Economy - overview:
Cameroon’s market-based, diversified economy features oil and gas, timber, aluminum, agriculture, mining and the service sector. Oil remains Cameroon’s main export commodity, and despite falling global oil prices, still accounts for nearly 40% of exports. Cameroon’s economy suffers from factors that often impact underdeveloped countries, such as stagnant per capita income, a relatively inequitable distribution of income, a top-heavy civil service, endemic corruption, continuing inefficiencies of a large parastatal system in key sectors, 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 IMF continues to press for economic reforms, including increased budget transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs. The Government of Cameroon provides subsidies for electricity, food, and fuel that have strained the federal budget and diverted funds from education, healthcare, and infrastructure projects, as low oil prices have led to lower revenues.Cameroon devotes significant resources to several large infrastructure projects currently under construction, including a deep seaport in Kribi and the Lom Pangar Hydropower Project. Cameroon’s energy sector continues to diversify, recently opening a natural gas-powered electricity generating plant. Cameroon continues to seek foreign investment to improve its inadequate infrastructure, create jobs, and improve its economic footprint, but its unfavorable business environment remains a significant deterrent to foreign investment.
GDP (purchasing power parity): GDP (official exchange rate): GDP - real growth rate: GDP - per capita (PPP): Gross national saving: GDP - composition, by end use: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: Agriculture - products: Industries: Industrial production growth rate: Labor force: Labor force - by occupation: Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share: Distribution of family income - Gini index: Budget: Taxes and other revenues: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): Public debt: Fiscal year: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Central bank discount rate: Commercial bank prime lending rate: Stock of narrow money: Stock of broad money: Stock of domestic credit: Market value of publicly traded shares: Current account balance: Exports: Exports - commodities: Exports - partners: Imports: Imports - commodities: Imports - partners: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Debt - external: Exchange rates:
$81.55 billion (2017 est.)
$78.44 billion (2016 est.)
$74.94 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 94
$30.65 billion (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]
4% (2017 est.)
4.7% (2016 est.)
5.8% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]
$3,400 (2017 est.)
$3,300 (2016 est.)
$3,200 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 188
16.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
16.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
17.2% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]
household consumption: 71.3%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 12.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 20.3%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 0.5%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 19.5%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -23.8% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]
agriculture: 23.1%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 28%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 48.9% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]
coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, cassava (manioc, tapioca); livestock; timber
petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair
4% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]
9.912 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]
agriculture: 70%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 13%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 17% (2001 est.)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]
4.3% (2014 est.)
30% (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]
30% (2001 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]
lowest 10%: 37.5%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 35.4% (2014 est.)
44.6 (2001)
46.5 (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]
revenues: $5.154 billion
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $6.964 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]
16.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]
-5.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]
32.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
30.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]
1 July - 30 June
0.7% (2017 est.)
0.9% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]
4.25% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 85
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]
13% (31 December 2017 est.)
12.5% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]
$4.374 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$3.86 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]
$7.102 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$6.33 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]
$6.427 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$5.714 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]
$230 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]
-$1.095 billion (2017 est.)
-$1.065 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]
$5.158 billion (2017 est.)
$4.561 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
[see also: Exports country ranks ]
crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum, coffee, cotton
Netherlands 21%, India 11.3%, Italy 11%, China 8%, Spain 6.7%, France 5.9% (2016)
$5.334 billion (2017 est.)
$4.784 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
[see also: Imports country ranks ]
machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food
China 17.8%, Nigeria 12%, France 11%, Thailand 4.6%, Togo 4.5% (2016)
$2.357 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$2.26 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]
$8.238 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$7.364 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]
Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar -
605.3 (2017 est.)
593.01 (2016 est.)
593.01 (2015 est.)
591.45 (2014 est.)
494.42 (2013 est.)