Capital

Kamerun

name: Yaounde

geographic coordinates: 3 52 N, 11 31 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: founded as a German colonial settlement of Jaunde in 1888 and named after the local Yaunde (Ewondo) people

Algerien

name: Algiers

geographic coordinates: 36 45 N, 3 03 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: name derives from the Arabic "al-Jazair" meaning "the islands" and refers to the four islands formerly off the coast of the capital but joined to the mainland since 1525

Citizenship

Kamerun

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cameroon

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Algerien

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: the mother must be a citizen of Algeria

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

Legal system

Kamerun

mixed legal system of English common law, French civil law, and customary law

Algerien

mixed legal system of French civil law and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials including several Supreme Court justices

Suffrage

Kamerun

20 years of age; universal

Algerien

18 years of age; universal

Area

Kamerun

total: 475,440 sq km

land: 472,710 sq km

water: 2,730 sq km

Algerien

total: 2,381,740 sq km

land: 2,381,740 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Land use

Kamerun

agricultural land: 20.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 13.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 3.3% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 4.2% (2018 est.)

forest: 41.7% (2018 est.)

other: 37.7% (2018 est.)

Algerien

agricultural land: 17.4% (2018 est.)

arable land: 3.2% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 13.8% (2018 est.)

forest: 0.8% (2018 est.)

other: 81.8% (2018 est.)

Location

Kamerun

Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Algerien

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia

Age structure

Kamerun

0-14 years: 41.69% (male 6,337,141/female 6,226,100)

15-64 years: 55.12% (male 8,231,473/female 8,379,699)

65 years and over: 3.19% (2023 est.) (male 447,656/female 513,663)

Algerien

0-14 years: 28.78% (male 6,594,512/female 6,286,191)

15-64 years: 64.29% (male 14,607,255/female 14,166,990)

65 years and over: 6.93% (2023 est.) (male 1,475,635/female 1,627,815)

Birth rate

Kamerun

35.1 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Algerien

20.9 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Kamerun

7.5 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Algerien

4.4 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Kamerun

24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)

major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)

The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

Algerien

Arabic (official), French (lingua franca), Berber or Tamazight (official); dialects include Kabyle Berber (Taqbaylit), Shawiya Berber (Tacawit), Mzab Berber, Tuareg Berber (Tamahaq)

major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

Kamerun

total population: 63.7 years (2023 est.)

male: 61.9 years

female: 65.6 years

Algerien

total population: 77.8 years (2023 est.)

male: 77 years

female: 78.6 years

Major urban areas - population

Kamerun

4.509 million YAOUNDE (capital), 4.063 million Douala (2023)

Algerien

2.902 million ALGIERS (capital), 936,000 Oran (2022)

Median age

Kamerun

total: 18.8 years (2023 est.)

male: 18.5 years

female: 19.1 years

Algerien

total: 28.9 years (2023 est.)

male: 28.6 years

female: 29.2 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Kamerun

20.1 years (2018 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Net migration rate

Kamerun

-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Algerien

-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Kamerun

population concentrated in the west and north, with the interior of the country sparsely populated as shown in this population distribution map

Algerien

the vast majority of the populace is found in the extreme northern part of the country along the Mediterranean Coast as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

Kamerun

2.73% (2023 est.)

Algerien

1.62% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Kamerun

4.5 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Algerien

2.97 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Kamerun

urban population: 59.3% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 3.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Algerien

urban population: 75.3% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Kamerun

3.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Algerien

7% of GDP (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Kamerun

total: 12 years

male: 13 years

female: 11 years (2016)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Kamerun

-3.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Algerien

-9.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Kamerun

3.22% (2021 est.)

Algerien

7.36% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Kamerun

11.81 million (2021 est.)

Algerien

12.312 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Kamerun

37.5% (2014 est.)

Algerien

5.5% (2011 est.)

Unemployment rate

Kamerun

3.87% (2021 est.)

3.84% (2020 est.)

3.64% (2019 est.)

Algerien

12.7% (2021 est.)

12.55% (2020 est.)

10.51% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Kamerun

36.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

32.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Algerien

27.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

20.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover central government debt as well as debt issued by subnational entities and intra-governmental debt

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Kamerun

2.27% (2021 est.)

2.44% (2020 est.)

2.45% (2019 est.)

Algerien

7.23% (2021 est.)

2.42% (2020 est.)

1.95% (2019 est.)

Exports

Kamerun

$7.449 billion (2021 est.)

$6.124 billion (2020 est.)

$7.731 billion (2019 est.)

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Algerien

$41.776 billion (2021 est.)

$24.902 billion (2020 est.)

$38.551 billion (2019 est.)

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Exports - partners

Kamerun

China 17%, Netherlands 14%, Italy 9%, United Arab Emirates 8%, India 7%, United States 6%, Belgium 6%, Spain 5%, France 5% (2019)

Algerien

Italy 13%, France 13%, Spain 12%, United States 7%, United Kingdom 7%, India 5%, South Korea 5% (2019)

Imports

Kamerun

$9.027 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$7.212 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$9.085 billion (2019 est.)

Algerien

$44.322 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$42.347 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$54.259 billion (2019 est.)

Imports - partners

Kamerun

China 28%, Nigeria 15%, France 9%, Belgium 6% (2019)

Algerien

China 18%, France 14%, Italy 8%, Spain 8%, Germany 5%, Turkey 5% (2019)

Airports

Kamerun

33 (2021)

Algerien

149 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Kamerun

total: 722,579 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2020 est.)

Algerien

total: 3,790,459 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Kamerun

total: 12.42 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 46% (2021 est.)

Algerien

total: 31.24 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 71% (2021 est.)

Railways

Kamerun

total: 987 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 987 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

note: railway connections generally efficient but limited; rail lines connect major cities of Douala, Yaounde, Ngaoundere, and Garoua; passenger and freight service provided by CAMRAIL

Algerien

total: 4,020 km (2019)

Roadways

Kamerun

total: 77,589 km (2016)

paved: 5,133 km (2016)

unpaved: 72,456 km (2016)

Algerien

total: 104,000 km (2015)

paved: 71,656 km (2015)

unpaved: 32,344 km (2015)

Telephones - fixed lines

Kamerun

total subscriptions: 739,572 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2021 est.)

Algerien

total subscriptions: 5,097,095 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Kamerun

total subscriptions: 22,442,414 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 83 (2021 est.)

Algerien

total subscriptions: 47,028,685 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Kamerun

(2010) (major rivers in the south, such as the Wouri and the Sanaga, are largely non-navigable; in the north, the Benue, which connects through Nigeria to the Niger River, is navigable in the rainy season only to the port of Garoua)

Disputes - international

Kamerun

Cameroon-Central African Republic: Cameroon has deployed military troops to the border to counter intrusions from armed militias and bandits
 
Cameroon-Nigeria: Nigeria recognized Cameroon's sovereignty over the Bakassi Peninsula in 2006 and in completed the transfer of administration in 2013, although there are occasional, mostly local disputes in the area; the the majority of the land boundary was demarcated by 2019 with UN assistance, although there are few disagreements on the precise location of the boundary; the porous border is susceptible to crossings by the Boko Haram and Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - West Africa terrorist groups, both of which operate in Northern Nigeria 

Algerien

Algeria-Morocco: the Algerian-Moroccan land border remains closed; Algeria's border with Morocco remains an irritant to bilateral relations, each nation accusing the other of harboring militants and arms smuggling; the National Liberation Front's (FLN) assertions of a claim to Chirac Pastures in southeastern Morocco remain a dormant dispute

Algeria-Libya: dormant dispute includes Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km still reflected on its maps of southeastern Algeria

Algeria-Mali: none identified

Algeria-Mauritania: none identified

Algeria-Niger: none identified

Algeria-Tunisia: none identified