Long-form name: Republic of Cameroon

Type: unitary republic; one-party presidential regime

Capital: Yaounde

Administrative divisions: 10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest

Independence: 1 January 1960 (from UN trusteeship under French administration; formerly French Cameroon)

Constitution: 20 May 1972; judicial review by Supreme Court when a question of constitutionality is referred to it by the president

Legal system: based on French civil law system, with common law influence; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: National Day, 20 May (1972)

Branches: executive (president), legislative (National Assembly), and judicial (Supreme Court)

Leader: @m5Chief of State and Head of Government President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)

Suffrage: universal over age 21

Elections: parliamentary and presidential elections held April 1988

Political parties and leaders: Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (known as the Cameroon People's National Union during the period 1966-85), Paul Biya, President

Communists: no Communist party or significant number of sympathizers

Other political or pressure groups: Cameroon People's Union (UPC), remains an illegal group with its factional leaders in exile

Member of: AfBD, CCC, EAMA, ECA, EIB (associate), FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ISO, ITU, Lake Chad Basin Commission, NAM, Niger River Commission, OAU, OIC, UDEAC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WI PO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Paul PONDI; Chancery at 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 265-8790 through 8794; US--Ambassador Mark L. EDELMAN; Embassy at Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde (mailing address is B. P. 817, Yaounde); telephone Õ237å 234014; there is a US Consulate General in Douala

Flag: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

NOTE: The information regarding Cameroon on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Cameroon Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Cameroon Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.