Cameroon

Keyfacts

POPULATION (Census 2005): 17,463,836
AREA: 475,442 sq km
CAPITAL: Yaoundé
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTION TO GDP: -
CURRENCY: Central African franc (XAF)
EXECUTIVE HEAD OF STATE: President Paul Biya
NOMINAL HEAD OF GOVERNMENT: Prime Minister Phié mon Yang
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: republic
PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM: bicameral5
STATE STRUCTURE: unitary
LANGUAGES: French and English (official)
NATIONAL ELECTIONS:
National Assembly: last: 2007; turnout: 62%; next: 2012
Presidential: last: 2004; turnout: 82.2%; next: 2011
LOCAL ELECTIONS: last: 2007; turnout: 65.4%; next: 2012

Summary

Cameroon is a parliamentary republic with two levels of government, central and local. Constitutional provision is made not only for local government but also for an intermediary higher territorial tier, although this has yet to be implemented. The main laws governing local government are Laws No. 17, 18 and 19 of 2004 on decentralisation, councils and regions respectively. The Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation is responsible for government policy on territorial administration and local government. There are 376 local government councils, consisting of 320 urban or rural councils, 14 cities and 42 sub-divisions within the cities. Local councils are empowered to levy taxes and charges including direct council taxes, cattle tax and licences. The most important mechanism for revenue-sharing is the 10% centimes additionnels communaux levy on national taxation, of which 70% goes to the councils. All councils have similar responsibilities and powers for service delivery with the exception of the sub-divisional urban councils which have a modified set of powers. Council responsibility for service delivery includes utilities, town planning, health, social services and primary education.

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