its neighbours, enjoys a great deal of stability.

Cameroon's coast is lapped by the languid waters of the Gulf of Guinea and its landscape extends from the steamy tropical beaches of the south and even steamier rainforests of the interior to the semi-deserts of the Sahelian north.

With good infrastructure, travel is a lot easier here than in many parts of Africa. Still, you´ll miss none of those indicators that you´re in the middle of this fascinating continent: everyone seems to be carrying something on their heads, makossa music sets the rhythm, the streets smell like roasting plantains and African bliss is just a piece of grilled fish and a frosty beer away.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Cameroon National and Social Development

UN HDI (2016) Lower is better Rank11
1	Norway	1
2	Australia	2
3	Switzerland	2
	...
150	Angola	150
151	Tanzania	151
152	Nigeria	152
153	Cameroon	153
154	Zimbabwe	154
155	Papua New Guinea	154
156	Solomon Islands	156
157	Mauritania	157
	World Avg	94.3
q=188.

Social & Moral Development Index Higher is better Points12
1	Iceland	84.1
2	Sweden	80.8
3	Norway	80.0
	...
170	Tuvalu	42.8
171	Zambia	42.8
172	Ethiopia	42.7
173	Cameroon	42.7
174	Gabon	42.4
175	Gambia	42.2
176	Zimbabwe	41.9
177	Ivory Coast	41.8
	World Avg	54.5
q=198.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: What is the Best Country in the World? An Index of Morality, Conscience and Good Life.

3. Population and Demographics

Old-Age Dependency Ratio (2016) Lower is better Per 10013
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3	Chad	04.7
	...
17	Malawi	05.6
18	Senegal	05.6
19	Yemen	05.7
20	Cameroon	05.8
21	Niger	05.8
22	Congo, DR	05.8
23	Benin	05.8
24	Burundi	05.9
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Emigrants (2010) %14
1	Dominica	104.8
2	Palestine	68.4
3	Samoa	67.3
	...
163	Djibouti	1.5
164	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	1.4
165	Zambia	1.4
166	Cameroon	1.4
167	Malawi	1.4
168	Congo, DR	1.3
169	Korea, N.	1.3
170	Thailand	1.2
	World Avg	11.5
q=192.

Fertility Rate (2013) 2.0 is best15
1	Korea, N.	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
	...
145	Ivory Coast	4.27
146	Eritrea	4.28
147	Palestine	4.31
148	Cameroon	4.33
149	Mauritania	4.40
150	Congo, (Brazzaville)	4.46
151	Central African Rep.	4.46
152	Madagascar	4.52
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Immigrants (2010) %14
1	Qatar	86.5
2	Monaco	71.6
3	UAE	70.0
	...
149	Jamaica	1.1
150	Equatorial Guinea	1.1
151	Maldives	1.0
152	Cameroon	1.0
153	Tonga	0.8
154	Bosnia & Herzegovina	0.7
155	Burundi	0.7
156	Nigeria	0.7
	World Avg	9.2
q=192.

Life Expectancy (2015) Higher is better Years16
1	Hong Kong	84.16
2	Japan	83.68
3	Italy	83.34
	...
176	S. Africa	57.66
177	Burundi	57.12
178	S. Sudan	56.13
179	Cameroon	55.96
180	Somalia	55.71
181	Guinea-Bissau	55.49
182	Mozambique	55.48
183	Nigeria	53.06
	World Avg	71.27
q=190.

Population (2012)17
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.3b
3	USA	315.8m
	...
54	Sri Lanka	21.2m
55	Syria	21.1m
56	Ivory Coast	20.6m
57	Cameroon	20.5m
58	Angola	20.2m
59	Burkina Faso	17.5m
60	Chile	17.4m
61	Netherlands	16.7m
	World Avg	36.0m
q=195.

Cameroon's population is predicted to rise to 28.81 million by 2030. These millions of extra people will all need space to live, food to eat, energy to consume, and will increase the burden on the planet's resources. This country has a fertility rate of 4.33. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population is growing, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity, i.e., the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate, which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1.

• The Overpopulation of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception: How Religion is Making Overpopulation Worse

4. Gender Equality

Gender Inequality (2015) Lower is better18
1	Switzerland	0.04
2	Denmark	0.04
3	Netherlands	0.04
	...
135	Kenya	0.56
136	Egypt	0.57
137	Swaziland	0.57
138	Cameroon	0.57
139	Mozambique	0.57
140	Sudan	0.57
141	Congo, (Brazzaville)	0.59
142	Haiti	0.59
	World Avg	0.36
q=159.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better Year19
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
59	Liberia	1946
60	Romania	1946
61	Panama	1946
62	Cameroon	1946
63	Macedonia	1946
64	Venezuela	1946
65	Guatemala	1946
66	Vietnam	1946
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Gender inequality is not a necessary part of early human development. Although a separation of roles is almost universal due to different strengths between the genders, this does not have to mean that women are subdued, and, such patriarchialism is not universal in ancient history. Those cultures and peoples who shed, or never developed, the idea that mankind ought to dominate womankind, are better cultures and peoples than those who, even today, cling violently to those mores.

Cameroon is an unequal country, with male rights dominating those of women.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

5. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Religiosity (2009) Lower is better %20
1	Estonia	16
2	Sweden	17
3	Denmark	19
	...
95	Senegal	96
96	Philippines	96
97	Nigeria	96
98	Cameroon	96
99	Malaysia	96
100	Afghanistan	97
101	Comoros	97
102	Egypt	97
	World Avg	75.1
q=114.

Disbelief In God (2007) Higher is better21
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
	...
122	Niger	0
123	Saudi Arabia	0
124	Rwanda	0
125	Cameroon	0
126	Philippines	0
127	Kuwait	0
128	Madagascar	0
129	Nigeria	0
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₂₂:

Christian	70.3%
Muslim	18.3%
Hindu	0.1%
Buddhist	0.1%
Folk Religion	3.3%
Jew	0.1%
Unaffiliated	5.3%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states simply: indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%₂₃.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union produced a report in 2012 entitled "Freedom of Thought" (2012), in which they document bias and prejudice at the national level that is based on religion, belief and/or lack of belief. Their entry for Cameroon states:

“The constitution mandates a secular state, and the constitution and other laws and policies protect freedom of religion or belief. However, there are widespread government privileges for religion, especially Christianity and Islam, and routine bias against the nonreligious. The government gives an annual subsidy to all private primary and secondary education institutions, including those operated by religious denominations. State-sponsored television station and radio stations broadcast Christian and Islamic religious services on a regular basis₂₄, as well as religious ceremonies on national holidays and during national events.”

"Freedom of Thought" by IHEU (2012)

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems
• Secularisation Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?

6. The Internet

Internet Users (2016) Higher is better25
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
155	Uganda	19%
156	Zambia	19%
157	Tajikistan	19%
158	Cameroon	18%
159	Pakistan	18%
160	Nepal	17%
161	Mauritania	17%
162	S. Sudan	17%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IPv6 Uptake (2017) Higher is better Ratio26
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
89	Botswana	0.0
90	El Salvador	0.0
91	Kenya	0.0
92	Cameroon	0.0
93	Kyrgyzstan	0.0
94	Cambodia	0.0
95	Belarus	0.0
96	Azerbaijan	0.0
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

IT Security (2013) Lower is better27
1	Ireland	0.11
2	Luxembourg	0.11
3	Belize	0.11
	...
30	Moldova	0.71
31	Zambia	0.76
32	Kenya	0.77
33	Cameroon	0.77
34	Burkina Faso	0.79
35	Ivory Coast	0.82
36	Ethiopia	0.84
37	Iran	0.85
	World Avg	0.98
q=81.

Internet access has become an essential research tool. It facilitates an endless list of life improvements, from the ability to network and socialize without constraint, to access to a seemingly infinite repository of technical and procedural information on pretty much any task. The universal availability of data has sped up industrial development and personal learning at the national and personal level. Individuals can read any topic they wish regardless of the locality of expert teachers, and, entire nations can develop their technology and understanding of the world simply because they are now exposed to advanced societies and moral discourses online. Like every communications medium, the Internet has issues and causes a small range of problems, but these are insignificant compared to the advantages of having an online populace.

7. Public Health Issues

Adolescent Birth Rate (2015) Lower is better Per 100018
1	Korea, N.	0.5
2	Korea, S.	1.6
3	Switzerland	2.9
	...
162	Dominican Rep.	97.9
163	Gabon	99.9
164	Somalia	103.9
165	Cameroon	104.6
166	Burkina Faso	108.5
167	Equatorial Guinea	108.7
168	Liberia	108.8
169	Zimbabwe	109.7
	World Avg	47.9
q=185.

Alcohol Consumption (2010) Lower is better Per Capita28
1	Libya	0.1
2	Pakistan	0.1
3	Kuwait	0.1
	...
132	Peru	8.1
133	St Kitts & Nevis	8.2
134	Botswana	8.4
135	Cameroon	8.4
136	Belize	8.5
137	Brazil	8.7
138	Montenegro	8.7
139	Sierra Leone	8.7
	World Avg	6.2
q=191.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 (2015) Higher is better Avg %29
1	Hungary	99.0
2	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
144	Togo	84.3
145	Zambia	84.2
146	Congo, (Brazzaville)	83.6
147	Cameroon	83.3
148	Laos	83.3
149	Djibouti	82.6
150	Uganda	82.5
151	Comoros	81.8
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Smoking Rates (2014) Lower is better30
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
38	Nigeria	173
39	Guinea-Bissau	175
40	Central African Rep.	178
41	Cameroon	184
42	Guatemala	190
43	Ecuador	191
44	Myanmar (Burma)	206
45	Madagascar	206
	World Avg	819
q=182.

8. Politics and Freedom

Nominal Commitment to HR (2009) Higher is better Treaties31
1	Argentina	24
2	Chile	23
3	Costa Rica	23
	...
120	Madagascar	14
121	Syria	14
122	Sudan	14
123	Cameroon	14
124	Uzbekistan	14
125	Mauritania	13
126	Sri Lanka	13
127	Malawi	13
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom (2014) Lower is better Rank32
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
	...
123	Tunisia	123
124	Mali	124
125	Gambia	125
126	Cameroon	126
127	Guyana	126
128	Vietnam	128
129	Azerbaijan	128
130	Sri Lanka	130
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

Press Freedom (2013) Lower is better33
1	Finland	638
2	Netherlands	648
3	Norway	652
	...
116	Venezuela	3444
117	Nepal	3461
118	Ecuador	3469
119	Cameroon	3478
120	Chad	3487
121	Brunei	3545
122	Tajikistan	3571
123	S. Sudan	3620
	World Avg	3249
q=178.

9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries