Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. Due to its strategic position at the crossroads between West Africa and Central Africa, it has been categorized as being in both geostrategic locations. The country is often referred to as "Africa in miniature" for its geological, linguistic, and cultural diversity.
Cameroon shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Its coastline lies on the Bight of Biafra, part of the Gulf of Guinea, and the Atlantic Ocean.
Geography
Cameroon is triangular in shape and is bordered by Nigeria to the northwest, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, the Republic of the Congo to the southeast, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the southwest.
Cameroon, in West Africa, is a mixture of desert plains in the north, mountains in the central regions, and tropical rain forests in the south. Its natural features include beaches, deserts, mountains, rainforests, and savannas. Along its western border with Nigeria are mountains, which include the volcanic Cameroon Mountain-the highest point in West Africa at 13,451 feet (4,100 meters).
At 475,442 square kilometres (183,569 sq mi), Cameroon is the world's 53rd-largest country. Cameroon lies between latitudes 1° and 13°N, and longitudes 8° and 17°E.
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Cameroon is divided into five major geographic zones distinguished by dominant physical, climatic, and vegetative features:
- The South Cameroon Plateau rises from the coastal plain to an average elevation of 650 metres (2,133 ft). Equatorial rainforest dominates this region, although its alternation between wet and dry seasons makes it less humid than the coast.
- An irregular chain of mountains, hills, and plateaus known as the Cameroon range extends from Mount Cameroon on the coast-Cameroon's highest point at 4,095 metres (13,435 ft)-almost to Lake Chad at Cameroon's northern border at 13°05'N. This region has a mild climate, particularly on the Western High Plateau, although rainfall is high. Its soils are among Cameroon's most fertile, especially around volcanic Mount Cameroon. Volcanism here has created crater lakes.
- The southern plateau rises northward to the grassy, rugged Adamawa Plateau. This feature stretches from the western mountain area and forms a barrier between the country's north and south. Its average elevation is 1,100 metres (3,609 ft), and its average temperature ranges from 22 °C (71.6 °F) to 25 °C (77 °F) with high rainfall between April and October peaking in July and August.
- The northern lowland region extends from the edge of the Adamawa to Lake Chad with an average elevation of 300 to 350 metres (984 to 1,148 ft). Its characteristic vegetation is savanna scrub and grass.
Cameroon has four patterns of drainage. In the south, the principal rivers are the Ntem, Nyong, Sanaga, and Wouri. These flow southwestward or westward directly into the Gulf of Guinea. The Dja and Kadéï drain southeastward into the Congo River. In northern Cameroon, the Bénoué River runs north and west and empties into the Niger.
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People & Culture
Cameroon's population of nearly 31 million people speak 250 native languages, in addition to the national tongues of English and French. Approximately 250 ethnic groups speaking about 270 languages and dialects make Cameroon a remarkably diverse country.
Christianity is the majority religion in Cameroon, with significant minorities practising Islam and traditional faiths.
Nature
Cameroon's wildlife is composed of its flora and fauna. It is one of the wettest parts of Africa and records Africa's second-highest level of biodiversity. To preserve its wildlife, Cameroon has more than 20 protected reserves comprising national parks, zoos, forest reserves, and sanctuaries. The protected areas were first created in the northern region under the colonial administration in 1932; the first two reserves established were Mozogo Gokoro Reserve.
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The rain forests in the south of Cameroon are home to screaming red and green monkeys, chimpanzees, and gorillas, as well as rodents, bats, and a great diversity of birds-from tiny sunbirds to giant hawks and eagles. A few elephants can be found in the forest and in the grassy woodlands, where baboons and several types of antelope are the most common animals. Gorillas make their homes in dense forests, such as those found in the Cameroonian Highlands.
Waza National Park in the north, which was originally created for the protection of elephants, giraffes, and antelope, is full of forest and savanna animals, including monkeys, baboons, lions, leopards, and birds.
In Cameroon, forest cover is around 43% of the total land area, equivalent to 20,340,480 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, down from 22,500,000 hectares (ha) in 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forests covered 20,279,380 hectares (ha), and planted forests covered 61,100 hectares (ha).
History
Evidence from archaeological excavations at Shum Laka in the Northwest Region shows human occupation in Cameroon dating back 30,000 years. The longest continuous inhabitants are groups such as the Baka (Pygmies). From there, Bantu migrations into eastern, southern and central Africa are believed to have occurred about 2,000 years ago.
Tribes lived in Cameroon's highlands more than 1,500 years ago and began spreading south as they cleared forests for new farms. The Sao culture arose around Lake Chad, c. 500 CE, and gave way to the Kanem and its successor state, the Bornu Empire.
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Cameroon's colonial name comes from the cameros, or prawns, that 15th-century explorers found in the Wouri River. Portuguese sailors reached the coast in 1472. Germany began to establish roots in Cameroon in 1868 when the Woermann Company of Hamburg built a warehouse on the estuary of the Wouri River.
The German Empire claimed the territory as the colony of Kamerun in 1884 and began a steady push inland; the natives resisted in the Bafut Wars and Adamawa Wars. Under the aegis of Germany, commercial companies and local administrations used forced labour to run profitable banana, rubber, palm oil, and cocoa plantations. Even infrastructure projects relied on a regimen of forced labour.
With the defeat of Germany in World War I, Kamerun became a League of Nations mandate territory and was split into French Cameroon (French: Cameroun) and British Cameroon in 1919. France integrated the economy of Cameroon with that of France and improved the infrastructure with capital investments and skilled workers, modifying the colonial system of forced labour.
The British administered their territory from neighbouring Nigeria. Natives complained that this made them a neglected "colony of a colony". France outlawed the pro-independence political party, the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon (French: Union des Populations du Cameroun, UPC), on 13 July 1955. This prompted a long guerrilla war waged by the UPC and the assassination of several of the party's leaders.
Independence was achieved in French Cameroon in 1960. In 1960, the French-administered part of Cameroon became independent, as the Republic of Cameroun, under President Ahmadou Ahidjo. On 1 October 1961, the formerly British Southern Cameroons gained independence from the United Kingdom by vote of the UN General Assembly and merged into the Republic of Cameroon to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. The federal republic was composed of two federated states, East Cameroon and West Cameroon, each with its own legislature, government, and prime minister.
Ahidjo's political party, the Cameroon National Union (CNU), became the sole legal political party on 1 September 1966, and on 20 May 1972, a referendum was passed to abolish the federal system of government in favour of a United Republic of Cameroon, headed from Yaoundé.
Government & Economy
The Republic of Cameroon is a union of two former United Nations trust territories-French Cameroon, which became independent in 1960, and southern British Cameroons, which joined it after a 1961 UN-sponsored referendum. The federation was abandoned in 1972. The country was renamed the United Republic of Cameroon in 1972 and back to the Republic of Cameroon in 1984 by a presidential decree by President Paul Biya. Biya, the incumbent president, has led the country since 1982 following Ahidjo's resignation; he previously held office as prime minister from 1975 onward.
After Cameroon became independent in 1960, the country began to prosper and the government built schools, helped farmers diversify their crops, and encouraged new types of businesses. The global sale of products, such as cocoa, coffee, and oil, helped boost the economy.
The National Assembly makes legislation. The body consists of 180 members who are elected for five-year terms and meet three times per year. Laws are passed on a majority vote.
The 1996 constitution establishes a second house of parliament, the 100-seat Senate. Cameroon's legal system is a mixture of civil law, common law, and customary law. Although nominally independent, the judiciary falls under the authority of the executive's Ministry of Justice. The president appoints judges at all levels. The judiciary is officially divided into tribunals, the court of appeal, and the supreme court.
Cameroon is viewed as rife with corruption at all levels of government. President Biya's Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM) was the only legal political party until December 1990. Numerous regional political groups have since formed.
The economy depends a lot on the amount of money people can get from selling oil, tea, coffee, and cocoa. Because oil reserves may run out in the future, Cameroon is working to come up with other ways to make money.
This period of growth lasted for 20 years until corruption and the decline in the value of exports caused the economy to go into a recession. Now Cameroon relies on international aid organizations, as well as the sale of petroleum and cocoa to keep its economy stable.
Recent signs, however, are encouraging. The government’s economic reform program--approved in August 1997--is on track. Cameroon has successfully negotiated its Paris Club debt at favorable terms and is aiming for 5% a year beginning in 1995.
Regions
The constitution divides Cameroon into 10 semi-autonomous regions, each under the administration of an elected Regional Council. These leaders are charged with implementing the will of the president, reporting on the general mood and conditions of the regions, administering the civil service, keeping the peace, and overseeing the heads of the smaller administrative units.
- The three northernmost regions are the Far North (Extrême Nord), North (Nord), and Adamawa (Adamaoua).
- Directly south of them are the Centre (Centre) and East (Est).
- The South Province (Sud) lies on the Gulf of Guinea and the southern border.
Tourism and Safety
Exercise increased caution in Cameroon due to armed violence, civil unrest, crime, health, kidnapping, and terrorism. Some areas have increased risk. Violent crime, kidnapping for ransom, armed robbery, and carjacking, is common throughout Cameroon, especially in the regions listed above.
Civil unrest is common, with the potential for political violence. Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. In Northwest and Southwest Regions, armed clashes between separatists and government forces, and other acts of violence, including violent criminality, kidnapping for ransom, sexual assault, arson, roadside ambushes and robberies, use of improvised explosive devices, illegitimate detentions, and murder have occurred.
Security force operations, curfews and movement restrictions, and attacks by armed militants can take place at any time throughout these regions, including in urban areas.
Cameroon is well known for its native music styles, particularly Makossa, Njang, and Bikutsi, and its successful national football team. The country is often referred to as "Africa in miniature" for its geological, linguistic, and cultural diversity. Its natural features include beaches, deserts, mountains, rainforests, and savannas.
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