Cameroon: Introduction

This fact sheet provides a geographic, demographic, and political overview of Cameroon, detailing its administrative structure, climatic diversity, and the long-term presidency of Paul Biya.

• Cameroon is characterized by extreme climatic and geographic diversity, ranging from coastal plains and mountains in the west to semi-arid zones in the north. This results in significant rainfall variance, from over 10,000 mm in Debundscha to under 500 mm in the northern Sahelian zone, which creates regional disparities in water access, economic activities, and agriculture.
• The country is highly diverse, with an estimated population of 28 million in 2023 and over 250 ethnic groups and languages. While French and English are the official languages, more than 200 local languages are spoken. Urbanization is high, with over 56% of the population residing in urban areas, primarily in the economic hub of Douala and the capital, Yaoundé.
• Cameroon's political landscape is defined by the long-term leadership of Paul Biya, who has been president since 1982. Despite the introduction of multiparty elections in 1992 and protests regarding electoral fraud, Biya and the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement have won every election since 1992. A 2008 bill removed presidential term limits, and Biya was re-elected for an eighth term in 2025.
• Administratively, Cameroon is a unitary presidential republic divided into 10 semi-autonomous regions. Each region is led by a presidentially appointed governor and an elected regional council. The structure further descends into 58 divisions (départements), subdivisions (arrondissements), and districts.
• Economically, Cameroon is classified as a lower-middle-income country with a diversified economy based on mining, forestry, oil, and agriculture. In 2023, the GDP per capita was US$3,809. The country is a member of several international organizations, including the African Union, the Commonwealth, and the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC).

APA

Tsopmo, P. C. (2026). Cameroon: Introduction. Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=CM&topic=01-intro

Chicago

Tsopmo, Pierre Christian. Cameroon: Introduction. Institute for Security Studies, 2026. https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=CM&topic=01-intro.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Tsopmo |first1=Pierre Christian |title=Cameroon: Introduction |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=28 May 2026 |url=https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=CM&topic=01-intro |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{tsopmo2026cameroon, author = {Tsopmo, Pierre Christian}, title = {{Cameroon: Introduction}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://futures.issafrica.org/geographic/guide.pdf?geography=CM&topic=01-intro}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }