Cameroon vs. Equatorial Guinea
Government
| Cameroon | Equatorial Guinea | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon conventional short form: Cameroon local long form: Republique du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroon local short form: Cameroun/Cameroon former: Kamerun, French Cameroon, British Cameroon, Federal Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon etymology: in the 15th century, Portuguese explorers named the area near the mouth of the Wouri River the Rio dos Camaroes (River of Prawns) after the abundant shrimp in the water; over time the designation became Cameroon in English; this is the only instance where a country is named after a crustacean | conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial/Republique de Guinee Equatoriale local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial/Guinee Equatoriale former: Spanish Guinea etymology: the country is named for the Guinea region of West Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea and stretches north to the Sahel; the "equatorial" refers to the fact that the country lies just north of the Equator |
| Government type | presidential republic | presidential republic |
| Capital | 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 | name: Malabo; note - a new capital of Cuidad de la Paz (formerly referred to as Oyala) is being built on the mainland near Djibloho; Malabo is on the island of Bioko geographic coordinates: 3 45 N, 8 47 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after Malabo Lopelo Melaka (1837-1937), the last king of the Bubi, the ethnic group indigenous to the island of Bioko; the name of the new capital, Cuidad de la Paz, translates to "City of Peace" in Spanish |
| Administrative divisions | 10 regions (regions, singular - region); Adamaoua, Centre, East (Est), Far North (Extreme-Nord), Littoral, North (Nord), North-West (Nord-Ouest), West (Ouest), South (Sud), South-West (Sud-Ouest) | 8 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Djibloho, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas |
| Independence | 1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship) | 12 October 1968 (from Spain) |
| National holiday | State Unification Day (National Day), 20 May (1972) | Independence Day, 12 October (1968) |
| Constitution | history: several previous; latest effective 18 January 1996 amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; amendment drafts require approval of at least one third of the membership in either house of Parliament; passage requires absolute majority vote of the Parliament membership; passage of drafts requested by the president for a second reading in Parliament requires two-thirds majority vote of its membership; the president can opt to submit drafts to a referendum, in which case passage requires a simple majority; constitutional articles on Cameroon's unity and territorial integrity and its democratic principles cannot be amended; amended 2008 | history: previous 1968, 1973, 1982; approved by referendum 17 November 1991 amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or supported by three fourths of the membership in either house of the National Assembly; passage requires three-fourths majority vote by both houses of the Assembly and approval in a referendum if requested by the president; amended several times, last in 2012 |
| Legal system | mixed legal system of English common law, French civil law, and customary law | mixed system of civil and customary law |
| Suffrage | 20 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982) head of government: Prime Minister Joseph Dion NGUTE (since 4 January 2019); Deputy Prime Minister Amadou ALI (since 2014) cabinet: Cabinet proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 7-year term (no term limits); election last held on 7 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2025); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Paul BIYA reelected president; percent of vote - Paul BIYA (CPDM) 71.3%, Maurice KAMTO (MRC) 14.2%, Cabral LIBII (Univers) 6.3%, other 8.2% | chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup); Vice President Teodoro Nguema OBIANG Mangue(since 2012) head of government: Prime Minister Francisco Pascual Eyegue OBAMA Asue (since 23 June 2016); First Deputy Prime Minister Clemente Engonga NGUEMA Onguene (since 23 June 2016); Second Deputy Prime Minister Angel MESIE Mibuy (since 5 February 2018); Third Deputy Prime Minister Alfonso Nsue MOKUY (since 23 June 2016) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and overseen by the prime minister elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 24 April 2016 (next to be held in 2023); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Teodoro OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo reelected president; percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo (PDGE) 93.5%, other 6.5% |
| Legislative branch | description: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of: Senate or Senat (100 seats; 70 members indirectly elected by regional councils and 30 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 25 March 2018 (next to be held in 2023) National Assembly - last held on 9 February 2020 (current term extended by President); note - the constitutional court has ordered a partial rerun of elections in the English speaking areas; date to be determined election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CDPM 81.1%, SDF 8.6%, UNDP 5.8%, UDC 1.16%, other 2.8%; seats by party - CPDM 63, SDF 7 National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPDM 139, UNDP 7, SDF 5, PCRN 5, UDC 4, FSNC 3, MDR 2, Union of Socialist Movements 2; 13 vacant; composition - NA | description: bicameral National Assembly or Asemblea Nacional consists of: Senate or Senado (70 seats; 55 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote and 15 appointed by the president) Chamber of Deputies or Camara de los Diputados (100 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed paryt-list proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 12 November 2017 (next to be held in 2022/2023) Chamber of Deputies - last held on 12 November 2017 (next to be held in 2022/2023) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE and aligned coalition 70; composition - men 60, women 10, percent of women 14.3% Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE 99, CI 1; composition - men 78, women 22, percent of women 22%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 18.8% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court of Cameroon (consists of 9 titular and 6 surrogate judges and organized into judicial, administrative, and audit chambers); Constitutional Council (consists of 11 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president with the advice of the Higher Judicial Council of Cameroon, a body chaired by the president and includes the minister of justice, selected magistrates, and representatives of the National Assembly; judge term NA; Constitutional Council members appointed by the president for single 9-year terms subordinate courts: Parliamentary Court of Justice (jurisdiction limited to cases involving the president and prime minister); appellate and first instance courts; circuit and magistrates' courts | highest courts: Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the chief justice - who is also chief of state - and 9 judges organized into civil, criminal, commercial, labor, administrative, and customary sections); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president and 4 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president for 5-year terms; Constitutional Court members appointed by the president, 2 of whom are nominated by the Chamber of Deputies; note - judges subject to dismissal by the president at any time subordinate courts: Court of Guarantees; military courts; Courts of Appeal; first instance tribunals; district and county tribunals |
| Political parties and leaders | Alliance for Democracy and Development Cameroon People's Democratic Movement or CPDM [Paul BIYA] Cameroon People's Party or CPP [Edith Kah WALLA] Cameroon Renaissance Movement or MRC [Maurice KAMTO] Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA] Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation or PCRN [Cabral LIBII] Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon or FSNC [Issa Tchiroma BAKARY] Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA] Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [Marcel YONDO] National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA] Progressive Movement or MP [Jean-Jacques EKINDI] Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI] Union of Peoples of Cameroon or UPC [Provisionary Management Bureau] Union of Socialist Movements | Citizens for Innovation or CI [Gabriel Nse Obiang OBONO] Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Andres ESONO ONDO] Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE [Teodoro Obiang NGUEMA MBASOGO] Electoral Coalition or EC Juntos Podemos (coalition includes CPDS, FDR, UDC) National Congress of Equatorial Guinea [Agustin MASOKO ABEGUE] National Democratic Party [Benedicto OBIANG MANGUE] National Union for Democracy [Thomas MBA MONABANG] Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Carmelo MBA BACALE] Popular Union or UP [Daniel MARTINEZ AYECABA] Union for the Center right or UDC [Avelino MOCACHE MEHENGA] not officially registered parties: Democratic Republican Force or FDR [Guillermo NGUEMA ELA] Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO] |
| International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, CPLP (associate), FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Henri ETOUNDI ESSOMBA (since 27 June 2016) chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790 FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826 email address and website: cs@cameroonembassyusa.org https://www.cameroonembassyusa.org/mainFolder/index.html | chief of mission: Ambassador Miguel Ntutumu EVUNA ANDEME (since 23 February 2015) chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700 FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252 email address and website: info@egembassydc.com https://www.egembassydc.com/ consulate(s) general: Houston |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Deputy Chief of Mission (currently serving as Charge d'Affaires) Mary E. DASCHBACH embassy: Avenue Rosa Parks, Yaoundé mailing address: 2520 Yaounde Place, Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [237] 22251-4000/[237] 22220-1500 FAX: [237] 22220-1500, Ext. 4531 email address and website: YaoundeACS@state.gov https://cm.usembassy.gov/ branch office(s): Douala | chief of mission: Ambassador Susan N. STEVENSON (since 11 April 2019) embassy: Malabo II Highway (between the Headquarters of Sonagas and the offices of the United Nations), Malabo mailing address: 2320 Malabo Place, Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [240] 333 09-57-41 email address and website: Malaboconsular@state.gov https://gq.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow, with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; the vertical tricolor recalls the flag of France; red symbolizes unity, yellow the sun, happiness, and the savannahs in the north, and green hope and the forests in the south; the star is referred to as the "star of unity" note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red, with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice); green symbolizes the jungle and natural resources, blue represents the sea that connects the mainland to the islands, white stands for peace, and red recalls the fight for independence |
| National anthem | name: "O Cameroun, Berceau de nos Ancetres" (O Cameroon, Cradle of Our Forefathers) lyrics/music: Rene Djam AFAME, Samuel Minkio BAMBA, Moise Nyatte NKO'O [French], Benard Nsokika FONLON [English]/Rene Djam AFAME note: adopted 1957; Cameroon's anthem, also known as "Chant de Ralliement" (The Rallying Song), has been used unofficially since 1948 and officially adopted in 1957; the anthem has French and English versions whose lyrics differ | name: "Caminemos pisando la senda" (Let Us Tread the Path) lyrics/music: Atanasio Ndongo MIYONO/Atanasio Ndongo MIYONO or Ramiro Sanchez LOPEZ (disputed) note: adopted 1968 |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | lion; national colors: green, red, yellow | silk cotton tree; national colors: green, white, red, blue |
| Citizenship | 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 | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Equatorial Guinea dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years |
Source: CIA Factbook
